The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-17

disposed OF there, recess was taken un-
til 1.30 p. m.
After the recess, on motion of Mr..
Broderik, Republican of Kansas, the
Senate resolution, directing the secretary
of war to issue 1000 tents for the use of
the Grand Army encampment at Leav-
enworth, Kansas, next October, was
adopted.
Mr.. Cannon then called up the confer
ence report on the general deficiency bill
which meantime had been agreed to by
the Senate.
Mr.. Cannon explained the report and
the items on which an agreement had
been reached after which the conference
report was agreed to.
The items still in dispute were then dis
cussed and acted upon. Mr.. Davis.
Democrat of Florida, made strong ap-
peal to the House to. concur in the $780,
600 appropriation for Cumberland
Sound, Fla, but Mr.. Cannon resisted it.
mi theScourse of the latters remarks he
drew burst of applause from the op-
position by saying that he hoped that the
time would soon come when the com
mite of the House would exercise their
functions.
"Oh, mean what I say'' remarked
Mr. Cannon.
"Have you voted that way?" inquired
voice.
II mean in the broad sense" restorted
Mr.. Cannon, mot in the narrow view of
the demagoguery whiohs~has strutted and
f,N% %tnl fr I,rinf 1ory r
this House. "(Republican applause. J
The House finally concu rred in the
amendment. The House also concurred
in the Senate amendment appropriating
S., 900 for removing Instructions in the
Kootenay river, Mont.
When the armor plate amendment was
reached Mr.. Cannon moved that the
House insists on it's disagreement and
Mr.. W. A. Stone, Republican of Pennsyl-
vania, moved to concur with an amend
ment in the mature of a substitute promo
sition by the terms of which the cost of
the arnor plate for the three battleships
was increased from So, 407, 500 to So, ,21O, Goo
and the limit Of cost of the armor from
$500 to $400.
Mr.. Boutelle, Republican of Maine, the
chairman of the committee on naval
affairs of the last House, took the floor in
support of Mr. Stones motion He ex-
planned at length the history of the con-
troversy over the price of armor plate.
He pointed out the refusal of the armor
plate companies to bid under the provis-
ion of the last naval appropriation bill,
limiting the cost to $500 per ton, the pro-
position Of the Illinois Steel company to
finish all the armor for 20 years at S240
per ton and the recommendation of the
secretary of the navy for an authorization
for new bids with limi5 of cost at $4OO
per ton.
"Didn't one of these companies fur
nish the Russian government with armor
at $249 per tom asked Mr.. Barlow of
California.
"That is chestnut" replied Mr.. .Bou-
telle ''But I'll roast it again for the
gentleman benefit"
4 ''Well the people would like to have it
roasted" remarked Mr.. Barlow.
Mr.. Boutelle denounced the proposition
to have the government enter upon the
manufacture of arnor plate on It's own
account and expressed the opinion that
manufactured armored splate8 would
cost the government from 80 per cent
to rs per cent than private corporations.
Mr.. Boutelle argued that the prices paid
by foreign governments for armor fur-
nished conclusive evidence that 1t could
not be manufactured for $780,
Mr.. King, Democrat of Utah, in oppos-
ing Mr.. Stones motion, declared that it
would be a disgrace for the government
to deal longer with the Carnegie compa-
ny.
''Rascals'' and "scoundrels" were the
terms he used in characterizing this
company.
Mr.. Underwood, Democrat of Alabama,
reading reports Of the government ex.
perts, detailed to investigate the cost OF
armor plate, showing that the highest
figures made the cost of material and
labor in a ton of armor were 5000.
Mr.. Dalzell, Republican of Pennsyl-
van1a. supported the amendment. The
question at the base of this discussion, he
contended, was whether or not Congress
desired to authorize the completion of
the three hattleshins NOW ON tha stocks