The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-07
Ocean Survey Question
at Issue.
Mr.. Cannon Makes Some Start
ling Revelations.

Washington, June 6.-Inability to reach
an agreement upon the naval appropri-
alton bill forced the Senate to abandon
the adoption of the House resolution
for final adjournment today. The armoi
plate question which for five years ha'
been thorn In the side OF Congress, up
set the calculations of the. Senate leaders
and their well-laid plans went awry.
1t was n day Of strife and turmoil In
the Senate. Early the conferees on the
naval bill reported disagreement and
the Senate was told plainly that thu
House would not consent to the amend
ment providing for an armor plate fac
tory to be operated by the government.
A compromise proposition was present
ed by MIR. Penrose of Pennsylvania, ano
after hours of debate finally adopted by
vote of 80 to IS. The proposition was
as follows:
by authorized to procure by contract
arnor Of the best quality for any or al
vessels above referred to, provided such
contracts can be made at price which
In his Judgment is reasonable anc
equitable, but In case he Is unable ~
make contracts for armor under the
above conditions he Is hereby autho-
rized and directed to procure site fo
and to erect thereon factory for thu
manufacture of armor, and the sum Ct
a. 600, 900 is hereby appropriated toward
the erection Of said factory"
Mr.. Tillman attacked the amendment
offered by Mr.. Penrose. 1.-The chairman
of the naval committee (Hale) said
he, has declared that the government /,
being robbed and that the armor trust
has a knife at the governments throat.
And now 1t is proposed TO let them cut
the governments throat. We are face to
face with a scandal as infamous as any
In our history, second not even to the
great Credit Mobilier scandal"
81 resent that statement" interjected
Mr.. Penrose, vehemently and with evident
feeling. II resent the statement that
there is any suspicion of scandal in this
or any amendment which propose"
Mr.. Teller denounced the amendment
Of Mr.. Penrose as a "disgraceful PROPOSE
tion." "As the Senator from New Hamp-
shire said," continued Mr.. Teller, ''it
would be cowardly and craven on the
part of Congress to surrender Legislative
authority and prerogatives to the execl-
tive branch of the government. 1t seems
to be there may be in 1t tinge of cor
ruption. This is time for plain talk.
The American people believe and be-
lieve that there is a great political com
bine behind this proposition to surrender
our authority"
II do not believe" said Mr.. Teller,
''that any scandal in our history viii
equal that which will grow out of u sur
render now to this robber combine.
He protested against the adoption of
the proposition of Mr.. Penrose.
1.-THE bitterness OF the Senator from
Colorado" said Mr.. Hanna in reply to
MIR. Teller, ''excites only my sympathy.
1t is simply rehash of the charges and
arguments which we have had here for
five years"
In response to suggestion, Mr.. Hanna
said, II want to see this armor question
taken out ofithe legislative branch of the
government because 1 want to see 1t
taken out of politics l resent the charge
of the Senator from Colorado that any
body has been or will BIZ influenced by
motives lower than those by which the
Gapntnr saws ha fS actuafad -