St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-29
THE SENATE PLUNGED INTO AN
EXCITING DEBATE ON FL
NANCE.
eoRMAN TOOK THE LEAD.
REPUBLICANS WE'RE CHARGED
WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR
EXISTING EVILS.
SHERMAN TALKED RIGHT BACK.
Tariff, Silver and the Merits of Cab.
met Officers Included in the
Controversy.

WASHINGTON, April 28-The SEN
ate was plunged into an exciting finan-
c1al debate on appropriation bills. The
naval bill was under consideration
and the item of four battleships to
cost an aggregate of $4,000, 900 served
as a text for speech from Mr.. Cor
man pointing out that the revenues
OF the government are less than the
receipts. Mr.. Germans statements
brought on an animated controversy
in which Mr.. Sherman, Mr.. Hale and
Mr.. Chandler Joined issue with the
Maryland senator as to responsibility
for the failure Of tariff legislation in
the present congress. Mr.. Gorman's
speech and the frequent heated party
colloquies it developed, attracted great
interest crowds filing the galleries for
the first time since the Cuban debate.
and many members of the house came
over to listen to the proceedings. The
battleships item was not concluded
when the senate adjourned.
When the senate resumed considera-
ton of the naval appropriation bill
the pending question was on the
amendment offered by Mr.. Chandler
Rep., N. H.), making it unlawful for
retired naval officers to enter the serv-
ice of contractors furnishing naval
material to the government Before
proceeding with this amendment, Mr..
Bacon Oem., Ga0, reported an i'm
portant new amendment from the
committee on naval affairs 1t pro-
vides as condition to the building Of
four battle ships that in case the sec
retary Of the navy makes separate con-
tracts for arnaor or armor plate, he
shall not accept bids exceeding $3.50
per ton for such armor, and in case
the secretary cannot make contracts
within such limits. he shall delay ac-
tion and report the facts to the next
session of congress. The Chandler
amendment was agreed to, 45-11. AS
adopted the prohibition against naval
officers serving naval contractors goes
into effect June 30, 1897.
This brought the senate to the most
important feature of the bill, four bat
tleships to cost 3,750,000 each. Mr.
German moved an amendment to fix
the number of battleships at two in
stead Of four, and Mr.. Quay, anamend-.
ment fixing the number of battleships
at six.
Mr.. German then addressed the SEN
ate in support Of his amendment The
whole country, he said, had been
stirred up by the message of the
executive, and responsive to this the
public and the press had been in
state of excitement as to our relations
with other nations. When congress
assembled it was informed by the
executive that the financial conditions
Of the country were of the first mo-
ment, that the condition Of the treas
ury demanded economy or else the
country would be confronted with
either an increase of taxation or else
the sale Of bonds But when the war
scare took possession more vessels
were demanded, appropriations great
er than those of war times were pro-
posed, and the secretary of the navy
revised his recommendation Of two
battleships by proposing from four to
six battleships. jrS cs}c7
Mr.. German had been speaking with
much earnestness, and it was evident
that a debate of more than passing
interest had opened. The galleries
quickly filed, and the rear and side
aisles were crowded with representa-
tives who came over from the house.
During Mr.. Germans last statement,
Mr.. Sherman rose hastily for an in
terruption.
81 am very glad the senator has con-
fessed the sin-the great sin-of the
Democratic party" said Mr.. Sherman.
1.-THE Republican house of representa-
tives framed a bill increasing the rev.
enues Of the government 50,000,OO0, and
that bill was sent to the senate Here
1t was defeated by the votes of the
other side of the chamber; the only
measure offered to this chamber to
raise more revenue was defeated by
Democratic votes"
This precipitated question of who
controlled the senate. Mr.. German de-
clared the Republican control of the
committee settled the point 1--WE
warned you" he said, that you hadn't
power to relieve the country, and asked
you to Join US in non-partisan
measure Of relief. But our offer was
rejected. You assumed the task alone
You also knew you were without the
power unless you got your forces to-
gether. You knew there could be no
action, and in my Judgment this pro-
posa1 to relieve the treasury was in
tended as failure
Mr.. Sherman at this point called at
tention to the fact that the tariff bill
had been defeated IN the finance COM
mittee with silver bill, for which all
the Democrats had voted, but Mr.. Cor
man refused to be- idiNerted to the sill
yer question, and reasseftede that the
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