The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-28
Makes Material Modlfloatlons.


 At the close of the day. MT. Hale con- scented to make material notifications of the bill whereupon unanimous agree ment was reached to vote on it next Tuesday.
 Immediately after converting the senate resumed consideration of the bill requir- ing the use of American vessels in trans porting government supplies, and a roll call was offered on MT. Carmacks motion to recommit. The motion was lost IS to 39.
 MT. Hale moved to lay on the table MT. Daniefs amendment relieving the government of the necessity of enforcing the provisions in the proposed law in cases in which the charge of American vessels exceeds that of foreign vessels to the extent of 10 per cent. The motior carried. 42 to 20.
 Efforts to fix the figures at 15 and then at 20 per cent also were unsuccessful The votes were all on party lines.
 Mir Mitchell offered an amendment to postpone the date when the bill shall take effect until July 1, 1905. He expressed the opinion that the bill as a law would have the effect of restricting trade between the United States and its dependencies in the Pacific. He also charged that the eff feet would be to discriminate in favor of some Pacific coast ports as against others
 Laid on the Table.
 Mir. Hale moved to lay MT. Mitchells amendment on the table, which was car ried, 24 to B. Messrs Mitchell, Fulton and Dietrich voted with the democrats. The senate also, tabled amendments giving American vessels the preference where the charges do not exceed by more than of orA extending the time when the bill shall take effect until 1909. Mir Patterson sug- gested an act including the benefits of the bill American vessels employing Chinese, other than those entitled to reside in the United States
 The amendment provoked a debate In which Messrs Patterson, Perkins, Till- man, Elkins and others participated. In a colloquy between Messrs. Perkins and MT. Tillman, Mir Perkins stated that MT. TiIlman was always willing enough to vote for improvements in the harbor at Charleston. The latter replied that MT. Perkins was just as Jealous in his ad vocacy of measures calculated to benefit the harbor at San Francisco.
 MT. Tilman declared that the naval committee had shown a disposition to abandon the harbor at San Francisco. but 1t Is so shallow that 1t might be necessary 10 ureuBe II, put nau been cOfnpelleu tO yield to MT. Perkins importunities.
 Favored Discriminate Duty.
 Mir. Elkins spoke in support of a dis criminative duty in favor of goods ship ped into the United States In American bottoms. Such policy would, he said, work a revolution in five years. MT. Pat terson expressed a willingness to vote for such a measure as MT, Elkins out lined. Replying to remarks by MT. Perk- ins relative to recent legislation before American sailors, MT. Patterson said that under these laws a seaman has allotted to him less space than a man has in his grave.
 On motion of Mir. Hale. Mir. Patterson's amendment was laid on the table, 37 to IS.
 MT. Daniel suggested an amendment making the proposed bill inapplicable un- til reasonable bids were received from American vessel builders in response to the advertisement, but 1t was dropped when Mir. Hale consented to strike out the section authorizing the President to suspend the act and also to amend the first section in case of excessive charges the matter may be determined under ex- isting law. Both amendments were &C., cepted, as also was an amendment by Mir. Hoar striking out section g. giving the secretary of war and the secretary of the navy power to enforce the act unanimous agreement was reached to vote on the bill on Tuesday next.
 The senate, at 5:0S D. m.. adjourned.