Evening star., 1900-05-09
DOORS WERE CLOSED
The Senate Holds Another Secret
Session.
DISCUSSING THE NAVAL BILL
Consideration of Price of Armor
Plate.
CONTESTED ELECTION CASE

At the conclusion of routine business IN
the Senate today Mr.. Hale called up the
naval appropriation bill In a statement
Ia the Senate he said that when the blli
y.as last I'm Ter considera ton yesterday the
Senate was in secret session In view OF
the present conditions treferring evidently
To the publication today of the results OF
the secret session. / leave it to the senator
from South Carolina tNIr. Tillmam whether
he deems it wise or desirable to proceed
with the measure in secret session
Remembering what occurred IN the sen
ate during the secret session yesterday
Mr.. TTllman replied, and what appeared
in the newspapers this morning. am
narsua5ad If would he almost impossible to
prevent the newspapers from getting tne
information although they did puolsn
more than occurred in the Senate and
Mr. Vest (Mo.(-'1 think the Senate
would better go into secret session
Mr. TiIlman-''I hope the senator Will
permit me to complete my observations.
Mr. Vest-"I make the motion Tor
secret session. The senator's remarks are
proving the accuracy Of the newspaper re-
Mr.. Chandler (N.Hl seconded Mr.. Vests
TuOtion. and at 12:2J pm the senate
doors we're closed
At O'Clock the Senate resumed business
in oper session. consideration of the naval
hill being resumed The pending ques uoh
the House hill with respect to armor for
war vessels
The Price for ArmOr.
Mr.. TilIman IS. C) offered an amendment
in effect limiting the price to be paid for
ar1uor to S2Oo per ton. and II it could not
be procured for that price authorizing the
Secretary IF the Navy TO construct a gov
ernment armor plant at cost not exceed
ing S4.U0WD.
Mr. Hale in charge of the bill. explained
the committee amendment. He said the
committee had sought TO relieve the Coun-
try from the embarrassment that was irk-
some To almost everybody.
Right in the midst of our remarkable
advance in the construction of naval ships.
said Nr Hale we were arrested by this
controversy over the price of armor plate
Il believe the armor plants put thelr
heads together and put up prices OF armor;
pf course this created resentment. and L
am not surprised at the action and feeling
If the senator from South Carolina (Mr-
Tll1manl. who is acting entirely conscien-
tipusly in the matter.
Mr.. Hale then explained the prices that
had been paid by the government for
armor An investigation covering period
.,f several years showed that the average
price was about $5io per ton For the
arnlor of 1891 SiI2 per ton was paid.
As II was seen continued MI Hale.
THAT We had ships which needed armor
tn. companies again raised their prices 70
s54J per ton. This action aroused consid-
cradle feeling. and last year Congress liked
Il price of S2t1 per ton. The Navy Depart
m-nt could not get the aTmor at that price.
In the present bill We authorize a gov
crnment armor plant To be constructed IN
certain conditions
Mr.. Hale said, however. that it was the
opinion Of the committee that the govern
rient could get better armor from private
concerns than it could make Itself. an1
avoid any of the possible attendant scam
Gais-
At the. same time. he added. it was real
ized that something had TO be done. In
This hill ii was proposed to pay S449
ton for armor. but If the companies de-
CIiued To- accept that price government
plant for the Manufacture of armor was
To he constructed. He believed that when
the manufacturers found that the govern
ment WAS in earnest as to the plant they
would accept the price offered. He deemed
it best not To build armor plant If its
construction could be avoided. because the
government would not be able to produce
A pound Of armor under three years, and
1t might require five years to get well
started Meantime serious delay would oc-
eur in the building Of authorized ships.
In a few words he concluded. 'our
project is TO pay S4i5 per ton for armor
construct a government plant. This is in
tended To solve this vexed question, and
think il will
Have the arnor manufacturers taken
advantage Of the governments necesstty?''
inquired Mr.. Stewart.
Undoubtedly they have" responded Mr.
Hale. AS soon as they got upon their
feet financially they began to put the knife
To US
Then" declared Mr.. Stewart "Td make
a good deal Of a sacrifice TO teach them
lesson
Mr. Tilirnan followed Mr.. Hale with an
extended speech in support of his PROPOSE
ton II the prices asked by the mauufac-
turers were paid, he said it would cost the
government SlToco,O00. while at the price
he proposed the necessary armor would
cost only about Ss.H1UsO His proposition
was to build an armor plant, matter at
what price the manufacturers proposed to
supply the drmOr.