New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-07
er which he would be glad to have the Senate

A COMPROMISE PROPOSED.
Mr.. Penrose then offered the following propo-
sition:
That the Secretary of the Navy is hereby au-
thorized to procure by contract srmor Of the best
proyded such can be maf at ana e
bun IN MS case B unable
for armor under the above conditions ne is hereby
to s9qsSS 81
priated toward the erection OF said factory.
Mr. Butler insisted that what he wanted a
Government plant. and he would be willing
to pay almost any price for armor that is needed
now. provided that the construction of an armor
plant by the Government were made mandatory
Mr.. Chandler objected to leaving the matter to
the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy. Con-
gress ought not. he maintained. to shift the re-
sponsbility to the shoulders of the Secretary of
the Navy. That would be cowardly thing TO do.
Congress alone should adjust this question.
Mr.. Platt, of Connecticut. favored the propo-
stion offered by Mr.. Penrose. 1t was. in his be-
lief a question whether Congress at this session
should pass Naval Appropriation bill or not. He
maintained that the House quite powerful
a body IN this matter the Senate II had quite
as much right to its opinion as had the Senate.
The matter had to be settled and here, said
he. and while the Senate might regard the House
obstinate, it not possible for either branch
to he coerced by the other. Under the propo-
siton of Mr.. Penrose he was satisfied the Govern
ment would get its for S445
At this point the bill appropriating $500 for the
payment of the salaries OF officials of the District
of Alaska was called up by Mr.. Allison. It was
passed.
Debate on the armor question then resumed
Mr.. Perkins. member of the Naval Committee.
supported the original committee proposition. He
did not approve Of leaving the matter to the dis
erection Of the Secretary of the Navy. He urged
that the committee proposition be insisted upon
and that the responsibility be placed squarely upon
the House.
TILLMAN SCENTS A SCANDAL.
Mr.. Tillman attacked the amendment offered by
Mr. Penrose
The chairman of the Naval Committee CLr
Hale) said he has declared that the Government
Is being robbed and that the Armor Trust has a
knife at the Governments throat And 1t Is
proposed to let them cut the Governments throat
We are face TO face with a scandal Infamous
any IN history, second not even to the
great Credit Mobilier scandal"
Il resent that statement" interjected Mr. Pen
rose, vehemently and with evident feeling. II re-
sent the statement that there is any suspicion of
scandal In this any amendment which l propose
/ consider my notion of the proper way for the
Government to transact its business be on as
high a standard as any set up by the Senator
from South Carolina"
Il am making personal illusions" replied Mr.
Timan. Il simply stating facts that are in
disputable- The influences behind the House in
this matter the shipbuilders and the armor
manufacturers"
Mr.. Hale challenged the last statement, saying
he did not believe any such influences were behind
either the House the Senate
In a colloquy with Mr.. Allison Mr.. Tlman said
he would rather have the original House provision
for armor plate than that Of Mr.. Penrose and
he would accept the original House proposition
Mr. TELLER DENOUNCES THE PLAN
Mr., Teller denounced the amendment of Mr. Pen
rose as a "disgraceful proposition" las the Sen
ator from New-Hampshire said" continued Mr.
Teller, lit would be cowardy and craven the
part Of Congress to surrender legislative authority
and prerogatives to the Executive branch of the
Government It seems to there may be in 1t a
tinge of corruption This is a time for plain talk
Inc American people believe, and l believe, that
there is great political combine behind this
proposition to surrender our authority. 1 do not
believe that any scandal in history will equal
that which will grow out Of surrender to this
robber combine. The Cuban scandal and pecula-
uons would be minor matter compared with
those which would under the influence of
these monopolistfc plate robbers"
He protested against the adoption of the propo-
siton of Mr. Penrose, and declared that il should
not be adopted without thorough understanding
by the American people that they were being
robbed
THE bitterness of the Senator from Colorado. +"
said Mr. Hanna in reply to Mr.. Teller, "excites
only my sympathy. L is simply a rehash of the
charges and arguments which have had here
for five years. Tho basis for all the arguments
the anmus of the matter-is a determination on
the part Of few TO have a Government ar
NOR factory built. To this end everything else is
10 be sacrificed. Within the last few days Sena-
tor declared this floor that ne would rather see
the pending bill fail than that the proposition for
Government armor plant should be surrendere1."
In response 20 a suggestion Mr.. Hanna said: Il
want to see this question taken out of the
legislative branch of the Government because
want TO see 1t taken out Of politics. 1t is pure
and simple business proposition. and it ought to
be disposed of in accordance with business prin-
c1ples 1t is not a political question. In advo-
eating this disposition of the matter I resent the
charge OF the Senator from Colorado that anybody
mas been or will be Influenced by motives lower
than those by which the Senator says he is actu-
ated."
Mr. Hanna said if money could be saved by de.
laying the purchase Of plate the same saving
couId De made by the Secretary if he had discretion
TO act. He also argued that the Secretary should
have opportunity at any time take advantage OF
favoranle conditions and act in any emergency
when Congress is not in session. AS for Mr. Tell
ers assertion that the Republican party was
taxing long chances when It put itself in the atti
| tude OF cefending what he styled the plate
| trust, he was sure the Republican party would
| not shrink from the responsibility of doing husi
ness on sound business principles. The party did
not propose to be driven into the manufacture OF
armor plate simply TO please its critics. He was
sure that al! these opposition speeches were for
mere political effect, and he wanted il understood
| that the opposing Senators had no patent on In
| tegrity and honesty.
In conclusion Mr. Hanna advocated the Penrose
| proposition a fair compromise
Mr.. Elkins replied briefly Mr. Teller saving
mat marsh words were not argument, and that he
would not be driven from his position either in the
senate or out Of it, by reckless charges. As for
himself he knew nothing about the demands OF
| any combine, but he wanted the question settled
upon business principles He was satisfied that the
only wise course w IN leaU rba
question of the purchase of armor plate To the