The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-05
THE ARMoR PLATE SCANDAL.

Whatever of excuse. for there was nc
Justification there was when, ten years
ago, congress embarked the nation in
competition with European nations in
the construction of needless battle
ships for the contracts then made with
the Carnegie and Bethlehem companies
for the armor with which to cucumber
the ships, at the astounding price OF
$3.50 a ton, none exists now for the
provision in the naval bill for continu-
ing to buy armor Of the same cOmpd-
MES at $500 a ton. At the time this
foolish policy of wasting money was
adopted there was no mill in the coun-
try capable of producing armor Of the
necessary size. The two companies
agreed to put in plants at a cost then
estimated at $1,000 900. The United
States was expected to be the only
customer, and the extent Of their GUS
tom was precarious, as any subse
quent congress might reject the policy
of creating a navy that would rival
those of the European nations. 1t was
but inevitable, under such circum-
stances, the expense of the investment,
the limited demand and the risks of
cessation Of demand, that the price to
be paid should be very much greater
than the cost Of production, even with
a reasonable profit added.
But no subsequent congress was able
to resist the current that carried the
country into this and other extrava-
gances New battleships and armored
cruisers Were ordered built, the estab-
lished armor plants being made an ar
gument for them and the cost Of the
two plants was long since fully re-
couped out Of the enormous profits
allowed under the contract price Like
all government Jobs, scandals were
rife, charges Of fraud were made, in
VestigatiOns had, the charges substan-
tiated and fines imposed and RENTED,
in whole or in part. Among the deveI-
opments Of an investigation was the
fact that at the time the Bethlehem
company was getting $3.50 a ten for
armOr plate supplied our government
it was filling a contract for similar
plate made with Russia at $249 a ton,
less than half what the United States
was paying. While the naval bill was
pending in committee, after the rup-
ture of the steel rail pool, it was stated
that the Illinois Steel company, Of Chi
cago offered to furnish plate for $249
ton. But the committee, for rea-
sons not explained, fixed the price at
$500 ton tabling a motion by Chand-
Ter to make it $500. Democrats will
note that this motion of Quay was
supported by German, Murphy Brice
and Gibson, and will recall, as some
how bearing upon it, Cleveland's re-
mark about 'the communism Of peIf."
There is in all this enough to stir
Indignation and arouse protest. 1t is
incredible, at q time when the entire
country is on short rations, when
every household is enforcing economies
and studying frugality, when farm
produce brings prices that barely cover
the cost Of production, when dividends
on investments are falling away or
disappearing and the returns on cap
ital and labor are shrinking, that con-
gress could be so insensible to condi
tons as to not only continue the folly
OF wasting money on a useless navy.
but continue paying for the arno,,
higher than that for which the
same contractors are supplying
the same armor to foreign nations. 1t
is not surprising that the jaundicei
and vitriolic TiIlman found in it the
material for one of his indiscriminat4
TRADES 1t is but one more Of the
causes, past and to come. that win
make the next house Democratic