The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-15

Washington, May 14.-Just before
adjournment of the senate today, Mr..
Nelson of Minnesota, called up the
free homes" bill and it was passed
without a word of debate. Represen-
tative Flynn OF Oklahoma, who has
been a warm champion of the meas
ure, was present when the bill passed
and cordially congratulated Senator
Nelson
The act provides for free hOmesteads
on the public lands for actual bona
fide settlers and reserves the public
lands for that purpose.
A bill also passed to apply a portion
of the proceeds of the sale of public
lands to the endowment, support and
maintenance of schools or departments
of mining and metallurgy in the sew
eral states and territories in connection
with the colleges for the benefit of
agriculture and the mechanics art
Navy Bill Is Passed.
After a discussion lasting five full
days the senate today passed the naval
appropriation bill.
Practically four days were devoted
to the consideration of the armor plate
proposition, which was agreed to final
ly as reported by the committee, with
the exception that the secretary of
the navy is authorized to make con-
tracts only for such armOr as may be
needed from time to time. The secre-
tary of the navy is authorized to pro-
cure armor of the best quality at S445
per ton; but if he be unable 10 obtain
it at that price he is then authorized
to pay S545 per ton for the armOr for
the battleships Maine, Ohio and Mis-
souri,, and to proceed to erect an armOr
factory to cost not to exceed "a. 000. 600,
one half Of which amount is made i'm
mediately available. The committees
proposition carried by a vote of thirty
two to nineteen.
The secretary of the navy is directed
to purchase five Holland torpedo boats
at price not exceeding $4,000 each.
The proposition of the committee
providing for the purchase of five Hol-
land submarine torpedo boats at a
price Of $4,000 each was adopted after
some debate, with an amendment max
ing the purchase mandatory. During
the debate Mr.. Teller denounced the
armOr ordnance board as incompetent
and said he would vote for twenty Of
the Holland boats to be built to allay
the constituencies and apprehension of
our seacoast cities, and he would there
fore support the amendment of Mr..
Stewart.
Mr.. Chandler offered an amend
ment reducing the number or armored
cruisers provided for in the bill from
three to two and the number of pro-
tected cruisers from three to two. His
purpose in offering it, he said, was to
direct attention to the fact that we
are expanding too much money for our
navy and too little for the development
of our merchant marine.
There is a bill now before this SEN
ate he said. providing for the devel-
Opment of our merchant marine, which
calls for no larger appropriation than
is necessary for the construction of
that congress will not adjourn until it
has brought this shipping bill to a
vote"
Teller on Subsidy Bill.
4 have not the slightest idea" said
Mr.. Teller, that the shipping bill will
be taken up until after the campaign
and neither has the senator (Chand-
ler).
Mr. Chandler Withdrew the amend
ment.
Mr.. Teller said Mr.. Chandler knew
that his party dared not bring the sub
oANif Jill Ill
1T is to be shunted-to go over until
the next session of congress-" said he.
Then ! suppose, we shall have the
subsidy bill, the bill to increase the
army to 100000 men and such other
measures as cannot be considered now
in view of the presidential campaign. -
Mr.. PettigTeW declared that it was
the purpose of the dominant party in
congress to make these great contracts
for war vessels and armor in order that
it might be in position to obtain vast
contributions to its campaign fund.
The bill then passed without divis-
ion.
A concurrent resolution was adopt
ed directing the secretary of war to
appoint a board of officers of the en-
gineer corps TO prepare plans for the
improvement of Snake river in Wash
| ington and Idaho.
A concurrent resolution was adopted
| for a survey of tie outlet of F'lathead
lake, Montana, with a view to keeping
| the lake full.