The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-02
Was Holly Contested by Sena-
tor German and Others.
THE HOUSE ON PUGlLI5M
A BILL AGAINST MAILS CARRY
ING ACCOUNTS OF FIGHTS
SPORT BITTERLY DENOUNCED
There Was a Lively Skirmish in the
House Over the EilI and All Hands
Denounced Prize Fighting as
Grossly immoral.
Grossly immoral.


Grossly immoral.
Washington, March 1.-The Senate
pressed steadily forward on the appro-
priation bills to-day making such pro-
gress that no further apprehension is
felt as to the passage of these great fiscal
measures. The District of Columbia
bill was passed early in the day The
naval bill brought out hot contest on the
price of armor plate and the establishment
of government armor factory. Ihe
Senate committee had recommended a
maximum price of $500 per ton fer armor.
Mr.. Chandler underworld to have the
price fixed at $500.
MIR. German in the debate on the naval
bill traced the development of the new
navy, until we had now reached "A point
where our ships equaled any ahoat and
our ship yards riyaled those of the Clyde.
Wtth these results realized it was not a
time to reverse our policy and enter upon
huge scheme for establishing a govern
ment armory factory, run by government
officers 1t was a m0nstrOus proposition
run in under the guise of q reform and
it would make armor cost four times what
had been paid private concerns. The
Senator believed the price of almor
should be reduced not below $400.
When Mr. Jones, Dem, Ark, spoke
of the 'monstrous price" paid by the
government for armor. and of Secretary
Herbert's recent recommendation Mr..
German said he had never put much faith
in Death bed repentences." The Sec
rotary of the Navy had directed affairs
for four years and there had been no
suggestion of overcharges for armOr un-
I'll Senate committee had investigated
and forced a report.
Mr. German expressed ms regret that
Secretary Herbert, in the closing hours
of an administration, should make re-
commentators which would open the
door to a return to our old plan ON naval
affairs
The Senate bill was temporarily laid
aside and the Presidents veto of the bill
pensionine Harriet NJ. Knowlton. was
referred to the pension committee.
Conferences were ordered on the post
Office and the sundry civil appropriation
bills
Mr. Squite, rep, Washington pre-
scented the credentials of his successor,
Henry Heitfeld as successor to Mr.. Du-
b0ss for the term beginning March 4.
At 4:30 p. IN. Mr. Hill moved an ex-
ecutiye session. There was sharp oppo-
sttion, but on a vote the motion pre-
vailed 36-26 and the doors were closed.
THE HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington, March 1.-The House
galleries We're thronged with visitors all
day, but the crowds witnessed nothing
beyond the dullest of routine matters un-
til the last half hour of the session when
the bill to prohibit the transmission of
detailed accounts of prize fights by mail
or telegraph was brought up This led
to a very lively skirmish i'm which prize
fighting was denounced ON all sides and
the advocates of the bill insisted that the
"sickerfing details should be suppressed
in the interest of good morals But the
bill met with most strenuous opposition
on the ground that it would tend to es-
tablish a censorship of the press The
debate was participated in by Messrs
Aldrich, (Rep., lid, Grosyenor, Rep.,
Ohio. Morse, (Rep., Mass.), in favor Of
the bill and Messrs. Dockery, Dem, Mo-,
and Cummings, Dem, n. W, in oppo-
sition.
Mr.. w A. Stone. Rep, Pa, offered
an amendment to the prize fight bill to
close the last avenue by which such ac-
counts could be transmitted. Railway
or water. Mr.. Morse, (Rep., Mass.), adj
yocated the passage of the bill as a
Protection to the youth of the coun-
try" He said he hoped the result of
the fight would be that these two
brutes' had killed each other General
"a NJ
opinion that the necessities of morality
and public order demanded the suppress
sion of prize fighting IF / lived in a
State" said he, (which had nothing else
to commend it ! might favor prize fight
ing" Iaughter)
Mr.. Dockery, Dem, MOI, vigorously
opposed the bill. He opposed prize fight
ing he said, as much as any one but
this bill would establish censorship of
the press and, if carried to its logical con-
clusion, would necessitate a bureau for
that purpose.
Mr.. Cummings, Dem, n. W, charac-
terized the bill as dangerous legislation.
He said if it ever PASSED. many of the
books in the Congressional library could
not be sent through the mails. An illus
trated copy Of Virgil would come under
The ban. 1hls bill belonged to the cate
CORY in which came the bill to prevent
the caricaturing OF public men now pend
ing before the New York legislature
Such matters could be left to the States.
Mr.. Hepburn, (Rep., Iowa., closed the
debate with an earnest plea for the bill.
He said the same dire predictions of a
censorship OF the press were made when
the law to prevent OF advertisement of
the doings of the Louisiana lottery was
enacted. Yet, i'm the light of experience,
no one would now oppose that legislation.
Several filibustering motions were in
terposed before a vote could be taken, i'm
which the opponents Of the bill plainly
had the best Of it, the vote standing
93-55 against, but the friends of the bill
tried to get a record making vote A
motion to adjourn would have carried had
not Chairman Cannon of the appropria-
tions committee applied to the House
in the interest of the appropriation bills
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