The evening times., 1897-03-02
JEALOUS OF ITS PRIVILEGES
The House ReSents Erection Of a
Stand on the Senate Side.
A COMMITTEE TO INQUIRE
ArmOr Plate the Subject of Debate.
At Mr.. BoutelIe's Request the
Naval Appropriation Bill Was Sent
10 a Conference Committee-The
District Bill.

The assumption by the Senate of sole
direction and control of the inaugural
| exercises at the Capitol was made the
subject OF resolution OF inquiry Of
fered by Mr.. Dockery Immediately upon
the reaSsembling of the House at 10
O'Clock this morning in continuation of
yesterdays session.
It asked the Committee on Rules to inves-
tgaDc and report by what authority the
stand for the inaugural exercises on the
east front of the Capitol was being erected
against the Senate wing and accessible
only from the corridors in that wing, in
stead of being erected in front Of the cen
tral portico, and equally accessible from
both House and Senate wings, as had been
the unvarying custom since the Capitol was
built. Also to report whether or not the
House had any part in the arrangement for
and management OF ftheinaugurate exercises.
Mr. Richardson said a stand was being
erected in front Of the Capitol toward the
House, and asked il il would be in order
to amend the resolution by having the COM
mittee inquire and report by what au-
thority that was being done.
1t was not in order. The resolution was
then referred as Mr.. Dockery requested.
A recess was then taken until 1890,
when the naval and District OF Columbia
appropriation bills were reported from the
Senate The latter bill was referred to a
committee on conference.
Mr.. Boutelle made a like request with
regard to the naval appropriation BILL
ana he made a statement OF the effect ana
scope OF the principal Senate amendments.
Mr. Hopkins asked the House to take a
vote upon the Senate amendment fix
mig the price for armor plate for naval
vessels at $500 a ton and concur in it.
He said that the companies which are
now furnishing the arrnor desire to con-
tinue 10 furnish it, but they should do so
at a reasonable price He said the ILL.,
nois Steel Company was ready To con-
tract for armor at S24O ton, and il was
competent 10 carry out that contract.
To Mr.. DalzeIl Mr. Hopkins said he knew
how long it took to build an armor plate and
how much money it took. He called at
tention to the fac that while the compa-
nies which furnished the armor plate for
the Kearsarge and Alabama charged the
United States $500 ton for it, they were
selling the same armor TO the Russian gov
tFhliltHl at - - "A Alilir utllhNEeu III ol.
Petersburg.
Mr. Cummings stated that while it was
true that the Bethlehem Iron Company had
furnished armor plate to Russia at S249
ton, it was also true that now it was
furnishing that government the same armor
at S527 a ton. The first contract was
taken at a loss in order to break into the
European market.
To Mr.. DalZeil Mr.. Cummings said thatit
would not require three years to build and
establish an armor- plate plant, for the
Secretary OF the Navy in his report sub
mitted the proposition OF an English firm
to install plant in l 5 months
The request of Mr.. Boutelle was agreedto,
and McSsrs. Boutelle, Robinson and Cum
mings appointed conferees.
Confcrees on the District of Columbia
hill were appointed; MesSrs. Grout, Pitney,
and DocEery, and then at i1:10, on motion
OF Mr. Dalzell. the House ad iourned untilI2.