The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-21
WON BY ALONG AND
FIERCE STRUGGLE
$545 Per Ton For Armor
Knocked in the Head.
$500 STILL THE LIMIT
Majority Sat Down on Establishment,
of Armor Plant.
THE MINORITY STRUCK BACK WITH VIM
The Senate Considered For the Greater Part OF
the Day's..Sesson the Conference Re-
port on the Hawaiian Civil
Government Measure.

OOVCitil1cHt NtCdSuICf
Washington, April 20.-As a result of
protracted struggle in the House today
the provision of the Naval Appropriation
Bill to enable the Secretary of the Navy
to contract for armor for the battleships
Maine, Ohio and Missouri, now awaiting
their armor equipment. at $545 per ton,
the price asked for Krupp armor, is out
of the bill as is the provision to repeal
the $500 limitation placed upon the price
of armor by the current law. The fight
came al the end of the consideration of
the bill. Although the provision was
obnoxious to the rule all the minority
members of the committee had agreed to
it, but today when the majority declined
to allow the discussion Of appropriation
for the establishment OF an armor plate
factory they retaliated by raising a point
Of order against the two provisions
above referred to and they were ruled
out.
The exact effect of the action of the
House today is disputed. The appropria-
tion Of $4, 600, GOO under the head of ar
NOR and armament" remains in the bill
as well as the language of the provisO au-
thCrizing the Secretary of the Navy to
contract for armOr of the best quality
for the Maine Ohio and Missouri the
words stricken cut being 'at a cost not to
exceed S545 ton including royalties" 1t
is contended by some that this empowers
the Secretary to contract for the armor
without regard to cost By others it is
claimed that the provision will be ineffec-
tive unless the Senate inserts the price.
So much bad feeling was aroused by the
oil p1n to ricin
that Mr. Underwood, of Alabama, began
a filibuster after the bill was reported to
the House and finally forced an adjourn
ment without final action on the bill
Before the armor plate question came
up two amendments to modify the provis-
ion for the increase of the navy, which
authorizes two battleships and six cruis
erS, were defeated. One proposed to add
provisions for six gunbOats and the other
to strike out the provision for the bat
tleships. The question of building ships
in government yards did not reach a
vote as the amendment offered to this
end was ruled out on a point of order.
1t was the regular war claims day but
the navy committee. by vote of 100
to 81 won it's point TO proceed with the
bill
Mr.. Cannon, Chairman of the Appro
pratons Committee, asked unanimous
consent for a modification of the Ian
guage of the amendment adopted yester-
day relative to the naval academy. The
proposed notifications made only one
substantial change in the m9 'd II Il,
authorizing the Secretary of he Navy 5f-
ter the plans have been appro o!>d 10 on
tract fer all or part Of the im)','. ntLts
at Annapolis within the $4,000, 900 limit.
The amendment was agreed to-
An amendment was agreed to providing
that the chief of the Bureau of Ordnance
should not be below the rank of Lieu
tenant Commander
Mr. Fitzgerald, cf New York, offered an
amendment to build four of the ships au
thorized by the bill in Government yards.
Mr.. Foss raised a point of order against
the amendment, which, after prolonged
debate, sustained.
Mr.. Fitzgerald then appealed from the
decision and the Chair was sustained, 80
to "a.
Mr. Nandiver, a member of the COM
mittee, offered an amendment to appro-
pirate $4,000, 600 for the erection of a
Government armor plate factory and for
the appointment of three officers of the
navy to select site for such factory.
Mr.. Dayton made point of order
against the amendment and insisted upon
it despite the protest of Mr.. Underwood,
who said it was outrageous that a propo
sition involving the whole question of
armor plate which had been agitated for
five years, should be strangled, and the
House led like bull by ring, and made
to vote.
The Chair sustained the point of order
from which decision Mr.. Underwood
promptly appealed.
Mr.. Underwood, reviewing the history
of the armor plate controversy, proceed
ed to show the situation which confronted
the country. Under existing law Con-
gress could not buy armor except at $500
per ton and the provision in the bill to
pay $545 for the armor of the Maine, Wis
consin and Missouri he claimed, was
change of existing law and therefore out
of order He was several times called
TO order by Mr. Hepburn for not speaking
to the appeal, and finally amid increas-
ing excitement and confusion Mr.. Hep
burn made the point that when called to
order, Mr.. Underwood must take his seat.
This the member from Alabama did.
whereupon Mr.. Bartlett (GaD, moved
that Mr.. Underwood be allowed to pro-
ceed in order.
Mr.. Bartlett's motion prevailed, 81 10
IS, and Mr.. Underwood proceeded. lie
was again called to order, and the Chair