The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-05-06
TILLMAN'S PITCHF0RK,
he PLuNGES DEEP INTO THE AR
NOR PLAlE TRUST.

Sharp Criticism of Retired Naval ohcer'
Who Serve Two Masters-A Running De
bate With Senator Gray of Delaware.
Senator Tillman is member OF the
Naval Affairs Committee and as such
took part in running deoate In the
Senate Monday. He said:
Mr.. President. as a member OF tht
Committee on Naval Affairs I have
taken q great deal of interest in the in
yestipation which has been under dis
cussion here. and 1 have listened with
a great deal of pleasure, and [ must
say with some amusement. to this de-
bate, which, it seems to me, is one OF
taste. Senators will remember the old
adage that on questions of taste people
must be allowed to disagree.
The committee, I think, had in view
and very rightly, in presenting the
amendment the stopping of a scandal, =,
to prevent a man from being accused
of improper or dishonorable action or
even SUSPECTED of it. In investigating
the question of the cost of armor we
the rmor-plate manufacturers and the
3 government were enemies. Their IN
I terests are directly opposed to each
! other. The government wants to get
\ the armor of the very best quality at
as low a price as possible. The manu- n
facturer wants to get the last dollar
possible. ,.no
Now, we find in the employ OF the
manufacturers two of the ablest OIL
GERS of the United States Navy that L
have ever met. hope we have a great
many of them. have not met a great re;
many like them, but doubt 1t. Inc
Government has educated those men at
its own expense. 1t has had them IN
it's employ until the time has come un-
der the law when they could be re-
tired or when they were forcibly re-
tired, and they 60 upon handsome pay.
They 90 into retirement not as beggars
as the Senator from Delaware lMr:
Gray says, but their pay is such that
they can live comfortably If they had
nothing else.
Mr.. Gray: 1t is s75 month; ,,
Mr.. Tillman: Is that all2 think
the Senator is mistaken.
Mr.. Gray: They are not retired on
the longevity plan.
Mr.. Tillman: They are retired 1or
disability.
Mn. Tillman: Of course I do not say
that a man can live handsomely on
$75 q month in this community. L
have discovered the contrary: But
here are men who hold the right Tor
the balance of their lives to draw on
the Treasury for so much money.
That is, they come and draw their pay
on the retired list. They certainly
owe the government some o6llgatlon
and if they were not in semi-capacl-
ty at least in the employ of the gov
ernment, with the right OF the govern
ment to call on them, they would be
under no moral obligation
Mr.. Gray: That is right. i
Mr.. Tillman: The Senator acknoWl-
edges that they are under moral oo'
legation to the government OF some
kind. Let us see to what extent IT
goes. They are now in the employ OF
enemies of the government, men who,
I said, are trying to get all they can
out of the government. They are
using the skill which the government
has furnished them in educating them;
they are using the technical knowl-
edge in the management and construc,
ton of ships which they received
from the government in helping the
enemies Of the government to cheat
the o,overnment or to rob it. If that
is not a position in which no honora-
BILE man would like to be placed, l ask
the Senator from Delaware just to tell
me what sort of position it is?
Mr.. Gray: As the Senator from
South Carolina puts the question, l
will agree with him entirely, and that
is the trouble all through this debate.
You put the question in such guise as
suits your own argument. But that
does not suit the facts. That IS what
have been trying to show. Will
agree with the Senator perfectly, that
in the way he puts it he is right; but
let me ask the Senator if am not tres
passing on his patience
MIR. Tillman: Certainly not.
Mr.. Gray: This is matter OF some
importance, perhaps. He says that he
has in the course of the performance
of his duty as a member OF the Com,
mittee on Naval Affairs discovered
that the contractors and the govern
ment are enemies.
Mr.. Tillman: I have.
Mr.. Gray: Are they enemies after
the contract is made in the same sense
that they were beforeS
Mr.. Tillman: Of course they are,
for this reason
Mr.. Gray: Not if they are honora-
BE men.
Mr.. Tillman: Wait moment. We
are trying to discuss what is an honor
able man. Suppose the contractors
discover that they have an armor plate
which has cost them several thousand
dollars to manufacture, the plates
weighing 80 or 40 tons, in which there
are some flaws and defects, and the
officer of the government, who is re-
ceiving government pay, knows that
the plate is not an honest one under
the contract, could he come and tell us
so9 Would he not lose his employ
ment with the company if he did9
Mr.. Hale: Let me ask the Senator
from South Carolina question
Mr.. Tillman: Certainly.
Mr.. Hale: Did the investigation by
the committee disclose a single case
where a naval officer in such employ
had ever disclosed any defects to the
government?
Mr.. Tillman: Does the Senator mean