The record-union., 1896-05-03
Between the Upper and Lower Bodies
of Congress.
Prominent Among These Disagree
ments is the Clause Relating to the
Construction of BattIeships, the
House Having Made Provision for
Four, Which the Senate Reduced
to Two.

appropriation bill, which has been un-
| der consideration in the Senate during
the entire week was passed to-day, and
now 1t Will be for a conference commit
tee to reconcile the disagreements be-
| tween the two houses. The chief of
these is the reduction of the number of
battleships provided for. The House
| liked the number at four, the Senate at
| two. The ships are each to cost SO, 150,-
oOO. exclusive of armament. The dis
cuSslon to-day was over an amendment
offered by Chandler (Rep) of New
hampshire appropriating $4,000, 900 for
twenty additional torpedo boats Sew
eral speeches were made in support Of
| the amendment by Senators Hawley
| of Connecticut and Lodge of MaSsa-
chusetts, and against it by Senators
| Wolcott of Colorado and German of
Maryland.
After the routine morning business
the naval appropriation bill was taken
up by the Senate, the pending question
being on Chambers amendment ap-
propriatin $4,000 900 for twenty tor
pedO boats and torpedo boat destroyers.
Chandler (Rep) of New Hampshire
advocated the amendment, and said
the saving effected by it, in view of
striking out two battleships and some
torpedo boats would be S6,2J0000.
In the course of the discussion some
complimentary things were said of the
Secretary of the Navy, and this led
| Wolcott (Rep.) of Colorado to make the
remark that the Endorsement of the Sec
retary of the Navy and Secretary of the
Treasury by Republican Senators would
lead to the Endorsement Of the admin
istration by Republicans and not by the
Democratic side of the chamber. He
went on TO say, with great spirit and
impetuosity: If it is true that the Gov
ernment has run behind in its expend-
itures; if true (and no Senator has VEN
tured to dispute it) that this country is
marching on to the issue of additional
bonds, and that no power under Heaven
can stop it, then l ask, in the name of
what patriotism are we putting on the
necks of the people interest-bearing Sc
curities in order that we may build
twenty additional torpedo boats to
cruise around our harbors?
IF these bonds are to be issued year
after year, what need will we have for
torpedo boats? Our country will pre-
sent no glittering attractiveness for
/
sustain the life of the people, over-taxed
and over -burdened who live within our
borders, but the love of display and the
love of competition will not justify these
expenditures for which the people must
pay in added burdens year after year.
eff any Senator will tell me that ad-
ditional bonds are not sure to come,
that every dollar put into new ships
u,
new bonds to be saddled on the people
of the United States, 1 will be glad to
sink my individual judgment and vote
for additional boats. But if that be the
fact, then L say that every instinct of
patriotism, as well as every duty of
craftsmanship, requires us to forego
something of our national vanity and
let our ships, already creditable, stand
as sufficient navy until the Govern
ment is put back on a paying basis
where it's receipts equal it's eXpendi-
lures"
Wolcott declared that "every adt1i-
/ tiCnal warship, every additional cruiser.
every additional battle-ship but in
spires the natural and inevitable COM
petition in the minds of a free and
progressive people, and is sure to in
still the desire that we engage in some
war of conquest or otherwise in order
that we may show that our ships are as
strong and as able and our seamen as
brave as those of any other nation
whose ships sail the seas"
Hawley (Rep.) of Connecticut re-
piled to Wolcott and supported Chand-
ler's amendment. He thought there was
do, .Nf tA 4.
a policy of aggression and conquest.
Long before the torpedo boats would
have to be paid for he hoped that the
Treasury would be on a paying basis.
1t was absolutely ludicrous to talk of
the United States undertaking a war
OF aggression.
Lodge tRep.) of Massachusetts, also
spoke in favor of the Chandler amend
ment He sneered at the explosion OF
economy" coming against the navy
against the defenses of the country.
German Oem.). OF Maryland spoke in
q tone of ridicule of the patriotic
speeches of the Senators from Connect
fcut and Massachusetts, and said as a
matter of course appropriations were
always behind the wave of the flag on
such occasions.
At o'clock the consideration of the
bill under five minute rule begun Short
speeches were made oy Senators Chand-
Ter (Rep) of. New Hampshire, Call
Dem) of Florida, PETER pop. of Kan
sas and Sherman Rep) of Ohio
Sherman advocated the limitations of
appropriations to an amount not in
excess of the current revenue. Sherman.
did not fear war, bu. he did believe in
the moderate Strengthening of the navy
as a means of defense.
The discussion was continued by Hale
and Villas, the latter protesting against
an extension of the navy to such an
extent that it would want to go "a-jin-
going and become a national swash.
buckler.'
The amendment of Chandler sought
to change three of the torpedo boats to
not less than thirty knots and to pro-
vide for torpedo gunboats and torpedo
boat destroyers with a minimum speed
of thirty knots and torpedo boats with
a minimum speed of twenty-six knots,