Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-05
Senator Clay Takes Issue
With Lodge and Depew.
NAVAL BILL DEBATED
GEORGIA SENATOR DECLARES
THAT OUR RIGHTS ARE SECURE.
Martin Supports the Proposed Increase
miscellaneous Measures Passed
The Indian Bill.

At the beginning of it's session today the
Senate passed a bill authorizing the con-
struction of bridge across the Tennessee
river near Gilbertsville, KY. by the Chi
cago. st. Louis and New Orleans Railroad
Company.
Other bills were passed as follows:
Amending the mineral land laws relative
to surveys.
Amending the law for the correction OF
double allotments to Indians.
Authorizing the President to extend an
invitation to the International congress OF
hygiene to meet in Washington in 1909.
Mr. Cullom presented the report of the
conference committee on the legislative
executive and judicial appropriation bill
and it was agreed to.
Senator Clay's Contention.
The naval appropriation bill was taken
up and the discussion Immediately took on
a political aspect. Mr.. Clay took issue
with the contentious of Messrs. Lodge and
Depew as to the necessity for a strong
fighting sea force to keep the United States
out of war. He did not criticise the addi-
lions so far made to the navy, nor the
carrying out of the plans of the pending
bill. but he could not agree that there
were to be no relaxations. No country.
he said, is challenging us or questioning
our position on the Monroe doctrine. our
rights were secure, he commended. II we
properly preserved the rights of other. ma
lions. He did not believe that there was
any danger of war with Germany, but
nothing was so likely to make trouble with
other powers as an immense. navy COM
posed of many ambitious men. He claimed
that ex-Secretary Root now held the same
views concerning the retention of the Phil
ippines as were maintained by the dem
ocrats.
Mr.. Clay also contended that there should
be congressional committee to Investigate
expenditures in the departments, saying
that no business man would let business
involving millions drift along as Congress
was doing He criticised the policy that
led to the expenditure of $207. 100000 an
nualy for war and refuses to erect public
buildings in Washington that would save
rents of 100000 year.
Mr.. Martin. a member of the committee
on naval affairs. defended the bill and
called attention to the fact that no one
had found fault with the increase of the
navy proposed by the bill. I'VE must
have strong navy" he said and he in
stanced the recent expansion of the United
States as furnishing the reason for this
necessity.
He referred to the possibility of France
and Great Britain being drawn into the
Oriental war because of their respective al
liances with Russia and Japan, and while
he did not believe that the United States
would become involved in the imbroglio, he
did not consider it the Fart of wisdom to be
unprepared.
Depew Replies to Clay.
Mr. Depew replied to Mr.. Clay. He said
that the Georgia senator could not separate
the ex-Secretary from the republican party
on the Philippine question, as would be
found when Mr.. Roots full views were
known. The American people are not quit
ters, he said but they hold on. He did not
Believe that any one living would see our
relations with the Fiiipinos diminished.
Mr.. Depew also contended that there is
ample supervision OF governmental expen-
ditures by the appropriations committees
of the two houses of Congress. But IL
farther inquiry had been necessary 1t had
been made by the President, who had
instituted rigid inquest when the result
might have been injurious to his party
He said that lin accordance with the prin-
ciple he had always pursued of finding
out the rascals and of furnishing them
when caught the President had had the
post Office Irregularities probed to the bot
tom. with the result of securing the con-
viction in the courts of four men who
had had the confidence Of all administra-
items.
Not Against Russia.
During the discussion Of the bill refer
ence was made to the common interests
of the United States with Japan and Eng
land against Russia.
Mr.. Hale said that he did not want that
statement to go unchallenged, and that
the attitude of the United States as as
serted and declared by our State Depart
ment was one of absolute neutrality.
unrrSF nF REpRESENT A TsTuES