The San Francisco call., 1896-06-04

power to veto items in an appropriation
bill. 1t was read and laid on the table.
Butler (Pop.) of North Carolina thought
that Hills proposed amendment was quite
consistent with that Senator's action and
vote Yesterday against the bond bill.
Butler had also proposed constitutional
amendment in regard to the veto power,
giving majority in each House the power
to pass bill over the Presidents veto. At
the close OF Buffers remarks the vote was
taken, and the river and harbor bill was
passed over the Presidents veto by the
necessary two-thirds majority-ayes Sc,
noes 5-as follows:
Ayes-Aldrich, Allison, Bacon, Berry, Brice,
Burrows, Butler. Cannon, Carter, Chandler,
Clark, Cullom, Davis, Dubois, Elkins, Faulk-
neT' Gallinger, Gear, George, Gibson. German,
Hale, Hansbrough, Hawley, Jones of Arkansas,
Jones OF Nevada, Lindsay, Lodge, Mcbride,
Mills. Mitchell of Oregon, Mitchell OF Wiscon-
sin, Morgan, Nelson, Pasco, PETER, Perkins,
man, Shoup, Squire, Stewart, Teller, ,:Tillman,
Iurple, Vest, Walthall, Warren, Wetmore,
White, Wilson, Wolcott-56.
Noes-Bate, Chiffon, Hill, Smith, Vilas-5.
There was a group of more than twenty
members of the House standing in the
space back of the Republican seats while
the vote was In progress. They showed
very lively interest in the matter and with
drew as soon as the result of the vote was
announced.
Conference report (partiaD on the naval
appropriation bill was presented by Hale
(R;) OF Maine, who explained that the
only matters still unadjusted had refer
ence TO the number of new battle-ships,
certain provisions in regard to their con-
struction and the places here they are to
be built, all being involved in the question
OF number. The only other question re-
naming open was as to the armor plate
for uncompleted ships. Chandler spoke
of the price 10 be paid for the armor plate.
In view OF the fact that the Bethlehem
Works contracted to supply armor for $500
ton, the Committee on Naval Affairs had
realized that unless the Secretary of the
Navy could make contract for the armor
OF these ships at an average price of $780,
instead OF 5000, no contract should be
made for it prior to Decem ber, when he is
to report to Congress. He hoped that the
Senate would insist on that amendment
and extricate the Navy Department from
the clutches of home and foreign COM
binations.
Lodge (R.) of Massachusetts, expressed
the hope that the Senate would recede
from its amendment reducing the number
OF battle-ships from four to two and agree
to the bill as it came from the House.
Quay (R.l of Pennsylvania made the
formal motion that the Senate recede from
the amendment reducing the number of
At this point Morgan CD of Alabama
asked unanimous consent to offer reso-
luton calling on the President for informa-
ton and action in the matter of United
States citizens captured on board the Com
petitor by the Spanish authorities. tried
by court-martial and sentenced to death.
Objection was made by Hale (R.) OF
Maine and the resolution was not offered.
After long discussion on the price OF
armor plate Tillman CD of South Caro-
lima, being memb Der OF the Committee on
Naval Affairs, said that he had very posi-
tive opinions upon the question. He ar
gued that the prices paid to Carnegie and
the Bethlehem Company were extrava-
CANT, and that it was not possible that the
production of the armor could have cost
those works as much as $500 ton. He
declared himself in favor of protection to
American products, but the Government
should not be robbed by those whom it
protected. He characterized Carnegie and
the Bethlehem works as ''armor robbers"
and described the armor plate furnished
by them TO the Government as fraudulent,
spongy and plug-holed." He asserted that
those institutions had lobby" around
the Capitol, and he asked: Have we Sem
ators here who are interested in havin
these contracts given out? | only ask, |
do not know.
At the close of Tillman's remarks the
conference report went over without ac
ton.
Hale asked unanimous consent to have
the vote taken upon the conference report
at o'clock tomorrow; obie ction was made
by Morgan Cd of Alabama-apparen.
in retaliation for hale's objection to his
resolution about the prisoners taken from
the Competitor. An arrangement was,
however, effected by Allison (R.) of Iowa
under which Morgan was allowed to offer
his resolution (Which was laid on the
table) and withdrew his objection to
Hale's proposition to have the vote on the
conference report taken tomorrow at 1
O'Clock after discussion under the ten
minute rule.
The Senate at 6:15 adjourned until to-
morrow at IL o'clock.