The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-05-30
The Post ONCE Bill
Agreed To.
The Pneumatic Tube Approprla-
ton Left Ia.


by vote Of l07 to i24 refused TO accept
the Senate amendment TO the naval APP
preparation bill relating to armor plate
and adopted a modification reading as
follows:
"That the Secretary OF the Navy Is
hereby authorized to procure by contract,
armor Of the best quality for any or all
vessels above referred to, provided such
contracts can be made at price, which
in his Judgment is reasonable and equit-
able, but in case he Is unable to make
contracts for armor under the above con-
ditions, he is hereby authorized In his
discretion to procure q site and erect
thereon a factory for the manufacture OF
armor plate and the sum Of $4,000, 900 Is
hereby appropriated toward the erection
of said factory
With regard to ocean and lake survey
the House refused any appropriation for
surveys by the navy and tied up the con-
ferees with instructions. 1t also refused
to concur in the Senate amendment to
abolish the two years sea cruise for naval
cadets The naval bill was then sent back
to conference, the conference report on the
other items having been agreed to.
The conference report on the post office
appropriation bill, agreeing on all items
except the Senate amendment appropriat-
ing sri, 200 for pneumatic tube service
was adopted and the House then con-
CURED in the excepted amendment. The
opponents Of the extended service In the
House reconciied their concurrence in
this action upon the ground that the
SEES, 600 appropriated by the Senate simply
carried out the existing contract. The
bill now goes to the President.
When the House met, Mr.. Grosvenor of
Ohio, from the committee on rules, pre-
sented special rule ordering the previous
question upon the pension bills, one hun
dred and ninety In number favorably
acted upon in committee Of the whole last
Friday, the order not to interfere with
conference reports. Mr.. Grosvenor ex-
planned that the rule was made necess AIRY
by the obstruction tactics Of the gentle
man from South Carolina (Mr. Talbert)
last Friday. This Mr.. Talbert denied.
He said that had quorum been present
the bills could have been passed. The
special rule was adopted but was immedi
ately displaced by Mr.. Foss Of Illinois,
who presented the conference report on
the naval appropriation bill. The confer
ence reports was agreed to witho ut divis-
ion. The House then proceeded to con-
slider the items which had not been agreed
to.
Mr.. Foss moved that the House recede
from its disagreement and agree with an
amendment striking out all reference to
surveys but increasing the appropriations
for charts, etc., from $40, 900 to 10000
This was agreed to.
The House insisted upon its disagree
ment to the Senate amendment abolish
ing the two years course at sea for naval
cadets.
Mr.. Foss then moved that the House re-
cede from It's disagreement to the armor
plate amendment Of the Senate and agree
to 1t with an amendment authorizing the
Secretary of the Navy to contract for
armor plate at price deemed reasonable
by him and II he cannot procure armor at
an equitable price authorizing him in
his discretion to purchase site for the
erection of an armor plate factory to cost
not to exceed q, 0o0, 900.
MIR. weheer of Kentucky, moved con-
currence in the Senate amendment. This
motion took precedence. Mr.. Dayton of
West Virginia, opening the debate in
support of Mr.. Foss' motion, said he was
informed by the Senator from Pennsyl-
vania that 1t was utterly out of the ques-
ton for the government to expect to Sc
cure armor at the price fixed in the Sem
ate amendment (s444) and that therefore
he country was confronted with the al
tentative of buying armor at the price
charged by the factories or building
government armor plate factory.
Mr.. Rixey of Virginia, a member Of the
naval committee, declared that the adop-
ton of Mr.. Foss' motion giving the SEQ
Rotary Of the Navy authority to contract
| far arx,,or M n YaAsonabla prioa yxosild be