The San Francisco call., 1904-03-06

WASHINGTON, March 5-There was
Senate to-day between Nelson and
Hale. The Minnesota Senator III the
course of brief colloquy with Patter-
son concerning features of the naval
ion that there was such a community
of interests on the part of the United
States, Great Britain and Japan as to
protect China against dismemberment.
To this statement Hale in charge of
the bill, objected sharply, saying that
the position of the United States in the
present Oriental war was that of neu-
trality, and that he could not allow to
go unchallenged any statement in the
Senate indicating a national interest in
either Russia or Japan. Nelson respond
ed by saying Hale had indicated as
great partiality for Russia as he (Nel-
SOM had expressed for Japan.
The discussion o-day was entirely on
political lines and was participated in
by Hale, Depew and Nelson on the Re-
publican side, and by German, Clay,
Martin, Patterson and Bacon on the
Democratic side.
CLAY OPENS THE DEBATE.
When the naval appropriation bill
was taken up Clay took issue with the
contentious of Lodge and Depew as to
the necessity for a strong fighting sea
force to keep the United States out of
war. Clay contended that there should
be a Congressional committee to inves-
tigate expenditures in the departments,
saying that no business man would let
business involving millions drift along
as Congress was doing. He criticized
the policy that led to the expenditure
of s2O7. 900 900 annually for war and re-
fused to erect public buildings in Wash
ington that would save rents of 100000
year.
Martin (Democrat), a member of the
Committee on Naval Affairs, defended
the bill. I'VE must have a strong
navy" he said, and he instanced the
recent expansion of the United States
as supplying the reason for this neces-
sity. He referred to the possibility of
France and Great Britain being drawn
into the Oriental war because of their
respective alliances with Russia and
Japan, and while he did not believe
that the United States would become
involved, he did not consider it the part
of wisdom to be unprepared.
Depew spoke of the policy of expan-
sion,. and Patterson inquired whether
he meant that further aggrandizement
through conquest or purchase Of for
eign territory would be the programme
of this Government.
Il do not think we will ever see the
time when We will need more terri
tory" said Depew, but do think we
will get a merchant marine some time,
and mean that we will want a navy
big enough to protect it. mean that
1 hope Secretary Hays programme for
an open door in China will continue to
be a policy of this Government, and
that we should have a navy big enough
to enforce it"
THIS NATIONS ATTITUDE.
Depew predicted that in the end Jo-
seph Chamberlain would succeed in the
programme laid out by him in Great
Britain. Other European nations would
be found taking steps to protect them
selves against us, and a navy would be
needed. He said that, whatever side
do NASIOlAO III lAAC A@ooNOlh II wal tAAO
United States must be consulted, and
this country would insist on having
her interests considered before China
could be divided. A great navy would
be necessary at such time.
Replying to Patterson, he said he did
not think it would be necessary to go
to war to maintain our interests in the
Orient.
why are the other powers now ac-