The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-26

by the senate today, during more imam
four hours of its session. The body had
scarcely convened when the message of
the president urging congress to declare
the existence of war between the Unit
ed States and Spain was laid before it..
Without comment, the message was re-
ferred to the foreign relations commit
tee.
Mr.. Allen of Nebraska introduced the
following joint resolution, which he
asked TO have referred to the commit
tee on foreign relations:
THAT a state of war now exists. and
since the 18th day of February, 1898.
has existed between the United States
of America and the kingdom of Spain. >"
NAVAL BILL.
Consideration of the naval appropria-
ton bill was then resumed, the pend
nent offered by Mr.. Butler of North
Carolina, to regulate the. price of ar
NOR
The amendment provides that for the
armor for the three battleships now in
course of construction, the govern
nlent shall not pay to exceed $500 a. ton,
including the nickel, and that subse-
Guent contracts for armor shall not call
for a greater price than $500 per ton
the secretary of the navy is authorized
at once to purchase or establish a gov
erLment armor factory, for which ST.
100000 is appropriated, and in addition
81 100000 is appropriated for the manu-
facture 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. HaWlAv chalIapOod this
ment. II enDhatically deny" said he,
that there is any such amount of de-
fective armor on our warshiDS, as the
senator from North Carolina declares
there is. And even if this statement
were true. L leave to the country to
judge of the propriety of Haunting the
defects before SPAIN
While am in entire agreement with
the senator from Connecticut" inject
ed Mr.. Chandler of New Hampshire,
Il am also satisfied that the senator
(Afr. Butler) is mistaken. Investiga-
ton has shown that the tests of the ar
NOR We're 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 govern
ment has armor on its ships so good as
ours"
BASED ON OFFICIAL REPORTS.
Mr.. Butler was proceeding to read
some testimony taken before a commit
tee Of the house, relating to detective
plates on various United States war
vessels, and to make sharp comment
upon 1t, when Mr.. HawIey said, sharp
ly: Il must protest against this. l be-
lieve the senator from North Carolina
is out of order in making these charges
publicly. If he should put them to
writing, and transmit them privately to
Spain, pointing out these defective
plates, hel would be guilty of treason"
fact that the statements made by Mr.
Butler were based on official reports,
which were easily accessible.
Continuing, Mr.. Butler adverted to
what he regarded as the excited utter
ances of the senator (AIr. Hawley), who
he said, had risen and flung at him
charges of treason. He thought those
who were guilty of treason were those /
who had refused to make provision for /.
getting armor at a reasonable price.
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Buffers [
speech. Mr.. Stewart, of Nevada, in /
CURED of Mr.. Hale whether the naval /
bill in any way committed the gov /
to pay S4OO ton for armor. !
for the proposed battleships authorized |
Dy the Dill.
Mr.. Hale replied that nothing in the |
bill could be construed as committing /
the government to pay any particular /
price for armor
PERTINENT QUESTION.
Does anybody know" inquired Mr..
Allen. whether the modern battleship |
IS a fighting machine or not?"
1T is a great fighting machine" said |
Re nd off
have never been demonstrated"
Mr.. Tillman made an extended speech
n favor of the proposed amendment, in
he course of which he had a passage
at arms with Mr.. Chandler, based upon |
report made by the latter, favoring
4 reduction of the price of armor
Mr.. Chandler pointed out that it was
impossible for the government to Sc
cure a better price than $400 d ton for
irmor until it should enter into a long
line contract whereby a certain speci-
led amount of armor would be. taken
Zach year.
Mr.. Hale declared that both the naval
affairs and the appropriations commit
ees were opposed to the construction
# government armor factory, as they
we're thoroughly satisfied it would have
neither time nor money
Mr.. Hale then moved to lay the
amendment upon the table and it was
10 ordered by vote of SO to IS.
NAVY ENLISTMENT.
Mr.. Hale offered an amendment au-
horiZing the secretary of the navy to
Mist at any time after the passage of
he act as many seamen, landsmen and
,oys as he may deem necessary to man
he ships OF the navy or for use of the
laYy as temporary force, and appro-
'riating $S,S3O,G00 for that purpose. Mr.
Hale agreed to an amendment offered
~ Mr.. Cockrell of Missouri, that the
ime limit should be during the exist
nee of war.
The amendment was agreed to, the
making the appropriation
available
An amendment was also agreed to,
providing that hereafter all first-class
'attleShipS and monitors shall be
famed after the various states.
The bill as amended was passed.
ARMY BILL.
The bill for better organization of the
inc of the army, providing for three
formation, was called up by
Ir. Hawley.
The amendments offered by the COM
nittee were agreed to without divi-
ion.
One of the amendments is an addi-
ION 10 the proVlSo OF section 3, author
ling the president to accept the quo
as of troops of the various states and
erritories. The committees amend .
1ent REQUIRES that these quotas shall
e in companies, troops and batteries,
ach to contain, so far as practicable,
he number of enlisted men authorized !
4 this act for each arm of the service,
nd battalions of not less than three /
UGH companies, and regiments of not ,
sss than ten nor more than II such I