Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-21
NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Five Items Are Still In Confer
ence

Mr.. Foss Qlls), chairman Of the naval
affairs committee OF the House. today
called up the partial conference report on
the naval appropriation bill. He stated that
but five items were still in conference. the
first relating to civil war veterans: second.
transferring the naval station at Port
Royal, s. c., to the bureau OF navigationi
third, construction OF a craving dock or
concrete and granite at Pensacola navy
yard; fourth. giving the commandment of the
marine corps the rank OF major general.
and fifth, provisions In relation to the big
battleship.
Mr.. Foss, after the report of the House
conferees had been read, moved the pre-
vious question. when a storm OF noes"
were heard. Mr.. Hull Qowa) Insisted that
there were too many Items in the bill to
be railroaded through without full and free
discussion. Mr.. Foss withdrew his motion
when Mr.. Hull, In criticism Of two items.
said that IT had been an earnest destrse
the part of the committee military
affairs to have the army and navy
equality but that the item which had been
agreed TO in conference for the hire OF
quarters for officers serving with troops
where there are no public quarters belong
ing to the government and where there
not sufficient quarters possessed by the
United States to accommodate them" had
the effect of equalizing up and he was
against the kind Of an equalization.
Mr.. Payne IN. Y) thought as there were
so many items agreed to in conference that
were new to the House the whole confer
ence report ought to be disagreed TO and
sent back to conference.
Mr.. Foss, yisibly affected by the criti-
cisms, Numbered out that the faults found
with the conference report were captious.
He said he had done the other day what he
llaG never done In the twelve years ne had
been a member of the House; he had asked
the House to disagree to the conference
report so that justice might be done certain
individuals that had not been done them IN
the conference report.
The assertion that the criticisms were
''captious'' induced Mr.. Tawney tMinn.) TO
ask several questions which did not ada 10
the temper of the gentleman from Illinois:
Then Mr.. Prince UiI) gave notice that he
desired to be heard on one or two amend
ments. particularly that amendment relat-
ing to the advancement of officers below
the grade of rear adnirals who served
during the civil war
The House. by vote of IS 60 3d. refused
to adopt the conference report.
Mr. Hull moved to recede and concur In
the Senate amendment with a substitute
relating to the retirement of naval officers
who served in the civil war. Mr.. Hull in
sisted that the two fighting forces OF the
government, the army and navy. shouio ~
upon an exact equality. and lie offered the
following amendment. which was adopted:
That any officer Of the navy not above tns
grade of captain. who served with creois
regular volunteer forces during the civu
war prior to April o, 1855, otherwise 'nsu
as a cadet and whose name - borne on .ne
Official register of the navy and VINO ..as
he-etofore been or may be retired on ac-
count of wounds or disability incident 70
the service or on account Of age or after
forty years service. many. IN ane o.ses
ton of the President. by and Win the al
vice and consent of the Senate. W placed
~, the retired list Of the navy with the
rank ana retired pay Of one grade above
thaf actually held by him AZ the time OF
reffrement provided that this act shall not
anuly to any osncer who received an adj
vanoa Of grade at or since the date OF his
retirement or who has been restored to the
navy and placed ON the retired list by
virtue OF the provisions Of q special aot Of
Congress.