Omaha daily bee., 1908-03-21
BURKETT AND HALE CLASH
Disagree Over Ability to Secure Col
liers for the Big Fleet.
SAYS PRICE GOVERNS
Maine Senator Insists Foreign Boats
Were Used Because Americans
Could Not BE Secured for
the Work.
From a sad correspondentO

FROM starr COrreSpOndeut.)
WASHINGTON, March 2O.-Cspecial Tele-
gram )-During the debate in the senate on
the ship subsidy bill today a sharp col
loquy took place between Senator Burkett
and Senator Hale, chairman of the commit
tee on naval affairs. Senator Hale had set
forth that our navy, on its present cruise
in foreign waters toward the orient, had
been attended by foreign colliers and that
in case Of war with any foreign power the
United States navy would be seriously II
not totally crippled because it would have
to give up these foreign colliers, and that
the United States had no colliers Of its own
that 1t could use. The senator from Maine
took the matter seriously and his argu-
ment sounded alarming, coming as It does
from a man who has been at the head of
this important committee for years.
Senator Burkett took exceptions to the
remarks of his distinguished colleague from
the Pine Tree state.
do you think" asked the senator from
Nebraska, that 1t is wise and patriotic
to pronounce on the floor of the senate that
the navy of this country would be en-
tirely useless in time of war-granting that
1t would be true, which, according to my
idea, is not the case? But think the SEN
ator from the committee on naval affairs
has put the case too strongly. 1t is my
understanding that it was not lack of col
liers from the United States that our navy
is now being supplied with coal from for
eign vessels in its trip to the orient. AS a
matter of fact. l understand the American
fleet could have had GOLFERS from this
country and that the reason they did not
take them was not because not available
but because they were so much more ex-
pensive than foreign colliers. / am in
formed that American firms who had col
liers to furnish asked so per cent, at least
more than foreign colliers. and that It was
price and not inability to secure home ves-
sells that determined the selection of these
foreign colliers."
Hale stiII Insists.
This brought Senator Hale to his feet
again and considerable discussion followed
as to whether or not Senator Burkett was
correct in his information. Senator Hale
still insisted that the present laws gov
erning the furnishing of coaling craft to
our navy did not admit of enough golfers
to handle our naval vessels in time of war,
and that without the assistance of foreign
golfers our fighting force on waters would
be practically useless except as coal could
be supplied from stations on shore.
Senator Burkett replied to this by say
ing that IL our present laws were in
adequate. blame must rest largely upon
Senator Hale's comlnittee. which has had
so great an influence in shaping those
laws
Minor Matters at Capital.
The secretary of the treasury has awarded
the contract for the construction of the
public building at Colorado Springs, Colo,
to ]. II. Wiesse of South Omaha, at $3.50 944.
Samuel B. Manning of Seward, j. r.
Jennings of Shelton, Neb.; o. r. Mayer of
Des Moines and w. c. Stewart of Ames.
Ia, have been appointed veterinary In
spectors in connection with the Bureau of
Animal industry.
Rural free delivery carriers appointed:
ADMINISTRATION, route 3, Martin w.
Brown, carrier; Emma NJ Brown. sub
stitute; Lincoln, route g. Sam C. Pickering,
carrier; G.. U. Pickering, substitute. Iowa
Gait. route 1, John A. Probst carrier;
p. L. Gildersleeve, substitute; Oskaloosa,
route 1. Hal Scott, carrier; Richard M.
Boyer, substitute; route 4. Lester Butler.
carrier; Arminta Butler. substitute South
Dakota--Salem. route /. Fred j. Gockel,
1r, carrier; Fred Gockel, ST., substitute.
Postmasters appointed: Nebraska-Butka,
Rock county, Henry Ehrsam: vice s. b.
McFarrin, resigned: Hecla, Hooker county.
Charles c. Lee, vice F. T. Morrison re-
signed. Iowa--staceyville, Mitchell county,
Tillie Bascombe, vice Fred Fred Bascombe,
resigned.