Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-12
SHOOTS AT ARMOR MAKERS
Tillmsn Furnishes the Spies for Early
Hours Of sensts Session.
SHIPPING BILL CONSUMES REST or DA>
Canery Takes Ip what rhine Remains
Between Calls OF the House In
Discussing and DenouncinR
the Measure.


ate convened today at IL o'clock Mr.. Turley
OF Tennessee presented the credentials OF
his successor. Edward w. Carmack, elected
a senator for term Of six years. beginning
March T. 1901.
Mr.. Teller of Colorado presented the ere
dentials OF Thomas NJ. Patterson, elected
sena tor from Colorado for the term OF six
years. leglnning March 4, 1901. The cre-
dentials Of both senators were filed.
A bill rroviding for an additional district
Judge in the northern district of Illinois
was passed.
The naval appropriation bill was then
taken up.
Mr.. Tillman OF South Carolina said he had
expected to discuss the armor plate ques-
tlon. which was before the senate when the
bill was laid aside on Saturday. He de-
sired to present evidence which would show
the bad faith with which the Carnegie and
Bethlehem companies had treated the gov
ernment. The companies had said posi-
lively they were unable TO make Krupp
armor for less than s545 per ton yet they
had entered into contract for armor at
lower price He would be satisfied, he said
IL the chairman of the naval affairs com
mittee. Mr.. Hale, would corroborate what
he said
MIR. Hale replied there was no question
about the accuracy Of Mr.. Tillman's state
ment.
Mr.. Pettigrew said that when member
OF one of the armor concerns was before
the appropriations committee he admitted
that Carnegie and Bethlehem had an agree
ment to bid the same sum for the armor.
The senate passed the naval appropria-
tion bill and Mr.. Hanna moved to take up
the shipping bill Mr. Jones Of Arkansas
den anded a roll call and the senate voted
SO to 14-to consider the bill
Mr.. Tillman declared that the high price
named In the contract for armor was fixed
as an inducement to the Carnegie and
Bethlehem companies to make large con-
tribution TO the republican campaign fund.
The bill was passed without division.
Take Up shipping Bill.
Mr.. Hanna then moved to take up the
shipping bill. The motion prevailed by a
vote Of 80 to Ia.
Mr. Caffery addressed the senate in OPP
position to the bill declaring 1t would not
promote the commerce and increase the
foreign trade OF the United States. as its
title proclaimed, but was really designed
to furnish n donation to certain steamship
lines. He believed that no new lines would
spring into existence under the bill. as the
entire subsidy would be absorbed by the
present lines. He thought the bill uncon-
stitutional and dwelt at length on the large
amount OF a subsidy 1t gave to hlgh-speed
ships. Mr.. Caffery asserted there was moth
ing in the pending bill that would be of ad
vantage to American seamen.
Mr. Hanna interposed to say that one OF
the objects subserved by the bill would
be the increased number OF places afforded
to seamen upon American vessels, He
pointed out that the wages paid by ves-
sells under the American flag were just about
twice as large as those paid under any
other flag and under the provisions OF
! this bill American ship owners would be
able to pay such wages and at the same
time meet foreign competition in the car
| rying trade.
by actual count" intcrjected Mr.. Jones
| OF Arkansas, there are just ten repub-
| lican senator's in the chamber. I suggest
| the absence of a quorum
The roll call disclosed the presence OF
| hfty-siN senators.
Mr.. Jones thought there must bc some
good reason for "the manifest indifference"
! of so large q part of the republican senators
to this bill. In his opinion the reason for
| the manifest indifference" was that no
| idea prevailed that in the seventeen days
| of the session remaining the bill-a senate
| measure which would have to be passed
| by the house TO become a law--could he
| disposed Of He regarded ii as absurd"
| that any thought Of passing the measure at
this session should be entertained. He then
moved that the Judiciary committee be dis
! charged from consideration of the anti
| trust bill passed by the house and that the
| senate proceed to its consideration.
Busy on Committees.
Pending that motion Mr.. Wolcott of Colo
| RADIO said he felt II his duty to say in
| reply to Mr. Jones statements that at this
time i'm the session many senators were
obliged to absent themselves from the SEN
ate chamber in order to attend to Important
| committee work. Their absence did not in
| dicate an indifference as to the shipping
| bill.
Upon objection by Mr.. Chandler, the mo-
| tion of Mr.. Jones, under the rules, went
| over until tomorrow. the Arkansas senator
! giving notice that he would press IL at
that time II he could do so without an
tagonizing the appropriation bills.
Mr.. Platt of Connecticut explained thot
| the judiciary committee for several days
had had the antitrust bill under considera-
| tion and he protested that the committee
should not be discharged summarily from
| its work.
During Mr.. Caffery's speech the senate was
called several times to produce a quorum
Finally, at the conclusion OF one of the
! calls, Mr.. Frye, chairman of the commerce
committee, said:
THE commerce committee has permis-
| sion of the senate to sit during sessions
| OF the senate. II senators desire to have
| river and harbor bill at this session It
| may be possible for the committee to re-
| port, II 1t is not continually interrupted
| by the calls Of the senate"
I'm order to aid the committee" sus
| gested Mr. Jones, facetlously, "it might be
we'll for the senate to take a recess while
| the committee is in session."
Mr.. Caffery's speech was further inter-
| ruted by a brief executive session and the
passage Of a resolution offered by Mr..
| Spooner calling upon the secretary OF the
| treasury to furnish the senate the num-
| ber and tonnage OF vessels engaged in
| foreign commerce, the number now engaged
| In the coastwise trade that could enter the
| foreign trade under the pending bill, and
also the amount OF subsidy each vessel
would receive under the bill, The resolu-
tion also calls for the number of foreign
built vessels authorized to come under
American registry under the bill and the
amount OF subsidy each would receive, and
the number Of foreign ships registered as