The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-01


upon which the fight against the re-
port was made was found in the SEN
ate amendment TO compensate naval
officers for government use of their IN
ventions and authorizing them to nave
their claims for such compensation ad-
Indicated in the court of claims
MI Boutelle led the support OF the
amendment and Messrs. Cannon ana
Savers the opposition. a resolution IN
troduced by Mr.. Cannon insisting upon
eliminating the amendment was adpot-
ed, 11S to AZ. and the naval bill was
again sent to conference.
PROCEEDINGS.
Mr.. Boutelie (Rep., Me.) called up the
conference report on the naval appro-
priation bill in the house today. The
speaker announced that the house ad-
journed yesterday pending the dispo-
sition of point of order made by MI
Cannon (Rep., Ills.) tina the conferees
had exceeded their jurisdiction by in
Producing into the report matter
which was not in difference between
the two houses. The speaker recog-
nized Mr.. Cannon. Mr.. Cannon SAID
his point was based upon the provision
inserted by the conferees providing for
additional officers, on-commlssioned
officers and 1,500 men in the marine
corps.
Mr. Boutelle said he was anxious to
secure the earliest possible action upon
the bill, in order to equip and support
to the utmost the forces the country
had sent to war, to the end that early
success to our arms might be accom-
plished Accordingly, he was not n
clined to insist upon technicalities that
might delay the passage of the BILL
but was willing to make any reason
able arrangement that would give the
house a. fair opportunity to consider
the amendment in question.
After some discussion, Mr.. Boutelle
made q request for unanimous consent
that the report be rejected, with the
right to move to reconsider reserved,
pending which motion the house shonld
proceed to the consideration and de-
bate of the report, each side to occupy
one hour and q half.
INVENTIONS OF OFFICERS.
Mr.. BoutelIe's request was agreed to,
ana then -.r. Sayers Dem, Tex) had
read the senate amendment directing
the secretary of the navy TO use, When
necessary inventions of naval ofncers,
and authorizing such officers TO prose
cute claims for compensation therefor
in the court of claims.
Mr.. Cannon presented a resolution
declaring it the sense of congress that
officers of the navy were not entitled
to compensation for the use OF inven-
lions made while in the service or the
navy, and that the laws should be so
amended as to prevent Such conpensa-
ton.
Mr.. Savers spoke in opposition to the
senate amendment relative 10 cofnpeh-
sation for inventions, declaring that
if the inventors were officers employed
at the expense of the government, the
latter was entitled to use, without eX-
pense, the inventions of such ofilcers-
MIR. Shafroth of Colorado spoke in
opposition to the amendment, and. IN
the course of an interruption Mr. can
non pointed out that the amendment
contemplated only officers of the navy
and made no mention or other EN-
ployees.
Mr.. Walker of Massachusetts ad-
dressed the house in support of the
amendment, insisting that the govern
ment had no right to appropriate WITH
out compensation the inventions OF the
naval officers. Mr.. Cromwell of Ohio
spoke for the amendment and Mr.
Moody of Massachusetts followed in
opposition, declaring the government
took it's naval officers almost from the
cradle and carried them to the grave,
and should be entitled to their inyen-
tons.
SOMETHING WRONG.
Mr.. Dockery of Missouri opposed the
amendment 1t would give monopoly
to certain officers. Proceeding, he said
it was a most unusual feature to be IN
an appropriation bill, and it looked as
if there was something wrong IN the
opposition and an effort was being
made to force it under the stress OF
circumstances incident to war time.
Mr. Hepburn of Iowa advocated the
amendment, and in doing so reviewed
it to show that the compensation pro-
posed to be given the officer was to be
purely equitable, and the court OF
claims, in determining the amount due,
was to consider all circumstances con-
nected with the making of the inven-
ton or discovery, including especially
all facilities in originating and perfect
ing the invention enjoyed by the officer
by reason of his official position. The
chief accomplishment of the proposed
amendment would be the fixing of
tribunal to which the officers could go
direct with their claims without wait
ing upon the pleasure Of congress.
KING AGAINST IT.
Mr. Gaines of Tennessee. Mr.. King of
Utah and Mr.. Linney of North Carolina
spoke against the amendment, and Mr..
Southland of Ohio, member of the
committee on naval affairs; Norton of
Ohio and Olmstead of Pennsylvania
it. Mr.. Northway of Ohio
spoke against the amendment.
Mr. Cannon withdrew the resolution
offered by him, and offered instead a
resolution instructing the house con-
ferees to insist upon the senate amend
ment being stricken out. He warned
the house against persons who were
ready to take advantage of the excite
ment and patriotic fervor incident to.
war to get through legislation that
ought. not to be enacted. He opposed
the amendment in question, on the
ground of no merit, and, further, be-
cause it was entirely out of place in an
bill. 1t was plain new
legislation, without any connection
with the appropriation of money Pro-
ceeding to discuss the amendment, Mr..
Cannon declared it was, in his opinion, |
"a wicked and corrupting piece of iegis- !
lation."
BOUTELLE'S SLURS.
Mr.. Boutelle of Maine, speaking for |,
the amendments and closing the de- /
bate, criticised sharply the objection to
the amendment and characterized it as I
inexcusable haggling while the navy I
and country waited in sore need of I
those war essentials for which the bill !
provided. Intimating that members
who had been first 'in forcing thei
to war, were acting improper
ly in now opposing the bill, Mr. BouteIle I
brought Mr.. Henry of Mississippi to /
his feet.
Does the gentleman from Maine
throw that charge against us simply |
because we opposed that amendment. |
which l do not think wise?" asked Mr.. |
Henry.
L mean to say that the gentlemen are
delaying the whole bill with its pro-
visions by insisting upon opposing al
small and unimportant amendment I