Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-31
Quite Talk on Armor Plate in the
Senate.
MR. SHERMAN'S FINANCIAL RESOLUTION
Questions Put to Mr.. Mitchell as
to Treasury Operations.
A BRIEF HOUSE SESSION

| consideration of a resolution which in sev-
| eral whereases recited the development Of
| the beet sugar industry under the Mckinley
| bounty and the injury it had suffered under
the present tariff law and the necessity for
| further protection for a few years, and
| directed the committee on finance to re-
| port an amendment to the House tariff bill
| laying an additional duty on raw SUGAR
equal to the other increases of the bill.
Mr.. Berry (Ark.) objected.
MI Morrlll (Nt.) moved that when the
Senate adjourn today it be to meet on Fri
day next. He explained that the finance
committee, of which he was now chairman
| desired to consider the bond and tariff bills
| on thursday. His motion agreed to.
Talk About Armor Plate.
Mr. Chambers resolution offered yester-
| day directing the committee on naval af-
| fairs to investigate the prices paid by the
| government for armor plate and as to
| whether any officials of the government
were interested in patent processes, was
| called up. At the suggestion of Mr.. Co.
man CMd) the words directing inquiry
| into the facts as to whether The prices paid
by the United States were ''as low as paid
| by foreign governments were stricken out.
Mr.. Mills CTeNas) could not see the reason
for the amendTr ent.
| Mr. German explained that 1t was well
known that armor plate company had
competed with England for furnishing ar
1
asked were lower than received from the
| United States. The contract, he thought,
| had been made at loss. There had been
no concealment about it. AS to the re-
mainder of the resolution Mr.. German said
| it contained intimaton that there had
not been careful business conduct of the
| office of the Navy Department, and fur
| ther that officers of the government were
| interested in armor plate patents II the
| information of the Senator from New
| Ia ampshire warranted these intimations he
| had no objection to the resolution. but he
! regretted that anybody should deem it
| necessary to make such an inquiry. He
! spoke of the fact that both political parties
| had united in the last twelve years in the
| rejuvenation OF our navy.
Great discretion had been given to the
Secretaries of, the Navy, and the results
| had been marvellous to the world. The hon
| esty, integrity and intelligence of the heads
| of the Navy Department had not been oues-
| toned. He again expressed regret that Just
| at this time, in the peculiar atmosphere
which enveloped us, that it should be
| thought necessary to make this inquiry.
Mr. Hale also spoke of the achievements
of the Navy Department, and expressed the
hope that nothing would be found amiss.
Mr.. Chandler said he shared the general
regret, but he was ready to assume the re-
| sponsibility for the resolution. Facts had
come to his knowledge, he said. that re-
| quired INVESTIGATION and publicity in order
that future contracts for armor in the equip
ment of vessels now building and to be built
| should be above suspicion and reproach.
| ne uiu not propose TO make q statement OF
| the facts on which the resolution was found
| ed, but said something of their character
could be surmised from certain statements
printed recently in New York paper. The
resolution was adopted.
| Mr.. Sherman's Financial Resolution,
Mr.. Sherman then introduced the follow
ing resolution, which was listened to with
keen interest, in view of the Senator's ut
| terances against the retirement of the
lrraeObacEs ha
| he would submit some remarks upon it. The
resolution was follows:
Resolved, That, by injurious legislation
by the Fifty-third Congress, the revenues of
| the government We're reduced below its
necessary expenditure. and the fund created
| by law for the redemption of United States
notes has been invaded 10 supply such de-
| ficiency of reserve; that such misapplica-
| ton of the resumption fund is of doubtful
| legality and greatly injurious to the public
credit, and should be prevented by restor-
| ing said fund to the sum of not less than
s100,O0o,ooo in gold coin or bullion, to be paid
| out only in the redemption of United States
| notes and treasury notes, and such notes,
when redeemed, TO be ressued only in eX-
| change for gold coin or bullion
Mr.. MitcheIrs Speech.
Mr.. Mitchell eOreg) then took the floor
| ard spoke in favor of his resolution, in
structing the finance committee to restore
the Mckinley duties on wool in any reve-
| nue bill reported to the Senate.
While Mr.. Mitchell was contending that
the Secretary of the Treasury could have
stopped the gold raids by using his dis
cret!on to redeem notes in coin, Mr.. Hill
On. v asked MIN if it was not true that
greenbacks had been redeemed in gold by
every Secretary since 1873.
Mr.. Mitchell replied that il might be
true, but in his opinion it was very poor
policy.
Treasury notes have been redeemed in
gold only since 1891" interrupted Mr.
Cockrell (Mo)
rs that fact?' asked Mr.. Mitchell.
1T is" replied Mr.. Cockrell, ennpha tically
In 1873, in response to telegram sent by
me to Secretary Foster he replied that
the first treasury note had been redeemed
by him in gold in 1891"
Il am talking about greenhacks.' said
Mr.. Fill. Have not all Secretaries of the
Treasury redeemed these notes in gold
since 1ST9?''
Mr. CockrcIrs Assertion. .
"Greenbacks We're never presented said
Mr.. Cockrell. There was no demand for
gold. anI that can be shown on the record.
Tie Senator from Ohio CMr Sherman
since that time proposed to redeem, retire
and cancel every of those greeLbacks
with silver dollars and his amendment TO
that effect Is here on record, in which he
proposed to substitute for the greenbacks
silver notes, and, in addition to that /
want to say that Secretary Carlisle Janu-
airy p 1898, stated before the House COM
inlttee on approRrlatlCnS that IT in the be-
ginning the Secretary Of the Treasury had
exercised his discretion Of paying either in
silver or gold, it would have operated well,
and would have been of great benefit"
At 2:2J the Senate adjourned until Friday.
THE HOUSE.
The last session of the House for the
year 1898 was a purely formal meeting.
lasting but very few minutes. and an
adjournment was taken until FRIDAY ac-
corling to the understanding. The prayer
Of the chaplain was most impressive. He
asked that party contentious might be
buried that the nation might advance
with the motto: One flag, country.
one God forever" and concluded, with
malice toward none, with charity for all,
| let cur nation stand an example 10 all the
world with iustice written on her brow"