Evening star., 1900-04-21
ADJOURNEDWiTHNO NO ACTION
LACK OF A QUORUM DISCLOSED IN
THE HOUSE.
Naval Bill Reported by Committee oi
the WhOle-Live1y Debate Over
ArmOr Plate.


the chief of the bureau of ordnance should
not be officer below the rank Of lieuten-
ant commander.
Mr.. Fitzgerald IN. " offered an amend
ment to build four Of the ships authorized
by the bill in government yards.
Mr.. Foss raised a point of order against
the amendment, which, after prolonged de-
| bate was sustained.
Mr.. Fitzgerald then appealed from the de-
cision and the chair was sustained. 50 to IA.
Mr.. Vandiver, a member of the commit
tee. offered amendment to appropriate
100000 for the erection of a government
armor plate factory and for the appoint
ment of three officers of the navy to select
a site for such factory.
Mr.. Dayton made a point of order against
the amendment and insisted upon it despite
the protest Of Mr.. Underwood (Ala-), who
said it was outrageous that a proposition
involving the whole question of armor plate
which had been agitated for five years
should be strangled. He said the fifty min
utes offered by the other side was mani
testify inadequate, and in effect was a de-
cision that the House was to be led like
bull by a ring to the bar of the House and
made to vote.
Mr.. Vandiver charged that the agreement
made earlier in the debate was in effect
that there should be hour side for
the discussion of the arnor plate question,
and that the agreement was being violated.
To throw out this amendment he said,
would be to place the government again at
the mercy of the armor plate trust.
Appeal From Chairs Decision.
The chair sustained the point of order,
from which decision Mr.. Underwood
promptly appealed.
Mr.. Underwood, reviewing the history of
the armor plate controversy, proceeded to
show the situation which confronted the
country. Under existing law Congress
could not buy armor except at $500 per ton
and the provision in the bill to pay s545 for
the armor of the Maine, Wisconsin and
Missouri. he claimed was a change of ex-
listing 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 increasing excitement and
confusion, Mr.. Hepburn made the point
that when called to order Mr.. Underwood
must take his seat.
TINS the member from Alabama did,
whereupon MIR. Bartlett tGa.) moved that
Mr.. Underwood be allowed to proceed in
order.
Mr.. DalzeH moved to close debate.
A question arose as to the precedence of
these motions, which, after much wrang-
Cling, the chair decided in favor of the mo-
ton of MIR. Bartlett. The motion prevailed,
81 to 13, and Mr. Underwood proceeded. He
was again called to order, and the chair
recognized Mr.. Dalzell to move to close de-
bate upon the appeal.
Debate was closed, sc to 50, and the chair
was sustained, 97 to SO.
Mr.. Vandiver then made the point of
der that the provision to pay $545 ton for
armor of the Maine. Ohio and Missouri, was
a change of existing law and, therefore,
out Of order. The act Of March 3, 1899,
he said, limited the cost Of armor plate TO
$500 ton. The act of the previous year
limited the cost to $40o a ton.
Regarded as New LegisIation.
The point of order was debated at length
and finally was sustained by the chair.
The democrats greeted the decision with
applause.
Mr.. Bingham Pa.), speaking to a pro
forma amendment denied on the authority
OF Mr.. Cramp of the Cramp Ship Building
Company that there had ever been prop
ositfon for a combination between his firm
and the Carnegie company on the subject
of armor plate.
Mr.. Wheeler fKy) said the minority had
not desired to defeat the provision to pay
s545 for the Maine Ohio and Missouri, but
they were driven to raise the point of order
by the refusal of the majority to allow a
test of the sentiment of the House on the
question of establishing an armor plate fac
tory. The provision for the repeal of the
restriction of $500 ton in the current law
went out on point of order
An amendment offered by Mr.. Roberts
(Mass.) to authorize the construction of a
metal workers shop at the Boston yard.
and appropriating 100000 therefor. was
adopted.
Adjourned without Action.
Without further amendment the bill was
reported to the House. Mr.. Underwood
(Ala.) demanded separate vote on each
amendment and on the first made the point
of no quorum. The Speaker was unable to
count a quorum, whereupon Mr.. Underwood
moved an adjournment The motion was
lost, but the quorum failed on the next
vote, and, at 6:25, without finally disposing
oe the bill, the House adjourned.