The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-06

guns afloat or by the number of uniforms we had If we were at war;" said MT. German, If our commerce were threat ened by war we would give the secretary of the navy all that he could spend. But all the country knows that these mill lions. these billions have done more to demoralize than otherwise.
 Extravagance had been the inevitable result and a war with Spain involving only two days in action had cost the country a billion dollars. He had no sympathy with any movement against China. No matter what nation might cure supremacy in that country, the Uni ted States would secure its share of com merce. He said every American had glored in the part taken by the United States in the boxer uprising and that if that example were to, be followed 1t would do more than any number of ships to improve our commerce. In clos ing. MT. German said:
 Now, in the face of a great election the plan could not be changed If we at- tempted to do it. and I doubt if 1t would be wise to change it if we could do so for that would bring the navy into poli- tics. that I should hate to see. and with that statement I leave the question"
 carmack the Next Speaker.
 MT. Carmaok the next speaker referred to MT. Depew's defense of the retention of the Philippines. and quotes a previous utterance by that senator taking an op- posite position.
 MT. Depew rose saying that Chauncey Depew Is dead I was then not senator but simply New Yorker making speech es almost every night, and giving very little thought to them"
 "The difference between the senator's position then and now" replied MT. Car mack, lis that not being a senator he was considering the case as a patriot and lad not taken the case as a criminal lawyer to defend the republican party"
 Mir. Carmack agreed with Mir Hale that if China should fall under the dominion of Japan. it would be very doubtful whether the United States would derive any advantage from t. MT. Carmack read an extract from newspaper saying that $435, 900 had been expended to keep the two pleasure yachts, the Mayflower and the Sylph, in condition for the Presidents use. This. he contended, was a misappro- priation. "The naval vessels of the United States" he said, 'are the property of the United States. and there is no law of eminent domain to justify any man, even if he is President in converting a naval vessel to his own use. I don't think that the President had any idea of doing any thing wrong, but if he did not it is simply because of his lack of responsibil- ity, and appreciation of law
 In Possession of Site. Some discussion then followed over the fact that the United States was in pos- session of the site of the proposed naval station at Guantanamo under a lease, MT. Bacon insisting it was a usurpation of power by the executive not to have ac- 1,x, fN to ha ta bo ate MT. Bacon did not seek to amend the provision and the question was dropped
 Mir Nelson then took the floor to reply to MT. Hale. who he said had taken him to task for violating the principles of neu- trality because he had said that our com mercial interests were common to those of Japan. And he went on, fin the same breath in which he criticized me, he called attention to the danger our commerce was In from ambitious Japan.
 Mir Nelson said he had not intended to implv that the United States should take any other than neutral position in the oriental war. He did contend. however that we should take all proper steps to protect our interests in the orient. and he thought the navy should be adequate to that service.
 The amendment proposed by MT. Quar- els to the committee amendment for a naval StatlOn OH tiic Sicae isf"N1' e'0 eAtN N taken up but the matter was laid aside and, the senate adjourned.
 THE HOUSE.
 Washington. March 5.-The house today passed the Indian appropriation bill after some controversy relative to provisions affecting tribes in the Indian territory. An unsuccessful effort was made by MT Ste phens, of Texas. to eliminate the provis- ion for continuing the Dawes commission another year.. He said the information he 1ad received was that the commissioners were at variance among themselves. and