Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-01

had exercised his discretion of
 DuRhese notes either in gold or sill yer at his convenience it would have op- erated well and been of great benefit.
 MT. Cockrell repeated with great posi- tiveness that no secretary of the treas ury had ever until October, 1891, yielded the option to the holders of United States notes to require payment In gold, regard less of consequences.
 After speeches by Messrs. Mitchell and Nelson, republicans, of Minnesota, the resolution as to additional duty on raw wool was referred to the committee on finance.
 MT. Perkins, republican, of California, offered resolution with a long string of whereases," instructng the finance onl6aitt6e- 6sfeport an amendement to the house revenue bill providins-for an #additional duty on raw sugar equal to the proposed Increase on other articles, and asked for it's immediate considera- tion.
 MT Berry, democrat, of Arkansas, ob- Jected and the resolution went over
 MT. Pettigrew, republican, of South Dakota. introduced bill to cancel re- deemed United States legal tender notes. Referred to finance committee.
 MT. Morrill,, chairman of the finance committee, moved that when the senate adjourn today 1t adjourn till Friday next, remarking that the finance com mittee desired to meet on Thursday to consider the house bond and tariff bills. The mOtlOn was agreed 10.
 The resolution heretofore offered by MT. Chandler. republican, of New Hamp- shire, as to prices paid for armor for yes sells of the navy, whether they were high CT than charged by the same contractors to foreign governments. and as to the government officers being interested In 1a1aRts used in it's manufacture, was ax1 up and MT. Chandler modified 1t at We suggestion of MT. German by ,mI Ing the clause adopted to lower ,rlG charged to foreign governments Mr Eorrnan explaining that the facts K&1U made known at the last session ind that 1t had been deemed very desirs ble for United States manufacturers to pmpete with English and German man. lecturers for a single Russian vessel, nd that armor had been supplied at ss. MT German also expressed his re- ret that the resolution suggested cor hption among naval officers.
 MT. Hale agreed with MT. German and Hvored holding up the hands of the off, cials of the navy.
 Those great transactions" he said hlluding to the building of battleships uring several administrations) have cen done openly and above board and ith integrity transfused through every ranch of the service. I regret that any, hing has arisen that would in any way |isturb the confidence which congress as had in all the branches of the navy apartment and in which the country as SnareQ. there IS anytn1ng, now yer, to disturb that confidence. 1t ought be brought out hope that an inves- tgation will demonstrate that there is othing in It."
 MT. Chandler said that he concurred every word spoken by the senators rom Maryland and Maine, including the As-,t expressed by them that there was
 Sccasion for the offering of the reso-
 |. He had taken the responsibility
 ffering it.. Facts had come to his
 Hedge which required investigation
 which required publicity if they were
 understood them, In order that in
 t contracts for armor vessels of the
 (which were to be built and which
 to be built in considerable num-
 Jduring the next few years. every
 might be above suspicion and
 E reproach. He did not propose to
 now any statement of those facts
 h would injure any officer of the
 or of the government. But if sen s--iwere inclined to learn part of the
 jetion from inquiry they could do
 ureading in the New York Times of
 etnber 19 and 20 statements which
 eled and, in his judgment, required
 Investigation.
 se resolution was agreed to as fol- Resolved, That the committee on naval affairs be directed to inquire whether the prices paid or agreed to be paid for armor for vessels of the navy have been fair and reasonable, also whether any prices paid have been increased on ac- , count of the patent processes used for the introduction of nickel or for ce- mentation by the Hervey process, and if so. whether the in- creases in prices are fair and reasona- Dble; whether the issuance of any of the patents was expedited at the request of the navy department; whether such pat ents were properly issued and were for inventions not previously used and who were and are the owners of such patents; whether any officers of the government we're interested therein, or at the time when any contracts were made, or have ince been interested in the patents or
 w.