The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-24

Ka Senate was about to conel z { isideration of the naval appropriI F. fl today, Sen ator Piles of Wa proposed an amendment increq ks sm two to four the number of nc eships to be au- thorized. As seY s ,nators desired to speak on the ent, the further consideration o Es Ill was postponed until tomorrow n amendment to the naval bill was pted appropriating s7Oo0OO0 to begin construction on the two bdtteshps authorized by the bill as it was passed by the House.
 A spirited debatae occurred on the amendment for the restriction of the pur- chase of materials for the construction of the battleships, submarine boats, etc., to those of domestic manufacture.
 Amendments to remove that restriction from the bill were defeated, MT. Hale stating that since the investigation of the steel trust some years ago. the price of steel armor had been reduced from $55O and $500 per ton to $416 per ton, and MT. Beveridge declaring that the United States pays less for its armor plate than any other nation except Japan.
 
 day on the constitutional rights of the states end executive encroachments, He insisted that the commerce had been in- terpreted as applying to the industrial life of the country to far greater de- gree than was contemplated by the framers of the constitution. He regret ted the tendency of democrats to look upon the President as their guide and declared that the President could not be accepted as his Messiah.
 Cores Amendment.
 The House amendments to the naval appropriation bill were altered today by Senator Gore eof Oklahoma to alloy tho building of the new battieships suh- marine boats, etc., authorized by tls bill at any shlpyard in the world and taking away the restrictions in favor of domes- tic steel. MT. Gore had no support in his first motion to permit the building of ships abroad and 62 votes were reg istered against him. His second motion was to strike out the provision that all the parts of these ships and the steel ma terial used in them shall be of domestic manufacture. On motion of Mr. Hale that amendment was laid on the table by a vote of IS to 9, MT. Gore securing the support of Messrs Bacon, Culber- son. Davis, Gary, McCreary, Milton, Money and Simmons, all democrats. In offering these amendments, MT. Gore delivered a passionate appeal to the Sen ate to strike blow at the steel trust.
 Mr. Gore offered the amendments, he said, ito rescue this country from the tolls of the steel trust which he regard ed as the tape work of the treasury" The steel trust, he said, not only held up the country, but,i held up the American merchant marine.
 Extortionate Prices.
 MT. Bacon also spoke in favor of elimi- hating the provision requiring materials of domestic manufacture, as he said it would by law force the government to buy of the trust at eXtortionate prices. He remembered, he said, hearing the sen ator from Maine (Mr. Hale) on former occasion say the steel trust had the opportunity to put the knife into us.a He said the armor plate could be made by only two or three concerns in the United States, and when the time came to bid they would have a combination and the country by law would be at the mercy of the trust.
 Saving some one near him had said he was unwilling to trust the enemy with making our weapons of defense" MT. Gore declared that the experts of the gov ernment could be depended upon to see to the quality of material purchased. If his amendment he said had been adopt ed not ton of steel would be purchased abroad.
 What I want declared MT. Gore, 'is to legislate so that we can get three in stead of two battleships for the same money"
 MT Money offered an amendment pro viding that material for the new ships shall be Of domestic manufacture, but permitting it to be purchased abroad, ex- plaining that it was well known that American goods were sold cheaper abroad than in this country. MT. Hale said that, as worded, the bill would permit just what the Mississippi senator contended for and the amendment was withdrawn.
 Mr. Beveridge insisted that he had liable figures showing that the United States pays less for its steel plate for battleships than any other nation of the world, except Japan.
 MT Bacon offered an amendment pro- viding that the President or Secretary of the Navy shall be authorized to purchase any part of the material abroad in any case where the material of domestic manufacture cannot, in his judgment, be purchased at a reasonable price, having regard to the cost of manufacture and a reasonable profit.
 The amendment was rejected by vote of "A to 35.
 Hale Presents Figures.
 Replying to a question, Mir. Hale said the United States was paying $il6 per ton for its armor and that Germany paid S45O, France $500 and England $625 per ton.
 Mir Hale insisted that the investigation of the steel trust some years ago had brought about reduction of the price for armor from S550 and .s~5 to $4l6.
 A committee amendment, proposed by MT Hale, reducing the stipulated speed of the two fleet colliers from 16 to l4 knots, was adopted.
 On motion of MT. Hale the appropriation made by the House of $l 100000 toward the construction of eight submarine torpedo boats was increased to $3,000000, which may be applied toward the completion of submarine boats heretofore author ized.
 An amendment appropriating $50O000 for new trunk-in battleship hoist,' pro- posed by MT. Hale was adopted
 An amendment was agreed to, appropri- ating s7.0O0,O0O toward the construction, the machinery armor and armament of ir,