The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-01
The Senate adjourned until tomor-
THE U

THE HOUSE.
Washington, Feb. 25.-The building
programme of the navy, as contained
In the pending naval bill. occupied
the attention Of the House throughout
he day, and the fight is by no means
over. The minority members OF the
naval committee, who under the lead
ership Of Mr.. Meyer. Of louisiana.
first gave endorsement to the measure,
are campaigning for a reduction in the
number of ships to be authorized. The
amendment to strike out the one bat
tleship made yesterday by Nj. Bur-
ton, OF Ohio, was defeated. The crI is
ers were then put TO the test and
enough friends for them were found
for their retention Construction OF
the ships in government Yards proved
TO be a fruitful topic for discussion
and an amendment by Mr.. Bell, of
California, requiring one collier to he
built In a government yard was
adopted
A proposition for a preferential Of
4 per cent. in favor of bids from the
Pacific coast was defeated. after Mr..
McDermott, of New Jersey. had de-
livered a humorous speech in which
the shipbuilding trust and the state
of New Jersey were put forward for
the charitable consideration of the
House.
Don't give up hat ship" was the
plea made by Representative Meyer,
of Louisiana, who addressed himself To
the pending amendment of Mr.. Burton
to strike out the provision for h bat
tleship authorized in the naval bill.
Mr.. Meyer took Mr.. Rixey. OF Vir-
ginia, to task because in h debate
yesterday he had endorsed the Bur-
ton amendment. Admiral Dewey, Mr..
Meyer said, had emphasized before the
committee h necessity for battle
ships, recommending them as prefer
BILE to cruisers.
rs not Admiral Dewey president Of
the board, the recommendations of
which were disregarded by the COM
mittee?" asked Mr.. Rixey.
Yes" replied Mr.. Meyer. but I
would rather take Admiral Dewey's
stated he was in the minority, but he
also was in the minority in a famous
trial a few years ago and the country
has endorsed his position"
w. w. Kitchin, Of North Carolina,
said that the facts presented by Mr..
Burton had not been answered in any
way, although his republican col
leagues a pulled the Republican
platform of Ohio on him, n declar-
ed him to De out of line with his party.
Mr.. Kitchin named various foreign
governments and asked after each,
Are you afraid of any of those ma
TONS" His answer was: No" He
said the only cause for fear was in the
present occupant Of the White House,
adding land he will not be there
long
Mr.. Kitchin moved to strike from
the bill the provision for two armored
cruisers. His motion was defeated,
65 to 126
An amendment by Mr.. Rixey, Of
Virginia, limiting to a maximum price
of $500 a ton the amount to be paid
for armor plate and in the event that
armor could not be obtained at this
price, then the secretary Of the navy
was to expend $4,000 900 in the erec-
erected on LAND" owned by the govern
ment, was ruled out Of order.
Mr.. Williams, of Mississippi, at
tacked The provisions for a four per
cent. differential to Pacific coast build
ers.
1t was degeneration of reason and
disease of imagination" developed by
the Republican policy of protection,
protection to a local industry in one
part of the United States against an
other part of the country.
Mr.. Cushman, of Washington, asked
Mr.. Williams to reconcile his opposi-
ton with his own vote of a million
dollars to destroy cotton worms in
the south. He said he always had ad-
mired the gentleman's political SOM
e%rsaults.
The House adjourned until tomor-
row