New-York tribune., 1905-02-12
TO MAKE STEAMERS SAFER
House Passes Fire Slocum Commss-
sion Bills.

Washington, Feb 11-As outgrowth OF the
investigation of the General Slocum disaster the
House to-day passed n number or pills caHeu up
by Mr. Grosvenor chairman OF the Committee on
Merchant Marine and Fisheries. amending The laws
relating to the steamboat inspection service and
making more rigid provision for the regulation ana
control OF steam vessels The amendments recon-
mended hy the Department OF Commerce ana LABOR
were sent to the House in the form of eight bills
Six of them reported favorably by the COM
mittee and five passed to-day. Consideration
OF the bill providing for changing the salary system
for inspectors was prevented by the objection OF
Mr.. Sherley. of Kentucky. Except for effort
by Mr.. Livernash, of California TO amend the pro-
vision relative to compliments of crews there were
controversies.
The bills amending the steamboat inspection
vice they passed the House provide for ex
ecutive committee of the Board of Supervising In
spectors. with power to amend the rules of the
steamboat inspection service in the interval be-
tween the meetings of the full board. subject to
the approval of the Secretary of Commerce and
Labor; make compulsory inspection once yeas,
whether applied for by masters owners or not:
exempt vessels out of commission and make ef-
fectye inspectors condemnation of defective equip
ment; give inspectors power TO stop vessel by
revocation of her certificate; provide adequate
statutory penalty for persons manufacturing
selling defective life saving appliances. and fix the
liability of term charterers. officers and directors
OF a corporation wfuly knowingly guilty OF
misconduct in the management of vessel They
also provide for the repeal OF the existing provision
OF law requiring supervising inspectors give bond
Assistant inspectors added to those prohibited
from having any pecunary interest in vessels. and
motor vessels of over fifteen tons brought
under the general penal provisions of the statutes
An alternative of suspension of license instead
revocation is provided in licensed officer
shall unreasonably refuse to serve. Provision is
made for an appeal in certain of revocation
and for injecting fire extnguishing gas well
steam into holds. Motor vessels other than steam
on the Red River of the North and the Mississippi
system are brought under the collision rules Of
those waters. Minor details in a number of in
stances are transferred from statute to regulation.
An order proposed by Representative Dalzell
adopted which permits the consideration Satur-
days for the remainder OF the session of certain
private bills that could not be reached by existing
orders
The House non-concurred IN the Senate amend
ments to the bill making it unlawful to the
words United States assay articles of gold
Or silver manufacture
The conference report on the bill providing for
the registration of trade marks agreed to-
The following bills Were passed:
ton of automobiles by steam vessels
orders or DEGREES to the Circuit Court Court Of Appeals
Authorlzing the President to nominate and ap-
the army.
For the establishment of supports Of entry at
Rouses Point and Malone N Y.
TO RESTORE MIDsHIPMEN
The House then entered upon the consideration
of bills under rule adopted earlier in the day
Among others the bill authorizing the President
to appoint to the naval service three midshipmen
who dismissed from the Naval Academy at
Annapolis was called up. Mr. Brick (Ind-) offered
as substitute to the pending bill the one pre-
pared by the Navy Department and forwarded to
Congress- with favorable recommendation by the
President.
Mr. Maddox. of Georgia. said the House had held
on long enough to show the authorities at Annapo-
lis that they We're to be sustained, and announced
IL was not a party measure
Mr. Slayden. of Texas, said that unless the House
wanted to see hazing at West Point and Annapolis
the bill should be voted down.
Mr. Williams. of Mississippi, said he had resisted
to the present moment with an idea of teaching
the young men that Congress would not be in a
hurry to get them out of scrape. and that their
comrades might learn that Congress was in earnest.
He thought the boys had been punished sufficiently
and announced that he would vote for the bill
Mt Wanger. of Pennsylvania, sought to amend
the bill so as TO place the young men at the foot of
the class last graduated, but failed. The substi-
tute offered by Mr.. Brick was passed by a vote of
50 to Is. There division party lines. The
bill provides that the young when restored TO
the service shall be placed the foot of the class
of 1904 from which they would have been sradu-
ated, and they to submit to examinations.
The House adjourned until tomorrow the
session of Sunday TO be devoted to eulogies.