Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
SENATE AND HOUSE
Both Branches of the National Legis-
lature in Session.
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL STILL ON
Mr.. Gorman Urges the Cutting
Down Of Expenses.
THE BANKRUPTCY BILL

The Senate began its cession today with
| the determination to conclude considera-
| ton of the naval appropriation bill in
cordance with the agreement yesterday.
| The bill was taken up Immediately after
| the conclusion of the routine business Incl
dental 70 the morning hour.
| Mr.. Chambers amendment directing the
Secretary of the Navy to examine into the
| merits of methods of propell.ng ships by
direct action upon the water, was agreed to.
The Torpedo Boat Amendment.
| The consideration Of Mr. Chandler's
amendment providing for twenty torpedo
| boats at a cost of $4,OOo,Oo0 was then pro-
ceeded with.
Mr.. German opposed the amendment. The
| Secretary of the Navy, he said, had esti
mated for only ten or twelve of these boats.
Furthermore, experiments now being made
| would, il successful probably revolutionlze
| torpedo boat building, and he thought it
| was better to wait upon these experiments.
| Mr.. Chandler said more than ten million
dollars had been saved by striking out two
| of the battle ships, so that should his amend
| ment be adopted the bill still would carry
| seven millions less than provided for by the
| House. He said the merits of his amend
| ment was in the fact that it had provided
| for greater speed than the House had
| made provision for. He advocated the Civ
| ing of larger discretion to the Secretary of
| the Navy in such matters than Congress
was In the habit of giving.
| Mr.. WoIcOtt in Opposition.
| Mr.. Wolcott was opposed to the amend
| ment, saying there had been no inveStiga-
| ton by the committee regarding the pro-
| posed increase. He referred to u remark
which Mr. Chandler had made in general
Endorsement of the Secretary of the Navy.
| i,,lp
| upon Mr.. Sherman's Endorsement of the Sec
| retary of the Treasury, SO that it be-
| ginning to look as if the administration
| was to be supported on the republican side
| and attacked on the democratic side
| Mr.. Wocott continued by saying that he
had been impressed by Mr.. Gormans plea
| for economy. There was a fair prospect
| that the unfortunate Venezuelan incident
| would end peacefully, and he thought the
| administrators wise conduct of the Cuban
matter had avoided the probability of war
| with Spain.
Mr.. Hawley said it was ludicrous to talk
| of war of aggression by this country, but
| that the navy was shamefully deficient in
| essential particulars
Mr.. Lodge complained that the navy and
been selected for the exercise of economy
| when other appropriation bills had been al
lowed to go through without objection. He
| said the danger of trouble on account of
| Cuba was not yet past, and that by pre-
pairing ourselves for the preservation of
peace we might dictate the policy Of the
two American continents.
MIR. German States His Position.
Mr. German, in reply, cOntended that the
| naval bill furnished the first instance Of
appropriations not necessary for the sup
port of the government. He declared that
| he had taken the same position on this bill
| that he would have taken if a republican
administration had been in power, and re-
! ferred to the fact that Secretary Herbert
| hQ6 nlai cd nf ric
which had been made at his (Gorman's)
| instance year ago. He said that a year
| ago the Secretary, or his assistant, had
| gone into the newspapers and denounced
him tGorman) personally for the part he
had taken in these restrictions. This might
| have been on account of the interest the
| administration taking at that time in
the Maryland elections.
Mr. Gallinger offered an amendment ap-
propriating s6'0,ooO for the construction of
| dry dock at the navy yard at Ports
mouth, n. H, and spoke in support of the
amendment. 1t was ruled out a point
| of order.
Under the Five-Minute Rule
At o'clock the agreement as 10 the time
| to be consumed went into effect, and The
| debate proceeded on Mr.. Chambers amend
| ment under the five-minute rule.
| Messrs Chandler, Call, PETER and Sher-
man spoke under this regulation. Mr.. Call
| advocated liberal appropriations, and Mr..
| Pefcr said he was opposed to aEy increase
| OF the navy beyond the proper require
mel is.
| Mr.. Sherman said the country was in no
condition to undertake any unnecessary ex-
| penses, and the House had made sufficient
| provision for torpedo boats. He thought
| there was no occasion for any increase as
| there was no prospect for with any
power. 1t had been shown by vote that the
| Senate was opposed to additional taxes,
and a deficit was therefore threatened. He
| hn o1 ict~ ttN,, ,;,l,
| would provide the means for sufficient rev.
| enue, could be better intrusted with the in
crease of the navy than the present
| Torpedo Boat Amendment Defeated.
Senator Chambers amer dment to the
| naval bill providing for the construction Of
| twenty torpedo boats was defeated, yeas,
%; nays, 80.
THE HOUSE.
The debate on the bankruptcy bill began
| Immediately after the House convened
Mr. Henderson, chairman Of the committee
on judiciary, in charge of the measure, re-
| fusing to yield to any requests for unani-
| nous consent.
Mr.. w. A. Stone Pa.), speaking to an
| amendment denied emphatically that there
was any demand from the people for a
| bankruptcy bill, except, perhaps, it's volun-
tary feature. The whole demand came from
| wholesale merchants. On motion of Mr.
Spalding CMich.), the ninth act of bank
ruptcy as defined in the bill was stricken
out as follows: suspended and not re-
| sumed for thirty days"
| Mr.. Hepburn Uowa) denounced the bill as
| a fraud on its face, and Mr. Bartlett On. W
| defended the measure and challenged Mr.
| Stones statement that there was no de-
mand for this legislation.
Bering Sea Bill Passed,
During the debate Mr. Hit, chairman of
| the committee on foreign affairs, called I'D
ana had passed without objection the SEN
| ate bill passed yesterday appropriate ting
$4,000 for the expenses of the Bering sea
| commission in it's deliberations at San
| Francisco.
| Bids for ArmOr Opened.
| Bids We're opened at the Navy Depart