The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-10

The amendment to the Naval Appropr.a-
ton bill relating TO armor and armament
was before the Senate for nearly five
hours yesterday, and no agreement had
been reached at the time of adjournment.
proposes that the Secretary of the Navy
shall be instructed to procure armor fer
the naval vessels already ordered, the
cost of the armor not to exceed S4i5 per
ton Of 2,240 pounds. including royalties.
1t is further provided that: If after i'd
vertising for the armor. the Secretary of
the Navy should be unable to contract for
ouch armor designated above, then, and
in that event. the Secretary of the Navy
is authorized to procure armor of the best
quality for the battleships Maine. Ohio.
and Missouri. now awaiting armor. and TO
pay therefor not to exceed S545 per ton OF
2,240 pounds; provided further. that if tie
Secretary Of the Navy has found. after
such advertisement. that armor plate OF
the best quality cannot be purchased from
private manufacturers of armor pate for
f445 per ton of 2,2iO pounds, then, and in
that event, he is hereby directed to pio-
cure or purchase a suitable site and erect
thereon an armor plate factory at cost
not to exceed 81. 000, 600; and TO carry out
the purposes of this provision the sum OF
$4,000. 600 is hereby appropriated and m ade
Immediately available, out Of any money
in the Treasury"
The minority desires that the Govern
ment shall not delay over the matter, but
build its own armor-p,ate factory and
turn out its own armor. Mr.. Hale led the
majority debate and Mr.. Tillman the mi
nority the latter making a lengthy ad-
dress in support OF Government armor
factory.
When the morning business had been
concluded, Mr.. Hale called up tce bill and
Mr. Tillman arose to answer an interroga-
ton as to whether an executive session
should be held.
An Executive Session.
Remembering what occurred in the Sen
ate yesterday, said Mr.. Tillman, land the
predictions that were made, and in view o.
what appeared in the newspapers this
morning, really feel that any attempt to
keep the matter from being made public is
almost hopeless. II will be remembered
by Senators who were here yesterday. and
who have read the morning papers today
that there is great deal more in the pa
pers than was brought out here. So il
appears that we might as we'll"
Here Senators Vest and Chandler broke
in with a question of order; and Mr.. Till
man did not finish his sentence
Il suggest" said Mr. Vest, that We
had better go into executive session
Let me get through with my observa-
tions." Mr. Tillman pleaded.
II make my motion" said Mr.. Vest
because / do not wish the Senators
statement to be made in public"
II was merely going TO state" Mr.. TILL
man persisted. that in consequence of the
newspaper publications this morning, an
not going"
But Mr.. Vest again interposed and MIR
Chandler said that he Joined In the mo
ton that the galleries be cleared and the
doors closed.
At O'Clock the doors were opened and
consideration of the bill was proceeded
with. Mr.. Tillman then moved to strike
out from the armor amendment the fol-
lowing clause: Provided, that in con-
tracts for armor plate for any Of the YES
sells above mentioned the Secretary of the
Navy is authorized to procure armor of the
best quality at an average rate not to
exceed s445 per ton of 2.24o pounds. in
GLIDING royalties"
The effect of striking out this portion
makes the amendment read that il the
Secretary of the Navy be unable to pro-
cure the best armor at $500 per long tor
he is directed to build an armor plate
factory for the Government at a cost moi
exceeding 1000 600.
Mr.. Hale made an extended address. in
which he related his surprise at seeing
the two armor plate factories agreeine
to raise prices and to stick to these prices
several years ago. with the finest naval
vessels in the world" said he, these fac.
tories tried to tie the Government up"
Mr.. HaIe's Views.
Mr.. Hale spoke of the remarkable ad
vance made in recent years by the United
States In the construction OF naval ships
and of that advance having been at ono,
arrested by the conflict which had ariseI
regarding the cost of the armor plate fo
warships. He had felt that the Govern
ment was being imposed upon by the
charges made for armor and an investi
cation had been ordered. The result o.
that investigation had been taking tn.
manufacturers by the throat" as it were
and compelling them to reduce their pric,
to $500 a ton.
The Naval Committee had thought tina,
the price should not exceed $500. but had
found it impossible 70 get armor at tina,
price. The cost OF ships that were In
millions. and the cost OF their armor thirty
FIVE millions. The Committee on Naval AZ
fairs had become sobered when brought
face to face with this condition and he had
felt his own convictions giving way He
had never believed in a Government armo,
plant, but he had begun TO see that unless
something was done in that direction the
Government could not get armor at a reas-
enable rate. The committee had then Sc,
iteelf to devise some plan that would com
pei the manufacturers to furnish armor for
q reasonable price. The Secretary of the
Navy had been authorized TO pay s445 a
ton.
The committee would rather not have TO
resort to a Government armor plate fac
tory. One reason for that was that nc
armor could be produced in ii under two
or three years-and he was inclined 10
think that it would take from four 10
five years TO produce armor in Govern
ment plant and In the mean time WORK
would have to stop on all the great ships
now being built and that would be au-
thorized next year and the year after that
He had no idea. then, that armor could
be produced al a Government factory for
S4l5 ton but II the manufacturers would
not furnish armor at that price. then he
would be decidedly in favor OF a Govern
ment plant.
DO YOU believe that the armor-plat.
companies have been illegally charging tn.
Government exoIbitant rates for armor p
asked Mr.. Stewart
Il certainly do. There is no doubt abou,
it,
Then won't they continue to put the
knife TO u.s." said Mr.. Stewart.
II intend that they shall get s4i5 and
no more. II they don't take that We will
build our own factory" said Mr.. Hale.
Mr.. TfiIman's Arguments.