The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-02
NEWS OF PRIZE FIGHT.
Members Of Congress Want 1t Sup
pressed.
BILL TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION
OF REPORTS.

gress Yesterday-Senate Getting Well
Through Appropriation Bills-Naval
Bill ProyokesA Debate.
Washington, March 1.-The Senate met
at II a. M, and Immediately proceeded
TO the consideration of the District of
Columbia appropriation bill,
The District appropriation bill passed
with very little .riotion or discussion. 1t
appropriated 81. IA, 677, an increase Of
| 81, 655, s66 over amount in the bill as 1t
passed the Rouss and an increase of ST.
GA, 35S over the bill for the current fiscal
year; half the amount to be paid out Of
the treasury OF the United States, and
half out Of the District revenues.
Mr.. Chandler gave notice that he would
at the earliest possible moment ask for
action on the H5use amendments to the
bill for an International monetary con-
ference.
The Senate at1.15 took up the naval
appropria tioD bill.
| The bill as reported to the Senate ap-
propriates S35, 7s8 234, an increase of S.
563, 900 over she amount In the bill as it
passed the Horse. The itams constitut-
| ing the increase include the following:
| Training vessel for naval academy, $3.50,
| 0U0; increase Of the navy, construction
and machinery, $500, 600; esta hlishing a
| government armor factory, $2. 500, 900;
| appropriations committee reports amend
ment authorizing contracts for three
| torpedo boats net to cost over $500, 900 In
| all. The torpedo boats amendment aud
all the other amendments up to that
point were agreed to without discussion.
| The amendment providing mo con-
tract for arlnor plate shall be made at
rate to exceed S40 per ton; and the con-
nected amendments striking out the CLAUSE
| that no portion of the armor shall be
purchased until it has all been contracted
| for, were passed over temporarily; also
the amendment appropriating ~, 5O0, 600
| for the establishment of an armOry
factory. The remainder of the bill having
been disposed of, the controversial amend
ments were taken up. The first question
was on provision in the bill that the total
cost of the armor shall not exceed So, 210,
| 900 to which the Senate committee re-
ported the amendment that "n0 con-
tract" for armor plate shall be made at a
rate to exceed S400 per ton. There was
long discussion on the amendment.
The bill was laid aside informally
without action on the pending amend
Elent. The conference was ordered on
the post Office bill and on the sundry
| civil bill.
The credentials OF senators-elert Turner
| (Washington) and He.tfeld (Idaho) were
read and placed on file. The Senate then
proceeded to consider executive business
| and at D. m. took recess.
| When the Senate resumed its session
at s O'Clock the naval appropriation bill
was taken up, the pending amendment
being that relative to armor plate. Mr..
| Hawley opposed both the establishment
| of government armor factory and fix-
ing the Of the price of armor at either
$500 or $400 per ton. He defended the
private manufacturers of war material
| and said that instead OF trying to cheat
the government they always sought to
| give the government the best. Mr.
| Elkins opposed the expenditure ct $3, 210.-
| 600 for armor plate authorized by the
bill until something definite was known
of the real character Of the armor. He
advocated the suspension of work on
the battlsships II necessary. for, he said
there was no necessity for haste.
| MIR. Tillman said that while he was
| a member of the committee on naval
| affairs, he WAS unable to give MIR. Elkins
| all the light he wished, but lie knew that
there was 70 expenditure so rseking
with fraud and so disgraceful to those
responsible for it." He said an inves-
tieation into the cost OF making arInor
had shown that the price heretofore paid
had paid for the establish ment of a
plant twice over and virtually made
present of 1t to the company. He assert
ed that the only two armor plants in
the country, the Bethlehem and Car
negie plants, instead Of competing, we're
in ooIlusion to keep up the price Of arm
or plate.
nenu should go into the business Of
making armor was sCre to raise a spectre
of government ownership Of railroads
and like concerns. He hated to think
that these mOnopolies had their paid
agents in the Senate, but 1t looked like
it. ~ do not want to say anything
harsh, but God knows believe every
utterance have made is trne.''
This statement came like mbshell
In the Senate and led MIR. Hawley to
demand whether the Senator from South
Carolina dared to make such charge
against the Senate
''I dare say replied Mr.. TiIlman,
deliberately, "that as far as 1 can see,
and l can explain this on no other
grounds.
"And say" retorted Mr.. Hawley,
"that is slander unworthy of any
gentleman.
81 am bound to put two and two to-
eether. ] cannot explain 1t on any 9TH
er, hypothesis, said Mr.. Tillman. he
went on to say that the companies got
their price "beoause they have friends
in this chamber. He spoke of the ex-
animation made into the armor furn-
ishsd by Carnegie some years ago when
it was shown the blowholes were plugge1
up, the government stamp missed and
the plates improperly tempered, and the
Secretary of the Navy through some
"hoous-pocus,' fined Mr.. Carnegie for
furnishing defective plates, while "our
illustrious President, who, God be praised,
goes out of power in three days more, Ie-
mitted this fine."
1t was scandalous our chossted navy,
"our pet" should be protected by these
"sponge" plates. The first shot from
foreign wsrship would go through one
of these boasted ships and five hundred
or six hundred American seamen would
to fent to the bottom of the sea through
frauds perpetrated in the Senate. -
rather than pay any more money to
these armor barons, he wonld build
government factory for the manufac.