The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-05-06
TILLMAN'S PITCHF0RK,
HE PlUNGES 1T DEEP INTO THE Ar
NOR PLATE TRUST.

Sharp Criticism of Retired Naval ohcer
Who Serve Two Masters-A Running lie
bate With Senator Gray of Delaware.
Senator Tillman is a member OF TN
Naval Affairs Committee and as sucf
took part in o running debate IN the
Senate Monday. He said:
Mr.. President. as a member OF th'
Committee on Naval Affairs l have
taken a great deal of interest IN the IN
yestipation which has been under dlS
cussion here. and I have listened VIII
a great deal of pleasure, and L mus
say with some amusement. to tnls oe.
bate, which, it seems to me, Is one ~ ~
taste. Senators will remember the oio
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 scandal;
to prevent a man from being accuseo
of improper or dishonorable actlon or
even suspected of it. In investigating
the question of the cost OF armoI J we we
the armor- plate manufacturers S anu tne
government were enemies. Inelr N
terests are directly opposed to eacn
other. The government wants 10 get
the armor of the very best quality at
as low q price as possible. The manu-
fact,,rer @ m wants to get the last dollar
possible. of tho
manufacturers two of the aolest OH
GERS of the United States Navy that l
have ever met. hope we have a great
many of them. have not met great
MANI like them, but doubt it. The
GOVERNMENT has educated those men at
its own expense. 1t has had them In
its employ until the time has come un-
der the law when they could be re-
tired or when they were torcloly re-
tired. and they 60 upon handsome pay.
They 90 into retirement not as beggars
as the Senator from Delaware Mr..
Gray) saws, but their pay is such that
they can live comfortably if they had
nothing else.
Mr.. Gray: 1t is SIS month:
Mr.. Tillman: Is that all2 l think
the Senator is mistaken.
Mr.. Gray: They are not retired on
the longevity plan.
Mr.. Tillman: They are retired for
disability.
Mr.. Tillman: OF course I do not say
that a man can live handsomely on
SIS q month in this community; !
have discovered the contrary: But
here are men who hold the right for
the balance of their lives to draw on
the Treasury for so much money.
That is. thew come and draw their pay
on the retired list. They certainly
owe the government some obllgatloin
and if they were not in seml.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.
MIR. Tillman: The Senator acknoWl-
edges that they are under moral oo-
legation TO the government OF some
kind. Let us see to what extent 1t
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 themin educating them !;
thew 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 government or to rob it. If that
is not position in which no ho4ora-
BILE man would like to be placed, L ask
the Senator from Delaware just to tell
me what sort of position it is?
MIR. 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 gulse, as
suits your own argument: But that
does not suit the facts. That is what
7 have been trying to show. l will
agree with the Senator perfectly, that
in the way he puts it he is right; but
let me ask the Senator if l am not tres
passing on his patience
Mr.. Tillman: Certainly not.
Mr.. Gray: This is matter OF some
importance, perhaps. He that ne
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: l have.
Mr.. Gray: Are they enemies after
the contract is made in the same sense
that they were before9
Mr.. Tillman: Of course they are,
for this reason
Mr.. Gray: Not if they are honora'
bic men.
MIR. 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 thai
the plate is not an honest one under
the contract, could he come and tell u
so2 Would he not lose his employ
ment with the company if he did2
Mr.. Hale: Let me ask the Senate
from South Carolina question
Mr.. Tillman: Certainly.
Mr.. Hale: Did the investigation b.
the committee disclose a single cas-
where a naval officer in such emplo,
had ever disclosed any defects to tn
government?