The Portland daily press., 1901-02-05
Sec. Longs Letter to Senator Nor
gan Criticized.
Senators Defend Their
Course in Matter.
Subsidy Bill Was Laid Aside
Yesterday.

Washington. February The ship
suhs,oy bill was laid aside informally by
the Senate today to permit the consioera-
tion of the appropriation bills. This az
tion was taken late in the day on Mr.
Allison's request that the District OF Co
lumbia appropriation bill be taken up.
MIR, Frye, In charge Of the shipping
bill, who had said he would nos Rive way
TO appropriation bills without vote OF
the senate, was not in the chamber at
the time, but MIR. Aldrich, MIR. Hanna
ana others interested in the measure were
present ana Joined in the general assent
given to MIR. Alison S request.
The District of Columbia bill will 90
oupy the attention OF the Senate tonor-
row.
The subsidy bill old not receive atten-
tIon today, the greater part of the time OF
the Senate being given 70 listening to
speech by MIR. bacon of Georgia on the
right OF the Senate to demand informa-
ticn on tiIe in the executive departments
Secretary Longs lstter regarding SAN
tiaCo naval rewards caused q discussion
in which Senators upheld their course In
this matter.
At the Instance OF Mr. Chandler the
senate passsd q resolution calling upon
the secretary OF the navy for list of the
members of Admiral Sampson's fleet
whose names were sent to the Senate for
promotion during the both Congress. MIR.
Chandler said the occasion for his presen-
tation OF this resolution was found in
published letter written by Secrstary
Long to senator Morgan in which he had
charged that the delay in recognizing the
services of those men was due to the nom
action OF Congress rather tn an Of the ex-
ecutiys departments. He called attention
TO the fact that while the list OF officers
for promotion had.been sent to the Senate
during the last Congress, the Prssid ent,
upon failure TO act in that Congress, had
not renewed the accommodation for the
present Congress He explained that
the failure OF the Senate to act had been
due to the Sampson -Schley controversy.
MIR. Hale, as chairman of the commit
tee on naval affairs, also took cogniEanoe
OF the secretary's letter. He said that no
fault could be found with Congress and
he repeated what MIR. Chandler had said
as to the failure OF the nominations to Sc
cure confirmation during the last Con-
gress Indeed, he said, he considered that
Congress had been entirely liberal in
recognizing the "pioturesqus exploits of
the Spanish war. lie detailed what had
been done in special cases. He referred
also to the tying up Of all the nomina-
tions because OF the Sampson-Sohley con-
troversy and that he had been waiting
during the entire nifty y-sixth Congress ex-
pecting that the President recommended
tions would be renewed.
Everyone must know, he said, that
nominations expire with tbs Congress to
which they are made.
MIR. Psttlgrew said there had been an
effort to promote Sampson over SchIey, |
Notwithstanding Sohley had done the
lighting and had previously outranked
Sampson,
de said the Preside MT afterwards had
corrected this injustice and that having
done this because of the attitude of the
Senate that body did not deserve the sec.
retary's criticism.
Replying, Mr.. Chandler said he con-
sldered the action of the executive In the
matter of the promotion of Messrs. SohIey
and sampson correct.
"Would the failure to capture Cervera's
fleet have been visited upon Sohley or up
on SAMPSON" asked MIR. Bacon of
Georgia.
This question had the effect of bringing
MIR. Hoar to his feet with q protest. he
gave notice that II there was to be an
effort to reply to that inquiry, he woul1
object TO the continuance of the oontro-
versy which only proceeded upon general
consent, the resolution having besn acted
upon.
MIR. Chandler. said, however, that he
had no purpose of attempting a reply.
Mr.. Teller critle.zsd the publication of
the Secretarys letter as a matter of bad
taste, saying that the Secretary of the
Navy knew how to reach the Senate with
his recommendations without the use OF
the newspapers.
Mr.. Morgan explained that he had re-
te'ved the letter printed but said he had