The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-02
TORPEDO BOATS
CONTINUED from Page one.)

NSOutinucu Ifon IdEt jig
enthusiasm. vote away money that
partook more Of the nature of an AS
sault upon the treasury than an as
upon Spain. The Pearce amend
ment was adopted-137 to 81.
Mr.. Foote. rep. N. Y, then offered
an amendment to add two armored
cruisers, to cost exclusive Of armament
not to exceed IS, 900, 900, to the provision
for new ships. While he was advocat-
ing this amendment he became involved
in a wordy war with Chairman Cannon
of the appropriations committee, dur
ing the course of which strong language
was used. 1t was lost-S0 to 20.
Mr.. Steele. rep, Ind, moved to de-
crease the number of battleships from
three to two. Much bad temper was
displayed as the debate proceeded. Mr..
Boutelle. after Mr.. Steele a with
drawn a motion to close h debate,
aid Il did not know but that the
gentleman had Withdrawn my bill
Gaughter.)
Il think every member upon this
floor" replied MIR. Steele. has been inn
pressed since the debate began with the
idea that the bill would have Jared bet
ter IL 1t had been withdrawn from the
hands of the gentleman from Maine
daughter and ~applause).
DE Almond for War.
Mr.. De Almond. dem. Mo-. at this
juncture got the floor with a speech
that attracted much attention. He
called upon the administration to take
the aggressive. The Maine. he said,
had been blown w in a harbor sup
posed to be friendly. There was great
danger now in trusting to diplomacy
rather than to our own strong arm. The
great question now. he said. was to
stop the hostile fleet approaching
shores. II we were depending upon d.
plomacy, IL would prove a broken reed.
The best protection. he said, was ag-
gression. not to wait idly resting upon
hopes that had no foundation. He
declared that we should strike while we
had the advantage. War between ma
tions was not like a contest between
equally matched ~gladiators. The VIC
tory belonged in war 10 the country
that best and first prepared for 1t, and,
seeing further in the future. struck
first where the blow would prove most
effective.
Let us protect ourselves" continued
Mr.. De Almond. by striking before We
are stricken. (Applause). Let us not
wait. We have waited too long. 1
hope that proper measures or energy
are on foot and that what i apprehend-
ed as danger will be avoided. I listened
with interest TO the remarks about the
llN vi an la a
the Holland boat. which. under the
water of bay or ocean. may move
silently. swiftly, unseen on its errand
of destruction. 1t had seemed to me
that 1t is hardly wise for his govern
ment, when the time for action with the
present existing, to provide
for a distant future. when. perhaps. no
provision will be needed. II war should
occur il will soon be demonstrated what
the value of the modern battleship Is.
No la doubts. no man can doubt the
value of the modern agent Of destruc-
ton known as the torpedo boat and the
torpedo boat destroyer. These little
boats can be prepared quickly, whether
quickly enough I do not know, but
amendment and legislation in the direc-
tion OF preparing that which can be
prepared quickly and above all, the use
of that which we have, Will go far to
render these magnificent battleships
useless in the future.
But, above all things, let me again
endeavor to impress upon the house that
the danger to be provided against is the
danger which menaces us now. Every
hour and every moment across the waters
of the Atlantic is that danger coming
Every hour and every moment IL is
closer to US. and every hour and every
homer we are less secure In conse'
auence of it. ] hope that those who have
influence and those who have the ear OF
the agency now directing and controlling
the government. largely TO the exclusion
of the legislative branch, may exert tina
influence that what can be done oush
to he lone for our protection; that it ma!
be done without further delay ZAP
plauseD.
After several hours of wrangling, dur
ing which all sorts of amendments wer
offered and voted down and many speech
es were made, the vote was taken upol
the Cannon substitute to reduce the mum
Der of battleships to one and to increas
the torpedo boats and torpedo boat de
stroyers to u each. Ii was defeated. Is I
l2i.
Mr.. Underwood, DEM. Alabama, offere
an amendment appropriating S,OoO,0O 70
the establishment of a government armo
plate factory. He did not think 1t propel
with a war cloud over the country, I
c~riticise the price fixed in the bill 10
armor plate. but his amendment locke
to the future. Before the battleships AT
thorized in the bill were completed I'll
government could save the extortion
which II was now subjected. 1t wer
briefly into the results OF the govern
ment's investigation of the cost of armo
plate to show that the manufacture
, had mulcted the government. The amend
ment was ruled out on a point of o.
der.
An amendment to reduce the cost
armor plate to $500 per ton was defeate
This completed the bill and IL was r.
5 ported to the house and passed. Then.
6 p. m, the house adjourned until Mo-
7 day.
VIII Not Eject Finances.
Washington. April 1.-The Chickerlr
l general bill. declaring that enlistment