Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-17
TO PURCHASE ARM0R
SECRETARY OF NAVY AUTHOR
lied TO MAKE CONTRACTS.
BUT CAN ONLY PAY S545
Begin Building of a Plant-To
Purchase Torpedo Boats-House
Devotes Day Chiefly to Political
Debate.

Washington, May 15.-After dis
cussion lasting five full days, the SEN
ate passed the naval appropriation
bill. Practically four days were de-
voted to the consideration of the ar
NOR plate proposition which was
agreed to finally as reported by the
committee, with the exception that
the secretary Of the navy is author
lied to make contracts only for such
armor as may be needed from time to
time. The secretary Of the navy is
authorized to procure armor of the
best quality at S445 per ton; but if
be shall be unable to obtain it at that
price he is authorized to pay $545 per
ton for armOr for the battleships
Maine, Ohio and Missouri and proceed
to erect an armor factory to cost not
to exceed $4,000, 900, one half the
amount made Immediately available.
The committees proposition was
carried by vote of 80 to 10. The
secretary of the navy is directed to
purchase five Holland torpedo boats
at price not exceeding $4,000 each.
Just before adjournment, Senator
Nelson (Minn.) called up the free
homes" bill and it was passed without
a word of debate. When Senator Hale
called up the naval appropriation bill,
the pending question was on the
amendment of Senator Chandler sub
shutting in Senator Tillman's amend
ment S425 for $500 as the price of ar
NOR. 1t was rejected, Is to q. Sen
ator Hoar then offered the following
amendment to the committees pTOpo-
sition with respect to the construction
of an armor plate factory:
That if under the operation of the
above provision no government armor
plate mandatory is begun or built,
| the secretary of the navy shall submit
| to congress at the beginning of its
next session detailed report in which
| he shall estimate the entire cost of
the fully equipped government armor
plate mandatory, including site and
probable time at which the best mod
| G1TQ drl1OI pldIG COulu NC pIOuuCSd az
said factory ready for delivery
The amendment was accepted by
the committee and, as amended, the
committees proposition was adopted,
| 80 to 10. Senator Chandler tried to
secure a reduction in The number Of
armored and protected cruisers, his
purpose being, he said, to direct at
tention to the fact that we are eX-
pending too much money for the navy
and too little for the development OF
our merchant marine. After some
discussion, during which it developed
there would likely be no vote on the
subsidy shipping bill now pending,
before adjournment, Senator Chand-
Ter withdrew the amendment. The
amendment offered by Senator Till
man was agreed to providing no ar
NOR should be contracted for in ad-
vance of it's actual requirement by
vessels in construction. The bill then
passed without division.
HOUSE.
The house passed the general def
cheney appropriation bill and military
academy bill and the last of the supply
bills will follow it today. The deh-
cheney bill which carried S3,S39, O21 was
passed substantially without amend
ment The general debate was devoted
principally to political topics, the fea-
| ture being arraignment OF the ad-
ministration by Mr.. De Almond tMoD.
Mr.. Corliss (Mich.) had read a letter
| from a native Porto Rican enthusiastic
caIly endorsing the action of congress
in passing the Porto Rican tariff law.
Mr.. De Almond (MO.) ridiculed the let
ter. He described the ecstacy with
which the native population must have
received the views that they were to be
governed by carpet baggers who,' he
said, would take everything portable
and nail down everything they could
not carry away. 1t would be the sad
and shameful story of carpet baggism
in the south over again" Mr.. Under
wood (Ala.) offered an amendment to
allow all employees of the house a
months extra pay. Mr.. Cannon raised
the point of order which sustained.
Practically without amendment the bill
was passed