The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-01
AFTER NAVY OFFICERS
Senator Chambers Resolution Suggesting
COrrupting influences In the Navy.
SEN. GoRMAR DEFENDS THEIR INTEGRITY
Chandler Accuses Officers of IscIn. In
tcr"stcd In Armor pntcnfs-Rcso.
luton Agreed To-TWeIro Minute
Scssion la the enlOuse..EIkins nl Wants
Bonds Sold TO Highest niddcr.

Washington. Dec. 3l.-Many more
members of the House were present in
their seats To-day than were expected 70
near the journal Of Saturdays proc ed
ihSS read, ANA to vote In favoi. of the
motion TO adjourn uEitil Friday. That
CONSTITUTED the entire programme OF
busineIs, and the session lasted just
Twelve minutes. About 100 members
We're on the floor. There was also pres
cEi III. Dudley Coleman, Of New Or
leans, a member of the lHfty-iirst Con-
EresS. and HOW contesting MIR. Bucks
right to a seat in the Fifty fourth Con-
gre:s
Senatc.-Although the financial uues-
liOn was ijI. directly before the Senate
to-day for consideration. all the points
discussed had reference to that burn
ing subject. In speech in SuppOlt of
his rd;oluiion looking Ito an Additional
rate OF duty on raw wool, MIR. Mitchell
utepD Of Oregon driftcd into the stor
my waters OF finance. and urged that If
the Secretary of the Treasury had eXer-
cisea the discretion vested In him and
redeemed either grccnbacks or treasury
noes In gold coin or in silver coin. as
mSlt be most convenient. that would
have put u stop TO the redemption OF
such notes.
Mr.. Cockrell repeated with great
pozitivcness that no Secretary of thc
Treasury had ever until October. 1891,
Welded the option OF the holders of
United States notes to require payment
in gold. regardless of consequences.
After speeches by Mr.. Mitchell and
by Mr.. Nelson RepD of Minnesota. the
resolution as 10 additional rate vi
duty on raw wool was referred TO the
Committee on Finance.
Mr.. Perkins Ntcp) of California offer
cd Il resolution with n long string Of
''whertase :" tnS;ructing the Ftnanoia
4 n t.,lf "a a
the House revenue bill providing for
an addltianal duty on raw sugar equal
to the proposed increase on other ar
tic!cs, and asked for its Immediate con-
s!dcration.
Mir. Berry Dem) OF Arkansas OBJ
icoted. and the resolution went over.
Mr.. Pcttgrew URep0 of South Dakota
introduced IL bill which was referred to
the Finance Committee. to cancel re-
deemed United States legal tender notes.
Mr.. Morrill,. chairman of The Finance
COMMITTEE. moved that when the Senate
adjourn to-day 1t adjourn till Friday
next. remarlSinE that the Finance Com
mttee desired l., meet on Thursday 10
consider the House bond and tariff
bills.
The motion wa: agreed to.
The resolution heretofore offered by
MIR Chandler RepD. of New Hamp-
shire. as to prices paid for armor for
vessels of the navy. whether they We're
higher than charged by the same con-
tractors TO foreign governments. and
as to Government officers being inter-
eStcd in patents used III its manufac-
turc. was taken up, and Mr.. Chandler
modified IL ut the suggestion of Mr..
German. by orlitting the clause as to
lower prices. charged to foreign govern
mcnts-Mr. German explaining that the
facts were made known 1T the last scs-
sion and wcrc-that it had been deem
Il IL. -
manufacturers To compete with English
and German manufacturers for sin
gle Russian vessel and that armor had
been supplied at n loss.
Mr.. German also expressed his regret
that the resolution suggested corrupt
in:: influences among naval officers.
MIR. Hale agreed with Mr.. German
and favored holding up the hands of
the officials of the navy. Those great
transactions" he said. aliuding to the
Building of battIeshipS during sew
eral administrations. ''havc been done
openly and above board. and with in
tcErity transtused through every
branch of the service. regret that
anything has arisen that would in any
way disturb the confidence which Con-
gresS has had in all the branches of
the Navy Department and In which the
country has shared. II there is any
thing. however, to disturb that conf
Utice. IL ouSHl u ne brought out.
hope that an investigation will demon
stratc that there is nothing in it,
Mr.. Chandler said that he concurred
in every word spoken by the Senator
from Maryland and Maine. including
the regret expressed by them that there
was any occasion for the Offering OF
the resolution. He had taken the re-
sponsibility Of Offering IT, Facts had
come to his knowledge which required
inv' stiGation and which required pub
licity if they were as he understo ood
them. in order that in future contra ct {
for arnor for vessels of the navy which
were to he built and which ought TO
he built in considera bic nlmher dur
ing the next few years, every body might
hc above suspicion and above rcprcach.
He did not propose to make now any
statement Of those facts which couId
iniurc any officer Of the navy or Of the
Government. But If Senators were in
clinca to learn apart of the foundation
for the inquiry they could do so nv
reading i'm the NewYork Times of Nn-
rcmher 10Th and goth. statements which
justified, ana in his judgment, required
the investigation.
The resolution was agreed to as fol
lows
Resolved. That the Committee ON
Naval Affairs be directed to inquire
whether the prices paid or agreed to be
paid for arlnor for vessels OF the navy
have been fair and reasonable. also.
whether any prices paid have been in
creased on account of patent processes
used for the Introduction OF nickel or