Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-21
1R[ SENATE 10 DECIDE
House is Unable to Unravel the
Armor Plate Tangle and
Drops 1t.
The Senate Will Probably Be De.
pended on to Settle the
Matter.
Old Provision Annulled and the.
New One Defeated-Army
Rations.

Washington, April el.-As the result
OF a protracted struggle in the house.
yesterday the provision OF the naval
appropriation bill To enable the secre-
iary of the navy To contract for armori
4 for the battleships Maine, Ohio and.
| Missouri. now awaiting their armor
equipment, at S5i5 per ton, the price
asked for krupp armor, is out of the
bill, as is the provision TO repeal the
4 $500 Limitation placed upon the price OF
armor by the current law Altho the
provision was obnoxious to the rule, all
the minority members of the house
agreed to it. The appropriation OF $4,-
\ 100000 under the head of .Armors and
Armament" remains in the bill, as We'll
as the language OF the proviso author
izing the secretary of the navy to con-
tract for arinor of the best quality for
the Maine, Ohio and Missouri, the
words stricken out being at cost not
to exceed $545 a ton. including royal
ties. II is conterded by some that
This empowers the secretary to contract
for the armor without regard to cost.
! BY others 1t is claimedsthat the provis-
4 ion will be Ineffective unless the sem
ate inserts the price.
So much bad feeling was aroused by
/ the Nrangle over the armor plate pro-
vision that Mr.. Underwood, of Ala.
| bama. began filibuter after the bill
was reported to the house and finally
forced an adjournment without effectu-
Eal action on the bill
4 Before the 2armor place question came
| up Two amendments, one to modify the
provision for the increase OF the navy
/ authorizing two hattleships and six
lfcruisers,8 We're defeated. One proposed.
10 add a provision for six gunboats and
the other to- strike out the provision
flor battieships The question of build
ing ships in government yards did not
reachfa vote, as the amendment of 4
lfered to this end was ruled out on a
point of order.
This day was to be devoted under the
l3rues 10 the consideration OF war
Iclains. but the naval affairs committee
desired TO go ahead with the naval app
Ipropriation bin, Mr. Foss moved to
proceed with its consideration. but the
motion was contested by the committee
on war claims and II roll call was
forced The naval committee Won. and
consideration of the naval appropria-
tion bill was resumed.
At the request os Mr.. Cannon. of Iili-
nois the amendment adopted yesterday
relative to- the naval academy was
modified authorizing the secretary, of
the navy. after the.plans are approved.
lsto contract for all or part OF the Inn
lSproyement at Annapolis within the
\ sS. 0oo.000 limit
Il Mr.. Densfnore. of Arkansas. made a
Ipoint OF order q gainst the section to in-
Ierease the active list of surgeons to-
| sfftE-fiNe assistant surgeons to no.,
/ and also providing that assistant sur
A seonss In she navy should rank With the
Eassistart surgeons of the army He
lscriticised the hitter provision. claiming
iii would raises,he old difficulty between
1.-The line and STAFF.
Mr.. Meyer.of Louisiana. a member Of
the committee. replied that the young
surgeons would notsenter the service a,
| the reduced rank.
1 Mr.. Densnore finally withdrew his
| point Of order.
Mr. Foss offered an amendment,
(which was agreed to. providing that
4 the chief of the bureau of ordnance
should not be an officer below the rank
1lof lieutenant commander.
Mr. Fitzgerald. Of New York. offered
an amendment to build the four ships
Iauthorized by the bill in the govern
nert yards
Mr.. Nandirer. a member of the COM
A inittee, offered an amendment TO appro-
j PIRATE s2,000,o00 for the erection of a
4 government armor plate factory, and
for the appointment of three officers of
Il the navy 70 select a site for such fac
tory.
4 Mr.. Dayton made a point Of order
4 against the amendment, and insisted
upon 1t, despite the protest of Mr. Un-
4 derWood, of Alabama. who said it was
4 Outrageous that a proposition involv-
4 ing the whole question of armor plate
4 which had been agitated for five years
!. should be strangled. He said the fifty
a minutes offered by the other side was
:. manifestly Inadequate, and in effect
! was a decision that the house was to be
a led like bull by ring to the bar of
& the house and made to vote.
The chair sustained the point Of orr
a der. from which decision Mr.. Under
wood promptly appealed.
n Mr.. Underwood. reviewing the his
2lUFS CONTROVERSY,
& proceeded to show the situation which
{ confronted the country. Under the ex-
\ listing law. congress could not buy
: armor except at $500 per ton, and the
provision in the bill to pay $545 for the
armor Of the Maine, the Ohio and
4 the Missouri he claimed, was a cnange
of the existing law and therefore out OF
\ order.
He was called to order several times
.by Mr.. Hepburn for not speaking to the
a appeal, and finally. amid increasing ex-
citement and confusion. Mr. Hepburn
4 made the point that. when called to or
I der. Mr.. Underwood must take his
Iseat.
4 Finally. the debate was closed, 96 to
/ 80 and the chair was sustained, 81 to SO.
Mr.. Bingham, of Pennsylvania.
speaking TO proforma amendment,
denied on the authority Of Mr. cranp
of the Cramp Ship building Company
that there had ever been a proposition
4 for a combination between his Arm and
the Carnegie Company on the subject
Of armor plate.
! Mr.. Wheeler, Of Kentucky, said the
minority had not desired to defeat the
provision to pay s545 for the Maine. the
A Ohio and the Missouri. but they were
Z driven to raise the point OF order by