The times., 1897-07-14

caNta VI Vic ~ ohDIeihP
amendment would be enough To build an
arnsor plate plant We need no fleet lie
held, unless we are going into The acqGisi-
ton OF foreign territory.
Mr. Chandler reuinuou Mr. Tillinan that
the resolution of inquiry as to defective
arlnor plate coming over from the House,
went TO a Senate committee composed OF
Democrats. in a Democratic Senafs.
MT Chandler wanted to know what Mr..
Tnlman if lac was Democrat 4 had 10
say about That
at rinman admitted that IL had been
pilscon-n,ls,l lie ncfcucd to The armOr
pl. 60 hulltirts rs a lot OF fascals," and to
Ma cleveland a, a "s,-called" DeInccrat.
Nr riunsn said that the Carnegie Conl-
pauy orncials themselves had admitted,
confessed" that the plate was defective.
Mr nutl.r. after going over the mater
carefully. said that III we were 20 take
Hawau 70 20 into the land grabbing huSi-
arS.. we rauSt have fleet as fine as any
ia the world"
Mr Tluman in the course OF his re-
marks read the admissions OF the officers
or the Carnegie Company as TO defects in
arIuor plate. the alow holeS, the plugging
OF the same. etc Mr.. TiIlman said that it
the company TO come here and ask favors.
The Carnegie trust had the Senate 10y the
throat As the provision for letting the
Government manufacture it's own plate
rad been stricken out, the company could
come here and make the Government
stand and deliver" The whole thing
was "a foul blot that this Senate cuuld
only wipe out by referring these people
To ,.x-i-
dence, by which it is shown that they
have sw windled this Government once,
twice, thrice, and yet they dare to come
here and say that they have such in
flucnce and control OF the Senate that they
can dictate a price OF Sl25 ton more
than committee has stated it TO be worth. ="
Mr.. Tflman further asked if the Senate
would rise to the situation or would
lie down groyelling in its own mire and
TottenneSs.
Mr. Hale made reply in which he
first reviewed the progress of our Navy,
the application of armor plate, and The
pooling OF issues between the Carnegie
and bethlehem companies, the only two
which couid furnish the plate for the yes-
sells ordered by the Government The
Government gave as high as $3.50 a ton
iit tA ui4lttlt 3CNStiiiC anu
inquiries We're set on foot, the first or a
resolution offered by Mr.. Chandler. The
| invest gat ions We're completed by MT
| Herbert, Secretary OF the Navy, who
come to the conclusion that 500 was
| ample instead OF $3.50 Mr.. Hale argued
also that the work could not he done by
the Government as economically as by
private works.
Mr. Hale said that the new Secretary OF
the Navy was TO discover whether he
| could have armor plate at $500 for three
new battleships, which were to be credit
to the nation.
Mt Tillman, recurring to a Government
plant, asked whether it would not help
American laborers.
Mr Hale said that it would not because
| Government works were the receptacles
for favored few.
MT. TiImau and Mr Hale argued this
| side issue at length without conviction
on either side.
Mr.. Hale, resuming the argument, show
ed what the new Secretary of the Navy
had done TO get armor plate at less than
$500, and his application TO the Illinois
steel Company, which, it was stated,
would do IL for $40. The company de-
r,anded a twenty years contract at
8 900 tons year.
Mr.. Tnlman interjected that that at
least proved that as the plant OF the
Carnegie and Bethlehem companies had
been practically paid for by the Govern
ment. they could furnish 1t at the price
OF the Illinois Steel Company.
Mr. Hale said that these We're the con-
ditions which met the committee, with
fhTee battleships unbuilt on its hands,
with foreign com pliCations arising Under
| the circumstances he would not care for
| che S25 extra or even $50. He did not
believe in the United States making a
spectacle or itself, its business susrcn ded
in the air and a reproach to itself. The
companies said they could not work for
less than S425 a ton, and that was the
| end of it, so far as their three battle
ships were concerned. He admitted that
there We're rapacity and greed in the
steel companies, but that was net now
the real question.
Mr.. Stewart here drew a graphic pic
turc OF the scheme of England TO point
all OF her guns at this republic. This
was evident at the recent jubilee. 1t was
| Idle 10 talk about our suspcuding the
building OF n navy. But, if necessary,
lie would huild our own plant, rather than
submit to Carnegie. He did not know
what side Carnegie would be on in case
of n war between his country and ours,
as he understood that Mr.. Carnegie was
very desirous OF becoming a member Of
the British Parliament.
Mr.. Tillman said that even taking ma
tiouai honor into cOnsdera ton, it was much
| better to lose hundred battIeships than
| to surrender TO a company that was Ieprous
| with fraud
Mr. Butler said that If we yielded this
| tine there was nothing TO show that we
wouldn't be in their power at the next
| Contract. II we began TO build a plant
the other plants would be obliged to sell
out 10 this Government or go out of the
business.
Mr Hale said that it was not unlikely
| that the Government would some day build
a plant of its own.
Mr. Butler replied that we might he in
VOWED IN a war before the plant could be
| built, and, in that event, we would be
obliged to pay the Carnegles what they
| might see fit TO ask
Mr Chandler announced that ne would
vote for $500 a ton, but not $425 He
had introduced bill TO take possession of
/ tIese plants, but Secretary Herbert dis
agreed with the proposition and the two
companies were advised OF the Secretarys
opinion. He did rot believe that there
would he q sufficient demand for armor
plate hereafter to justify the purchase of a
Government plant.
In answer TO questions by Mr.. Allen, Mr..
| Chandler admitted that the companies were