The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-27

Washington, Febraury 26.-The house passed the naval appropriation bill today after having it under consideration for a week There was a party contest on a number of propositions during the day, and especially on an effort of different minority members to secure an amend ment to fix the price of armor plate at the figure bid by the Midvale Steel company Several amendments were ruled out or points of order.
 An intellectual attempt was made to have the eight hour law applied to <ll ship construction. The contest over sub nZrine boats was quite exciting. The minority failed to secure a record vote on the proposition to recommit with instruc- tions, the proposed instructions being de- clared out of order.
 Upon conyening the attention of the house was directed toward the orient by the chaplain who said in his prayer that disputes between nations of the earth may be settled by the peaceful methods of arbitration
 The house went Into committee of the whole with MT. Olmstead of Pennsylva- mia in the chair, and resumed considera- ton of the naval appropriation bill MT. Roberts of Massachusetts, in support of his amendment authorizing the purchase of five instead of two submarine boats which was pending when the house ad- journed yesterday quoted Admiral Dewey as saying In a personal to him under date of February IS, that in view of the effective work of torpedoes in the far east 1t was his judgment that the government had waited long enough be- fore constructing submarine boats. and that the number specified in the bill could be well increased.
 contended for Amendment.
 MT. Hill of Connecticut contended for his amendment authorizing the secretary to purchase sub-surface torpedo boats without specifying as to number, leaving 1t in the discretion of the secretary to purchase what number, if any, he may deem advisable within the limit of $850, 600 fixed by the amendment of MT. Rob- erts. MT. Hill read from the report of an army board, of which Major Murray of the artillery corps was president dated January 24, 1903, which board was ap- pointed to witness and report on the tests of the submarine torpedo boat Pro- tector.
 Mr. Hill called attention to the state ment of the board that this type of boat would be a most valuable auxiliary to the fixed mine defense and to the fur ther statement of the board that under conditions where channels could not be mined '1t will give the nearest approach to aboslute protection known to the board"
 He also called attention to the state- meut of the board relative to the ability to pick up cables and to the fact that the board recommended the purchase of fua af he hOafg fOr different hqrhOrc Of the United States.
 w. W. Kitchen of North Carolina spoke for the amendment authorizing the pur- chase of i've submarine boats.
 Mir Hill proposed a substitute amend ment incorporating in the bill the lan- guage contained in the last naval appro- priation act, except that the maximum authorizes purchases within the discretion of the secretary and provides for com petition. s~
 Resented the Insinuation.
 MT. Roberts of Massachusetts, declared hotly that he desired to resent the in- situation of MT. Dayton that he (HilD was the representative of any particular type of submarine boats. He then critic ized Mir. Hill for his enthusiasm for a certain type of torpedo boat.
 Mir Loudslager of New Jersey declared that the Hill substitute was cleverly drawn to prevent the purchase of any submarines because they were only two makes of these boats.
 MT Roberts amendment authorizing the purchase of five submarine torpedo boats was lost by a vote of 45 to 196, when MT. Hills amendment incorporating the language of the last appropriation, au- thorizing the secretary of the navy to purchase submarine torpedo boats and providing for competition, but increasing the limit of appropriation from s700.0 .000 to $s50000, was adopted by vote of 9l to 59.
 Providing for Eight-hour Day.
 Mir. Livernash proposed an amendment providing that no money paid out for construction under the bill shall be paid to any contractor until he has a covenant with the government that no laborer or mechanic shall be required to work over egh, hours. forfeit of 8 a day being provided for each man required to work beyond that time. Mir. Foss raised a point of order against the amendment.
 MT. Livernash said the practice had been for the house to pass eight hour legislation which would go to the senate on the eve of adjournment. when. he said. the subterfuge had been engaged in leaving the bill buried fin committed He said that congress was now on the eve of adjournment and the committee of the house lis still tagging along" Con- tinuing. he said:
 T would have this bill amended in this form and sent to the senate so that the senate will have to show it's guilty hands so that it wifi have to cut this provision out. or leave 1t in by positive vote.' The house was all right on the question. he said. but should protect itself from the other side.
 Would Repudiate Contracts.
 MT. Payne of New York. declared the amendment to be a bold proposition tc