The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-18
GENERAL DEBATE ENDED
Reading of the Naval ApprOpria-
tion Bill Begun in the House.
Speeches Advocating the Building
of ships in Navy Yards and the
Construction of n Government
Armor Plate FRctury-Understand
ing Regarding Frrther Discussion.

Yesterday was spent by the House in
the discussion of the Naval Appropria-
tion bill. With one exception the speeches,
as on Monday, were devoted to the
pending measure. Mr.. Elliott of South
Carolina advocated an inland waterway on
the Atlantic Coast The appropriation bill
was advocated by Messrs. Dayton OF Viz
ginia, Loudenslager of New Jersey, and
Adams of Pennsylvania, and was oppos ed
by Messrs. Vandiver of Missouri Rixey
of Virginia, Fitzgerald of New York, and
Wheeler of Kentucky. They advocated the
building of ships in the navy yeards and
the construction of a Government armor
plate plant. They also criticised the ap
preparation OF half million dollars as an
emergency fund to be used in the dis
cretion OF the President. This closed the
general debate and the reading of the bill
was begun.
The first speaker was Mr.. Dayton. q
member of the Naval Committee, who con-
tended that the naval programme outlined
in the bill was not an extravagant one,
and that II was not as liberal as it should
have been. 1t was his opinion that larger
appropriations would be required in the
future. He was. he said, opposed to the
building OF warships in government yards.
All the yards, he said, were running full.
and forty-two ships are now awaiting re-
pairs.
Mr. Dayton combated the proposition OF
the minority OF the Committee on Naval
Affairs that the Government should con-
struct an armor plate plant of its own. 1t
would, in his opinion, cost the Govern
ment $500 or 81 900 ton to manufacture
armor, and at present the manufacturers
offer 1t to the United States at $545 ton,
less than the price charged every other
Government on earth.
Mr.. Vandiver of Missouri before pro-
ceeding to a discussion of the provisions
of the bill said he would first make
few remarks about the cost Of war. Only
short time ago. he said, the civilized ma
tions of the world held a peace conference
at The Hague. where it was announced
that the conference was the beginning Of
a new era, among the nations OF the earth.
an era OF peace and good will to all men.
Since that time the only nations engaged
in war have been the United States and
Great Britain, confessedly the two leading
Christian nations in the world. He had
been convinced from this fact. said Mr.
Vandiver. that Christian civilization when
weighed against the interests OF trade
anu tut opil IL OA NlNioiiSii,
had but little influence upon the progress
of affairs.
Getting down to the bill. Mr.. Vandiyer
advocated the construction of warships in
the navy yards, and that the Government
should own and operate an armor plate
plant for the reason, if no other. that the
best plate possible should be secured"
Mr. Loudenslager reviewed the history of
the Navy of the United States, paying
glowing tribute to the valor and patriotism
of the officers and men, and expressed his
qualification at the increase of the new
Navy-"creditable but Inadequate"
1t was with great satisfaction, said Mr.
Adams that he rose to give his support to
the bill. With the exception of the finan-
ciaI bill recently passed. it was. in his
opinion. the most important legislation that
would come before Congress this session.
Mr. Elliott read a speech in favor of cJn-
structing aud maintaining an inland water
way on the Atlantic Coast. He was fol
lowed by Mr.. Rixey a member of the Com
mittee on Naval Affairs. who criticised
several features of the bill especially the
one appropriating $500 Geo as an emergency
fund TO be placed in the hands of the
President. This, he said, could not be de-
Tended.
Following Mr.. Rixey Mr. Fitzgerald of
New YORK advocated the construction OF
warships in navy yards.
MIR. Wheeler of Kentucky said on princi-
pie he was opposed to building warships in
navy yards and to the Government buying
an armor plate plant But when it came to
a case of highway robbery, he was willing
to surrender a few convictions and have
the Government go into the business.
This ended general debate and the read
ing OF the bill was begun. with an under
standing not formally ratified. that when
the items of ocean surveys. armor plate
and new Navy were reached there should
be two hours debate on such.
The committee rose and at 5:f5 O'Clock
the House adjourned until today.