The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-08

Mr.. Morgan Makes Speech and
ArOuses Mr.. Allison

ArOuses Mr.. Allison.
WASHINGTON. April 7.--Some sharp
talk was INDUCED in by the Senate to-
day. When consideration of the sundry civil
appropriation bill was resumed, the ques-
ton pending was the amendment of Mr.
Pettus, of Alabama, providing for such linz
provement of the harbor at Mobile as would
enable war vessels to obtain coal and other
supplies there. Mr.. Allison of Iowa, in
chage of the bill, made point of order
against the amendment This called out q
bitter speech by Mr.. Morgan. of Alabama,
who charged the appropriations committee
with discriminating against proper meas
ures and threatened to assist in dissolving
the committee He followed with an argu-
ment showing the necessity of the improve
ment proposed, holding that it would open
TO the government in time of war the coal
fields of the South and enable it successful
~ to fight the reasonable monopoly that
had been formed to control the coal supply
Of the country in the event of war. The
amendment was lost. At 2 o'clock the bill
had not been completed and was laid aside.
the Senate deVoting the remainder of the
afternoon to eulogies of the late Senator
James u. George, of Mississippi.
Mr.. Pettus, in supporting his amendment
70 the sundry civil bill. said it had re-
ceived the approval of the secretary of war
He pointed out thai If aay difficulty was
to be had with foreign nation at this
time or i'm the immediate future the scene
of the trouble would be probably I'm South
ern waters. He regarded IL as very impor-
tant that the appropriation be made in
order that our ships of war should have
proper facilities at that port.
Mr. Allison in charge of the BILL then
made a point of order against the amend
ment although he expressed his entire sym
pathy with all proper measures for the
national defense
Mr.. Morgan made a sharp attack on the
appropriations committee. charging that
the committee exercised too great power
II usurped power that did not legally be-
long to il. II want to say TO the chair
man of the committee (Mr. Allson), for
whom / have always had the greatest re-
spect and whose conduct of the affairs OF
the committee / have admired for many
years. want to say that he would better
committee and distribute its business among
the various committees of the Senate and
/ will be one to help TO do it,
tor from Alabama interjected Mr. Alli-
son holly. III know myself do not crave
the work that Is now imposed upon, me by
the Senate. II the Senate wants to dissolve
the committee it may do so without de-
lay
Mr Morgan. resuming the discussion, said
that already we heard of a great coal COM
bine that Is TO control the price of coal to
be supplied 10 the government at Southern
ports. He hoped the report was not true.
but he realized, he said. the opportunity for
such a reasonable spoliation of the govern
ment. He pointed out some of the adSan-
tages of opening the coal fields of the
the pending amendment. The government
would thus be enabled to obtain it's coal in
any quantities al reasonable rates near the
theater of action In eaSe If h0StilitieS. Il
do not know, Mr.. President, whether war
Is coming or not said he, Il nave never
myself done anything that might involve