Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-02
SENATE AND HOUSE.
Cutting THROUGH WITH THE Ar-
PRECIPITATION MEASURES.
TIE ANTI-pRIZE-FIGHT BILL.
Brisk Debatc-rroposition Left I'm
the Air. the Yeas and Nays Being
Ordered on Motion 10 Lay IL
on the Table.

on the Table.
WASHINGTON. d. c., March Ito
day, the Senate, IN the space Of about
one hour and a half passed the Dis
trict OF Columbia appropriation BILL car
rying items TO the amount OF SiH.67,
being an excess OF 81 .6550O0 over the bill
as It passed the House. Half Of the
amount is to be paid out of the Trea-
sury Of the United States. and hah out
OF the revenues OF the District of Column
bia.
Then the naval appropriation bill was
taken up. 1t carries $S5.72S25i, little
over $4,000 more than the bill contained
when 1t left the House. The principal
items of increase are: Naval station
Port Royal 5. C.. $4,000; navy-yard'
Mare Island. Cal. $4,000; naval hospi-
tai Port Royal. S. c.. $1,000; training
vessel for Naval Academy, $4,000; in
crease Of the navy. construction and
machinery. $4,000; establishing gov
eminent armor factory. 100000.
In addition 10 these items, the Appro-
priation Committee reports an amend
ment authorizing contracts TO be maze
for three torpedo-boats, not to cost over
$4,000 IN all.
while the bill was being read, it was
ordered al the suggestion Of Mt. AIN
son. that az p. NJ. the Senate should
take a recess until u. NJ
The torpedo-boat amendment. and al
the other amendments up TO That point
Vvere agreed TO without discussion or
Tho amendment on page 50 Of the bill,
providing that no contract for arnor
shall be made at a rate 10 exceed $1U
per ton and the connected amendment
striking out the clause that no porlon
of the armor shall be purchased uhul
II had all been contracted for, were
nass.d over temporarily: also, the amend
ment appropriating S,5O00OO for the es-
Establishment Of an armor factory.
The remainder of the bill having been
disposed of, the cOntroverted amend
ments were taken up.
The first question was on the provision
in the bin that the total cost or the
arnor shall not exceed S3,210000. to which
the Senate Committee had reported an
amendment that mo contract for armor-
plate shall be made at a rate 10 exceed
$4o0 per ton"
MIR. Chandler Republican,, of New
Hampshire moved to amend the Senate
amendment by making II read: mo con-
tract for armor-plate shall be made al
an average rate TO exceed 800 per ton.
on these several propositions a as
cussion was kept up until half-past e.
without any solution Of the question.
The bill was laid aside Informally,
without action on the pending Amendment
Conferences were ordered on the post
office appropriation bill and on the sun
dry civil appropriation bill.
The credentials Of Senators-elect Tur-
ner. of Washington. and Heitneld, OF
Idaho were read and placed on ME.
The Senate at 4:3O Z. NJ. proceeded 10
the consideration Of executive business
and AT F. NJ. took a recess until L. NJ.
EVENING SESSION.
When the Senate resumed its session,
at s o'clock, the naval appropriation Dill
was taken up, the pending amendment
being that relative TO armor-plate.
MIR, Hawley Republican,, of Connecu-
cut. opposed both the establishment or
government armor factory, and the hN-
ing Of the price Of armor at either %o OF
500 per ton He defended the private
manufacturers Of war material. and
said that instead Of trying 10 cheat the
government they always sought to give
the government the best. The builder or
a crack cruiser was prouder than II ne
had been decorated by this government
Mr. Elkins (Republican, Of west Nir-
ginia. opposed the expenditure OF %'-lO,-
900 for armor-plate, carried by the Dill,
until something definite was known OF
the real cost of armor. He inveighed
against the policy Of buying anything
without knowing anything about It's
value The Committee on Appropriations
had fixed one price, and the former Sec
Rotary Of the Navy (Nlr. Chandler) had
fixed another and both were groping IN
the dark Ii was a remarkable piece Vi
legislation that fixed the price of armor-
plate without any definite knowledge of
tha value. and 10 say to the contractor
I'm the same breath that, If he did not
ACCEPT this utimatum the government
would buy his plant at much more than
It's value He advocated suspension
Of the work on the battleships, II neces-
sary. for, with the Congress ABOUT 20
adjourn, with an arbitration treaty WIN
Great Britain awaiting ratification with
the Cuban question having the right OF
way. and Julio Sanguilly on his way TO
the Senate 10 see his sympathizers, there
was no necessity for haste.
1.-The contractors refuse TO tell the
cost Of manufacturing armor," said Mr..
Elkins. "and therefore. says the Sena-
tor from New Hampshire CMr Chandlerl
we will pay 500 ton. Therefore says
the Committee on Appropriations, we
will nay 500 q ton: and the Senator from
MARYLAND Cdr Gorman) says, Amen;
we will pay $500 ton; while we who
furnish the votes have to follow them
blindly."
Mr.. Tillman said that, while he was
member OF the Committee on Naval Al
fairs. he was unable TO give Mr.. Elkins
ALI the light ne desired But he knew
there was no expenditure 80 reeking
with fraud and SO disgraceful 10 those
responsible for IT," He said that IN
yestigation into the cost Of making
armor had shown that the cost hereto
fore paid the Bethlehem Steel-Works FOR
arrnor had paid for the establishment
OF the plant twice over. and virtually
made q present OF 70 10 the company.
He further asserted that the two armor-
making plants in the Countrywide Beth
lehem and Carnegie piants-instead Of
connecting. were IN collision 10 keep up
the price OF armor-plate.
TILf.MAN on THE RAMPAGE.
The mere suggestion that the govern
ment should 70 into the business OF
manufacturing armor was sure to raise
the spectre Of government ownership OF
railroads and Ike concerns. People
spoke Of Congress controlling the trusts.
hnt instead of this 1.-The trusts had their
hands I'm our breeches' pockets" He
hated 10 think that these monopolies had
their paid agents In the Senate but 1t
locked Ike it, 81 don't want TO say
anything harsh" he went on, impress
sively. ''but God knows that 1 believe
every utterance / have made Is true"
This statement came like a bomo-shell
an the Senate, and led Mr.. Hawley 10
demand whether the Senator from South
Carolina dared to make such charge