The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-24
THE NAVAL BILL DEBATE
Controversy Over Expenditures for
Warships and Big Guns.
The Mcpsure Under Consideration by
fhe House of RcpresentEtiyes-Mr
Richardson Directs Attention 4"
the Increase in Appropriations
CrfficiseS the Republican Policy.

The Naval Appropriation bill was called
up in the House of Representatives by
Mr. Foss. Chairman of the Committee on
Naval Affairs. yesterday afternoon. The
| House went into Committee Of the Whole,
with Mr.. Moody Of Massachusetts in the
chair for the consideration of the bill. at
| 2:30 and the committee rose at 5:1O. gen.
| eral debate having been closed in one hour
and a half, and five pages Of the bill
having been disposed OF. All new legisla-
ton in the bill so far as read was ex-
plunged on points of order made by Mr.
| Cannon, Chairman of athe Committee on
| Appropriations, who considered certain
provisions as infringements upon the juris-
dictien of his committee.
Mr. Richardson of Tennessee, minority
leader. opposed the bill in general terms,
and Mr.. Wheeler, a minority member OF
the Committee on Naval Affairs, and one
of the prominent Democratic members of
| the House. supported it in speech which
evoked considerable Democratic and more
general Republican applause. The armor
plato discussion, which engaged the at
tention OF the House last session. was re-
and Mr.. Dayton.
In the course of a brief statement of
| the provisions of the bill. htr. Foss re-
marked thai the policy of the Naval Com
mittee had apparently been to keep Amer
lean naval construction slightly in ad-
vance of that maintained by the German
| Government
This caused Mr.. Grosyenor to ask for an
| explanation.
Il hope he does not mean to be under
| stood said MIR. GrosyenOr. that we have
singled out the German navy, and that for
any purpose in the world we intend to
policy is it that would indicate that we
had some special eye on the German ma
tion, a nation that is as friendly 10 US as
it is possible for nation to be? 1t seems
to me the gentleman has spoken hastily.
and that his remark will be wholly mis-
| interpreted and misunderstood
Mr. Foss-I did not intend to single out
the German navy in preference 10 any
other navy in the world as far as that is
concerned. | believe personally in a strong
ard efficient navy l believe in building up
our navy moderately, along conservative
lines, until we reach point where we
have a navy which is strong enough to
maintain the honor Of our country and its
flag But we must build moderately. to
get the benefit OF new improvements as we
go along, not to build SO fast that We get
ahead OF the growth CT naval scienGe. So
far as our navy is concerned, we have no
obsolete ships in it, and our navy today.
man for man. and ship for ship, is the
most efficient in the world. GApplause1
Mr. King interrupted to ask il the United
States, a Christian nation, should be a
leader in the world in teaching the arts
of war
Mr. Foss replied that the new navy was
not being constructed for war, but for
peace.
Mr.. Hepburn said that in l25 years the
United States had engaged in six wars,
which was doing pretty we'll "and as
historical fact. it may be stated that we
would have avoided most of them If we
had been properly prepared"
Mr. Richardson was yielded twenty min
utes by Mr. Meyer. who controlled the
time in opposition to the bill! The gentle
man from Tennessee said:
Mr.. Chairman, few moments aSo,
while considering the annual bill which
carries the appropriation for the District
of Columbia or at the conclusion OF the
consideration of that bill. l called atten-
tion to the fact that 1t carried the larg-
est amount ever appropriated by this
Columbia. and that 1t provided an in
crease of l33 in the number OF employees.
Some reference was made to the fact
that | had delayed such criticism of the
bill until it had been read and debated
therefore take the floor now, Ar. Chair
man. at the beginning Of the discussion
of this bill. to make similar comment
upon it, | shall not wait until the Com
mittee of the Whole House has concluded
consideration of the bill. but call atten-
tfon to the fact now and here at the out
set. that here is a bill making appro-
priations for the navy for the fiscal year
which is to end on the S0th OF June. 1902
which carries by far the largest appro-
prlation ever made for the benefit of the
United States Navy in one year
Mr.. Foss-Does the gentlemen wish 10
20 upon record as opposed to the policy
OF building up the navy?
Mr. Richardson am going to comment
upon the facts; thexentleman can take
care of the policy. Here we are, Mr..
Chairman, in a time of profound peace,
three years since We were engaged in any
war that Congress declared, at any rate,
and we have an increase for the one year
in the app--riation for the navy OF Sl2.-
OO0, 900 in Id numbers.
Mr.. Dayton-I want to suggest that nine
millions of that is work already author
lied by act of Congress. and three mil
lions for the rehabilitation of the Naval
Academy.
Mr.. RichardsOn-The gentleman can go
over that in his own time. The fact is.
Mr.. Chairman here is an increase Of
sl2. 900. 600 in this appropriation bill over
the annual appropriation bill for the ifs
cal year which is TO end on the Both day
of June. 1901 The year 1902 is TO take
s12 600 600 more money out of the Treas
ury for the benefit Of the navy than the
yca- which is to end on June 80, 1901.
Mr.. Steele-You are calling attention
10 facts that. the very report on the bill
contains and also calls attention to.
Mr. Richardson-Wel l do not care if
it does Dou you object to my calling
attention to the facts?
Mr.. Steele-You are kind Of second
hand.
Nir. Ricnardson-T do not claim to be
frst-hard or original in This matter. But
here is the fact, and the gentleman from
Indiana can have the benefit of H. Here
is an increase of $12000.OG0. Now, the
gentleman from Illinois says 50 much of
II is for one purpose. and the gentleman
from West Virginia says so much OF 1t
is for another purpose. Wen. let US see
how this proper bill of last year was.
They apologize for the fact that this bill
is Si2, 500, 600 more than the bill OF last
year, as If there was something highly
yirtuous in the bill Of last year. They say
in effect that it was maryelously
proper bill
Mr.. Dayton-Will the gentleman permit
me 20 say
Mr.. Richardson-When I get through
II have made any mistakes. l viii cor
rect them, if my attention is called to
them. They refer to the fact and apollo
give for the fact that this bill is s12 ,00O