Birmingham state herald., 1897-03-02
PULLMAN USES PLAIN WORDS Armor Plate Gives Him Food For
 Discussion. AND LOADING UP HIS GUN He Turns Loose Right and Left, Sparing None. Prize Fighters Opened Upon
 By Congressman,

AAONA@ H-N~ a half passed the District of Columbia amount of s7,444,677, being an excess of $1,655, GOO over the bill as it passed the house. Half of the amount is to be paid out Of the treasury of the United States and half out of the revenue of the District of Columbia. Then the naval appropria- tion bill was taken up It carries $35,- 72S, S,23I, little over three and a half mill lions more than the bill contained when it left the house.
 The principal items of increase are:
 Naval station, Port Royal, s C.. $50,- 000
 Navy yard, Mare Island, Cal, $250.00
 Naval hospital, Port Royal, s. C., $4,0o0.
 Training vessel for naval academy, s25O00O.
 Establishing a government armor fac tory S2,500,000.
 In addition to these items the appro- priation committee reports an amend nent authorizing contracts to be made for three torpedo boats, not to cost over SS00000 in all.
 While the bill was being read, it was ordered at the suggestion of MT. Allison that at D. m. the senate shall take recess until 8 p. m.
 The torpedo boats amendment and all 
 agreed to without discussion or ques- ton.
 The amendment on page 50, of the bill, providing that mo contract for armor plate shall be made at a rate to exceed $400 per ton;' and the connected amend ment striking out the clause that no DOT ton of the armor shall be purchased until 1t has all been contracted for, were passed over temporarily. Also the amendment appropriating $2,500,000 for 6n cfnh 1fcIT f.f f0 ,tf.TsxT
 The remainder of the bill having been disposed of, the controverted amendments were taken up.
 \ The first question on the provision in the bill that the total cost of the armor shall not exceed $3, ,210 900, to which the senate committee had reported the amendment that mo contract for armor plate shall be made at rate to exceed $400 per ton."
 MT. Chandler, republican, New Hamp- shire, moved to amend the senate amendment by making it read: "No con- tract for armor plate shall be made at an ~verage rate to exceed $500 per ton-'
 On these several propositions discus sion was kept up until half past four without any solution of the question.
 The bill was laid aside informally without action on the pending amend ment
 Conferences were ordered on the post office appropriation bill and on the sun dry civil appropriation bill.
 The credentials of Senators-elect Fur ner, of Washington, and Heitfeld, of Idaho, were read and placed on file.
 The senate at 4:30 D. m proceeded to the consideration of executive business and at 6 p. m. took recess until D. m.
 When the senate resumed it's session at o'clock the naval appropriation bill was taken up, the pending amendment being that relative to armor plate.
 MT Hawley Tep., Conn) opposed both the ia h1iGhmpnt of factory and the fixing of the price of armor at either $500 or $400 per ton. He defended the private manufacturer of war material and said that instead of trying to cheat the government they al- ways sought to give the government the best The builder of a crack cruiser was prouder than if he had been decor ated by his government.
 MT Elkins Gep., ", Va: Opposed the expenditure of the $3,210,000 for armor plate carried by the bill until something definite was known of the real cost of ar nor. He inveighed against the policy of buying anything without knowing anything about it's value. He advocated a suspension of work on the battleships, if necessary, for with the congress about to adjourn with an arbitration with Great Britain awaiting ratification with the Cuban question having the right of way and Julio Sanguilly on his way to the senate to see his sympathiZers there was no necessity for haste. "The con- tractors refuse to tell the cost of manu- featuring armor," said MT Elkins, "and therefore says the senator from New Hampshire (Chandler) we will pay $500 a ton. Therefore, says the committee on appropriations we will pay $400 ton; and the senator from Maryland (Mr. Cor man) says Amen; we will pay $400 ton;' while we, who furnish the votes, have to follow them blindly."
 MT. Tillman said that while he was a member of the committee on naval af fairs he was unable to give Mir. Elkins all the light he desired. but he knew there was no expenditures ''so reeking with fraud and so disgustful to those responsf- ble for it.''
 He further asserted that the two armor making plants in the country, the Bethle- hem and Carnegie plants, instead of com peting were in collision to keep up the price of armor plate. The mere sugges- tion that the government should go into the business of manufacturing armor was sure to raise the spectre of government ownership of railroads and like concerns. People spoke of congress controlling the trusts but instead of this the trusts had their hands in our brooches pockets"
 He hated to think that these monopo lies had their paid agents in the senate, say anything harsh" he went on im- pressively, "but God knows that believe every utterance I have made is true" This statement came like a bomb shell ana leQ MT. f1aWiey 10 demand whether the sena tor from South Carolina dared to make such a charge against the senate
 T dare say replied MT. Tillnlan, de- liberately. that as far as I see can ex- plain this on no other ground"
 And I say.' retorted MT: Hawley, that that is an unworthy islander. un- worthy of any gentlemen"
 T am bound to put two and two to- gether. I cannot explain 1t on any other hypothesis" said MT. Tillman, and he went on to say that the companies got their prices "because they have friends in this chamber"
 He spoke of the exa imitation made into the armor furnished by Carnegie some four years ago when it was shown that the blow holes were plugged up the gov ernment stamp misused and the plates improperly tempered. and the secretary of the navy. through some 'hocus pocus' fined Mir. Carnegie for furnishing defec- tive plates while our iIlustrious president. who, God be praised. goes out of power in three days more. remitted this fine /"
 It was scandalous that our boasted