Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-14
ARMOR PLATE TALK.
PRICE TO BE PAID THE SUBJECT OF
LENGTHY SENATE DEBATE.
$500 PER TON AGREED UPON.
MAY ESTABLISH 4
FACTORY OF ITS OWN.
General Feeling I'm the Senate seemed
TO he That Present Prices for
Armor Plate Are Extor-
tIonate No Business
in the House.

Washington. July 13.-The price to be
paid for armor plate for the three new
battleships now in course Of construction
was the theme of extended, and at times
! lively. debate I'm the senate today. Late
I'm the day an amendment to the deficiency
appropriation bill was agreed to, restrict
ing the price of armor plate TO $3.50 per
ton or $l2j less than the amendment re-
ported by the committee and recommended
by the navy department the minimum
rate acceptable to the srmor contractors.
Another amendment inserted i'm the bill
directed the secretary of the navy to in
vestigate as TO the establishment Of a gov
ernment armOr factory and to report to
the next session of congress.
During the debate, Mr.. Hale urged that
the failure to equip the battleships with
armor would humiliate the United States
in the eyes of the world and would lessen
our naval power at a time of possible
foreign complications. After inserting the
armOr amendments. the deficiency apprO-
priation bill. the last of the great supply
measures was passed.
The deficiency bill provided total ap-
propriatiOn of $5.4l0725 for armor for the
three battleships authorized in 1896 and
limited the cost per ton 10 s425. Mr.. Butler.
OF North Carolina, offered an amendment
reducing the total TO 81. 800. limiting the
cost to 500 per ton and providing for the
establishment OF a government armor fac
tory IL private concerns do not bid within
$500 per ton.
Mr.. Pettigrew, Of South Dakota. asserted
that to yield TO the demands of the armor
plate trust was procedure too dsgraceful
10 be tolerated. Mr.. Butler spoke along
the same line criticising the srmor fac
tories and asserting that defective armor
plate had been ralmed of on the govern
ment and was now in use in our war.
vessels. In this last statement he was sup
ported by Mr.. Tillman.
When Mr.. Butler reiterated the statement
as to the Defective armor I'm use. Mr.. Hale
with a sweeping denial. He
said that such a condition would be ap-
palling If il existed in reality. but there
was no warrant for the assertions by the
North Carolina senator. He utterly and
absolutely denied that any proportion OF
the armor plate on our warships was un-
serviceable.
Mr.. Butler declared that he knew of no
more dangerous high treason than the
equipping of war vessels with defective
plates. One of those vessels, the Oregon,
with spongy imperfect. fraudulent plates,
it was said, had been ordered to the Ha-
waiian Islands at time when Japan was
threatening 10 take possession OF those
islands. IT would be fortunate II the first
hostile shot fired at her did not hit one
of those defective plates-if. indeed. there
were any good ones on her. II we are
to take Hawaii. IL We are 10 go into the
land grabbing business. then. said Mr. /
Butler We must. have a feet as good and |
better than any old country in the world. |
II We are launching on the policy of ag- |
grandzement. then We must be able 10 !
compete with England or any other nation. |
Mr.. Tilman pointed out alleged irregu- |
larities in furnishing aTmor plate and re- |
H.
had imposed a fine on the Carnegie COM |
pany. which fine was RENTED by the pres |
ident.
And was il a Democratic president who I
remitted the fine2" queried Mr.. Allen.
Please don't leave out 'SO-called in re- /
ferrins to that president" answered Mr.. /
amid laughter "as ii hurts my
feelings TO hear him referred TO as Dem /
ccratic president.
He went on TO say he had never sought
TO fathom the mystery Of how the presi-
dents had tried to override law and decency
by remittinz the fine. The senator re-
viewed the evidence on the cost of max
ing armor, plate and said that unless the
senate adopted some remedy. such as the
One now proposed. there would be absolute
and shameless surrender of public interest
10 the arTnor plate factories. |
Mr.. Hale opposed the Butler amend !
ment" and referred to the building up OF |
he navy and the incidental development |
everything needed for equipping |
he finest ships afiOat- This was of vast |
advantage to the government in its naval !
progress. and IL had at the same time |
given employment to many workmen. Il
was but natural in the development of so
yreat an enterprise that some evils should
,reep iU but he had no sympathy or de-
ense for such evils.
The senator discussed the cost Of armor.
a ying that the 800 rate established by
he last congress was due to an expectation
hat the Illinois Steel Company stood ready |
o furnish armor place much less than old
ates. but there had been no practical real |
cation of this expectation. As to the es-
ablishment OF a government armor plant.
ir. Hale said the building OF the American |
avy had proceeded too far toward com
ietion to warrant starting government
liant at this late date.
Commenting on the offer of the Illinois | ,
teel Company 10 furnish armor under
OntTact covering twenty years. Mr.. Hale
aid such a proposition was totally i'm I
racticable Who knew anything about |
ne character and arrnor requirements OF
Tarships twenty years hence2
In closing. Mr.. Hale referred TO the na-
.onal humiliation in case of an emergency.
We had three incomplete battleShfps ready
Or their armor. and useless without it.
There was nothing more in this question, |
ir. Hale said. than the mere cost OF ar
Tor. We had a national honor national Z
ignity TO maintain. and there could be no
alting. no turning back. when once We |
ad embarked on an active policy of up
olding the national honor.
Mr.. Stewart OF Nevada. declared that
he recent threat of Great Britain in the
avail review of the Victorian Jubilee meant ,
&
: else be subjugated.
Mr.. Bacon. Of Georgia, moved to place !
ne rate at $3.50 per ton. He believed the
Overnment would have TO build its own
1undry. but for the present he urged Il to :
g sxpedient TO offer $50 and stand by it.
lowing the armament OF the ships to fail
need be. until congress reassembled.
Mr.. Perkins. of California. urged that the
lree battleships would be tied to the docks ,
} rust and coTrOde unless equipped with !
rmor and put into service.
Mr. Teller. Of Colorado contributed a :
Vely speech. 1t had been the general I'm
Tession that our ships represented the :
Cwer and dignity of the nation. but, ne | !
AID. our warships had proved a source of
1nfusion to the last administration. The |
than war, the worst conflict in one hun
red years, with murder and outrage. had
iged at our doors and throughout the | n
lnfiiCt We had no ship TO send there a | y
le representative OF our national dignity | 4
nd honor. The authorities had beer =
fraid TO send ship. fearing Il might en- f
anger our peace with Spain. h
Why. war with Spain would be a trifing | .
fair. so far as we are concerned" said |
Ir. Teller. He ridiculed the idea of having
lips. II they were not TO be sent where |
eeded. We have had good deal OF
ouble over our ships. anyway. AIR. Teller ! /
tic. and probably they would be as well n
the stocks as in service. 1t would be y
greater surrender Of national dignity TO a
)w to the aTmor contractors than to let a
~ ships stand on the stocks. and the sen | ;
or declared he would let them stand un- q
-nored for all time rather than De held
by the armor combine. r
Mr.. Allen. Of Nebraska. criticised the -
neral policy OF expanding the navy, COM
irlng the cumbersome battleships with | q
e effective monitors The building OF IL
eSe huge ships was a scheme. he as ! Il
rJed 20 spend the public money and TO n
ace advantageous contracts With IL was | h
e scheme for enlarging the army and ! ir
q of the army at the Chicago strike Mr..
Hen asserted: when Grover Cleveland