Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-07-17
MORGAN SCORES A POINT
By Resolution in Reference TO the Arrest Of
an American ,4a
WHO WAS ARRESTED IN HAVANA
In September of Last Year-House Has an
Interesting Debate on the Subject of
Armor Plate-senate Propo-
sition Concurred In.

Was hingl,on, July 16.-The opening
session of the senate was brief aid un-l
evenftul today. The Harris resolution
re.ating to the Pacific railroad was fur
ther debated. At 1:30 the senate wsntl
into executive session, remai lining behind
closed doors until O'Clock, and then ad-
Journed until tomorrow. The conferences
report on the deficiency appropriation bill
was considered as soon as the senate met. /
Mr.. Hawley said that the price of ar
mour plate had been included in the re- I
port. The report was agreed to and a Il
further conference ordered arr 4
Mr.. Morgan secured the adoption OF a /
resolution requesting the president for 1
information as to the arrest of Alfredo H. /
Hugne, citizen of the United States. by 4
the Spanish authorities at Havana, ON l
Sept. 6, 1896 Mr.. Morgan briefly rected 1
the circumstances in the case and said
that hs desired to test the power of Spain
to arbitrarily prevent his doing business
in Cuba without trial or evidence of his
participation in the rebellion. The reso-
luton was agreed to without division.
The Harris resolution relating to the
sale of the government interests in the
Union Pacific railroad was then called up
and Mr.. Ahen, of Nebraska, continued
his speech in support of the resolution.
There was a spirited discussion at one
period when Mr.. Warren, of Wyoming,
sought to call attention to the absence of
quorum. Mr.. Allen dsclined to yield for
this purpose, and the presiding officer was
in doubt as to the right of senator to
call attention to the absence of a quorum
when the senator'on the floor declire1 to
yield.
Mr.. Hale said it was a most unusual
procedure.
Mr. Warren finally Withdrew his report
and Mr. Allen proceeded. ~.
When he closed at l: 80 the senate went
into executive session.
The executive session continued until
o'clock, when the senate adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
The house today agreed to the partial
conference on the general deficiency, bill
and then concurred in the senate amend
ment fixing the rate of armor platet for
the three battleships now building al $500
per ton There was one item remaining
in dispute between the two houses.
Strong effort was made to induce the
house to agree to a substitute proposition
fixing the limit at $400 as recommended
by the secretary of the navy, but after a
three hours debate the house by vote Of
142 to 45 concurred in the senate amend
ment. ~,
After agreeing to the conference report
on the bill the other items in dispute were
discussed and acted upon.
Mr.. Davis, democrat, of Florida, made
a strong appeal 10 the house to concur in
the $4,000 appropriation for Cumberland
sound, Florida, but Mr.. Cannon resisted
it The house finally concurred in the
amendment. ues
When the armor pla:e amendment was
reta ched Mr.. Cannon moved THAI the house
insist upon it's disa greement, and Mr.. w.
A. Stone republican, of Pennsylvania,
moved TO concur with an amendment in
tho nature of a substitute proposDtion3
by the Germs of which the cost of the.
armor plate for the three battleships was
increased from $24504O to SO, 10000 and
the limit of cost of ar1nor plate from
$500 to $400. q s
Mr.. Boutelle, republican, of Maine, the
chairman of the committee on naval af-
fairs of the last house, supported Mr..
Stones mdtion. He explained at length /
the history of the controversy over the !
price of armor plate. aI-
Mr. Boutel1e denounced the propositions
10 nave dne government enter upon tneil
manufacture of armor plate upon it's own
account, and expressed the opinion that
to manufactur armor plate would cost
the governments from so to rs per cent1
more than was done by private concerns.
Mr. King, democrat, in opposing MIR.
Stones amendment, declared that it
would be disgrace for the government
to deal longer with the Carnegie COM
uubir b,ad n
foisted upon the government inferior and
imperfect work. "Rogues" and "scoun-
drels' were the words he used in char
acterizing these companies.
Mr.. Underwood, democra. of AIabarfla q
read from the report of engineers detailed
to investigate the cosis of armor plate
showing that the highest figures made
the cost of material and formation of
armor $500. 4
MIR Dalzell also supported the amend
ment. The question at the base of this
discussion, he continued, was whelther ar,
not congress desired to authorize the \
completion of the three baIitleships now
on the socks. If 1t did iihe secretary of
the navy must be empowered to pay
enough to secure arnor. 1t had been
demonstrated that no bids could be SET
cured ait the price authorized by the SEN
ate amendment.
rs not ex-Secretary of .he Navy Her.
bent now the private attorney of the Carr 4
negie Steel company" asked Mr.. King, Il
81 do not know" replied Mr.. Dalzefl,
"but 1 should hesitate to entertain such
a suggestion about one who is not here
to speak for himseIf.''
CMr w. A. Stone, republican, of Penn
sy1vania, defended the Carnegie COM
pany.
MFR. Simpson, popuIIst. of Kansas, hlzsa1
Sisted that there was a pool of arn1oft
manufacturing companies Of the world,