Arizona republican., 1904-02-28
The Democrats Put Brakes
 on the Senate Wheels
THEY REVOLVFD SLOWLY
Almost Filibuster on the Bill Re- quiring that Government Business Must Be Done With American Ship owners-Pr0mised Modification.

Washington, Feb. 27.--The senate to- day approached nearer to a flbuster than on. any former occasion during the present session.
 A demonstration was made by the democratic senators against the bill requiring the employment of American ships for the shipment of government supplies and amendment after amend ment was offered. only to be laid on the table on the motion of Mir. Hale in charge of the bill. Numerous votes were interspersed throughout SO that between the two forcis of dilatory pro- cedure the entire session was con sumed.
 On most of the votes the senate di vided on party lines, but MT. Mitchell three or four times voted with the democrats. Mir. Mitchell tried to change the time when the bill should take effect, and in this he had the cooperation of Messrs Dietrich and Fulton, republicans, and of the demo- crats.
 At the close of the day Mr Hale consented to make material modifica- tion in the bill, whereupon unanimous agreement was reached for a vote next Tuesday.
 MT. Hale moved to lay on the table MT. Daniels amendment relieving the government of the necessity of en- forcing the provisions in the proposed law in cases in which the charge of American vessels exceeds that of for eign vessels to the extent of 10 per cent
 The motion was carried 42 to 50. Efforts to fix the figures at 15 and then at 20 per cent. were also unsuc- i cessful. The votes were all on party | lines.
 Mir Mitchell offered an amendment | to postpone the date when the bill should take effect, until July l, 1905. He expressed the opinion that the bill as a law would have the effect of re- | stricting trade between the United l States and it's dependencies in the l Pacific. He also charged that the ef- feet would be to discriminate in favor | of some Pacific coast ports as against others.
 None of the American vessels that ] would be engaged in the trade ever enter the Columbia river. He said all oriental trade from Columbia river ports would be immediately destroy ed if the bill should become a law.
 MT. Hale moved to lay MT. Mitchell's amendment on the table, which was carried, 34 to 23. Messrs. Mitchell Fulton and Dietrich voting with the democrats.
 The senate also tabled amendments giving American vessels a preference where charges do not exceed by more than 9 per cent. those of foreign vessels, and extending the time wher the bill should take effect until 1909.
 MT. Patterson suggested an amend ment excluding from the benefits oi the bill American vessels employing Chinese and other than those entitled to reside in the United States.
 The amendment provoked a debate | in which Messrs. Patterson, Perkins Tillman, Elkins ard others participat- ed. In cOlloquy between Messrs Perkins and Tilman, MT. Perkins stated that MT. Tillman was always
 willing enough ;o vote for improve ments in the harbor at Charleston
 was as jealous in his advocacy oi measures calculated to benefit the
 harbor at San Francisco.
 MT. Tillman declared that the maya
 committee had shown a disposition tC abandon the harbor at San Francisco | because it is so shallow that it might
 be necessary to dredge it. but had beer compelled to yield to MT. Perkins i'm
 portunities.