The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-26
WITHOUT DEBATE AND WITHOUT A ROLL CALL
The Representatives Of Seventy Million People Without Dissenting
Declare War the Kingdom of Spain-h Took One
Minute and FortyTwo Seconds

Il -
| ment offered by Mr.. Butler OF North
| Carolina to regulate the price OF armor
The amendment provides that for the
armor for the three battieships now in
course of construction the government
shall pay not to exceed $500 a ton, in
cluding the nickel. and that subsequent
contracts for armor shall not call for a
greater price than $500 per ton In case
the price cannot be obtained. the secre-
tary of the navy Is authorized at once
to purchase or establish a government
armor factory, and in addition 81. .000, ,00G
is appropriated for the manufacture of
the armor.
Mr.. Butler strongly advocated the
adoption Of the amendment and said
the ships OF this country were covered
with defective armor. Mr. Hawley
challenged this statement.
Il emphatically deny said he, THAT
there is any such amount of defective
armor on our warships as the senator
from North Carolina declares there Is.
And even II the statement were true, 1
leave the country TO judge of the pro-
priety Of Haunting the defects before
SPAIN"
while ! am In entire agreement with
the senator from Connecticut" inter-
jected Mr.. Chandler of New Hampshire.
i am also satisfied that the senator
(Mr. Butler) II mistaken. Investiga-
tion has shown that the tests of the
armor were satisfactory"
Mr.. Chandler appealed to Mr.. Hale,
chairman of the naval affairs commit
tee, and the latter said THE armor
upon our ships is the best in the world
No European government has armor
on its ships so good as ours"
Mr.. Butler vas proceeding to read
some testimony taken before q COM
mittee of the house relating to defec-
tive armor on various United States
war vessels and to make comment upon
1t. when Mr.. Hawley said sharply: Il
must protest against this. I believe the
senator from North Carolina is out of
order in making these charges publicly.
If he should put them In writing and
transmit them privately to Spain.
pointing out these defective plates, he
would be guilty of treason
Mr.. Tillman called attention to the
fact that the Statements made oy Mr..
Butler were based on official reports,
which were easily accessible.
Continuing. Mr.. Butler adverted to
what he regarded as the excited ut
terances" of the senator (Mr Hawley),
who. he said, had risen and flung at
him charges-os treason. He thought
those who were guilty of treason were
those who had refused to make provis-
ion for getting armor at a reasonable
price. AT the conclusion OF Mr.. But
ler's speech Mr. Stewart of Nevada in
quired of Mir. Hale whether the naval
bill in any way committed the govern
ment to pay s400 a ton for armor for
the proposed battleships authorized by
the bill.
Mr.. Hale replied that nothing in the
bill could be construed as committing
the government to pay any particular
price for armor.
Allen, whether the modern battleship
is a fighting machine or not?'
1T is a great fighting machine" said
Mr.. Hale. but its power and efficiency
has never been demonstrated"
Mr.. Tillman made an extended speech
in favor of the proposed amendment,
in the course OF which he had q pas
sage at arms with Mr. Chandler, based
upon a report made by the latter favor
ing a reduction of the price of ar
NOR. Mr.. Chandler pointed out that II
was impossible for the government to
secure a better price than s400 a ton
for armor until it should enter into a
long time contract whereby a certain
specified amount of armor would be
taken each year.
Mr.. Hale declared that both the naval
affairs and the appropriations COM
mittee were opposed to the construction
of a government armor factory, as they
were thoroughly satisfied IL would save
neither time nor money. Mr.. Hale
then moved 20 lay the amendment upon
the table, and IL was so ordered by a
vote of 36 to Is.
Mr.. Hale offered an amendment au-
thorizing the secretary of the navy To
enlist at any time after the passage
OF the act as many seamen, landsmen
and boys as he may deem necessary to
man the ships of the navy or of the
use of the navy as temporary force.
and appropriating $s.s30.000 for that
purpose. Mr.. Hale agreed to an
amendment making the appropriation
Immediately available. An amendment
was also agreed to providing that here
after all first-class battleships and
monitors shall be named after the va
rious states. The bill as amended was
passed.
The amendment for better organiza-
ton of the line of the army. providing
for the three battalion formation. was
called up by Mr.. Hawley. The amend
ments offered by the committee was
agreed TO without division. One of the
amendments Is an addition to the pro-
viso of section 3. authorizing the presi-
dent to accept the quotas of troops of
the various states and territories. The
committee amendment requires that
these quotas shall be ''in companies.
troops and batteries. each TO contain. so
far as practicable the number OF enlist
ed men authorized in this act for each
arm of the service and battalions Of not
less than three such companies and
regiments of not less than 10. nor more
than IL such companies. But this pro-
viso shall apply 20 companies, batteries.
hattaiiors and rsgimental organiZa-
tions. and none other"
Provision is also made for the in
crease OF the signal corps in time OF
war 10 the extent OF 10 corporals. 100
first class privates and 40 second class
privates, who are to have the pay and
allowance of engineer troops of the
same grade. An amendment to section
6 gives the president discretion 10 en-
ploy retired officers OF the army on
active duty excep; in the command of
troops. While so employed they are to
receive the full pay of their grade. The
bill was placed upon its passage and
passed within 20 minutes of its intro
duetiOn.
At 2:55 p. M. the message clerk Of the