The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-06-23

United States senate a discussion over the
price Of armor plate. 1t followed the re-
port of the conferees on the naval appro-
priation bill. which stated that they were
unable to agree upon senate amendment
which had been further amended in the
house. The senate amendment provided
that unless the secretary of the navy could
purchase armor plate for s443 per ton, he
should proceed to build and equip an armor
plate mandatory to be owned and oper-
ated by the government. The house eli
minated the mandatory phase of the
amendment by seeking to authorize the
secretary of the navy to procure armor at
price reasonable, in his judgment, and,
should he fail, he could, in his decretion,
construct an armor plate plant, to be oper-
ated by the government.
The following is an extract from the
debate upon the conference report Con
gressional Record, June |, 1900, pages
1886 and 69S7):
Mr.. Pettigrew-Mr. President, L do
not know that | particularly care to dis
cuss this question at this time; but it seems
to me entirely appropriate, under the cir
cumstances, that we should rehearse that
which has been often stated-the admitted
facts in this connection. In the first place,
it has been admitted time and again that
the two existing armor-plate factories in
this country were built out of the profits
of armor plate which they furnished the
United States; it has been admitted that
these two factories are in collision; that
there is no competition between them, but
that they divide the quantity of armor
plate furnished; that they divide the prof
its, agreeing in advance upon the prices
they will charge the government. 1t has
been admitted that these armor-plate fac
tories sold armor plate in Europe for 500
ton in 1895.
Now, these are the admitted facts. In
tho face of these facts
Mr.. Hanna-I should like to ask the
senator question for information. Does
he know how much the Russian govern
ment is paying the United States manufac-
turers for Krupp armor?
Mr.. Pettigrew-I do not know. Neither
do | care what they are paying. They
paid in 1895 $3.50 a ton.
Mr.. Hanna will tell the senator that
they are paying 1868 ton
INTERNATIONAL COMBINATION.
Mr.. Pettigrew-Within week it has
been stated upon this floor and admitted
that every armor plate factory in the world
is in combination to rob the governments
to which they furnish plate. So the Rus
sian government, according to the state
ment of the senator from Ohio, is today
paying S545 ton, that being the inter
national price, or $500 ton more than
the price at which our manufactures far
nished it to them before the combination
was made.
In the face of these facts how can we
refuse to build an armor plate factory :?
What argument can be presented? Who
disputes the fact? No one. We are told
about the difficulty of getting experts. If
we build an armor plate factory there will
be no other customer but the government,
and we will have command, at reasonable
wages, at our own price, of every armor
plate expert in the United States. Ii We
build plant and make our own armor,
the factories having no other customer,
will have no use for the armor-plate ex-
perts, and we can employ them. Why Is
it that we are now asked to recede Why
is II we are asked adopr unc hurse
amendment? Is it because we believe if
we leave it to the secretary of the navy we
will get armor plate for less than S445 a
ton?
Mr. Hale-The senator understands
that the committee does not ask the senate
to recede, but asks it to insist and not to
agree.
Mr.. Pettigrew-I understand; but what
called forth the speeches from the senator
from Ohio and the senator from West
Virginia except to make preparation
for the senate to recede? Do you
think those gentlemen advocated it be
cause they thought the secretary Of the
navy would get less price than S445 a
ton? No. They certainly advocated it
because they believed they would get a
higher price.
Mr.. Hanna How does the senator
know2
CRAMPS 800, 600 CONTRIBUTION.
Mr.. Pettigrew-I know because learn
something from observation and experience.
know because in 1892 the Republican
party collected from the Cramp company
and from Cramp $500, 900 in cash to make
their campaign, on the promise that he
should recoup the money out OF the ships
he was to build. OF course if the secre-
tary of the navy lets the contract and we
pay s545 instead of S445 ton on 80,
900 tons the difference is three millions
and half, and the contributions, instead
of being $500, 900, can run into the mil
lion.
No wonder, then, that the man who
1896 stand upon this floor and champions
this, because it will be easier to secure the
contributions; this is the source.
Yet we are charged with delaying the
construction of the navy. Have we not
advocated those of us who objected to
this combination price, to this hold-up OF
the government Of the United States
from the beginning of this controversy the
construction of an armor plate factory
Is not that proof conclusive that we are
not trying to prevent the building of a
navy, and rather that we were trying tc
prevent combination from plundering the
treasury? Suppose we had begun the
construction of the plant four years ago
when this controversy first commenced
1t would have been completed long ago
and the armor plate controversy would
have been eliminated from our politics
But it was not the purpose Of those VIII,
could gain contributions from this comb
nation to have the controversy eliminated
So long as they can continue this polio,
just SO long can they gain the funds-jus
50 long can thew secure the contributions