The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-24

!. 10 allow the building OF the now bat
tieships. submarine boats. etc, a
authorized by the bill Mt any ship
/, yard In tho world and taking ava!
the restriction In favor OF domesti
steel.
Mr. Gore had no support In his frs
motion TO permit the building OF thu
+ shlps abroad, and sixty.two votes wer'
registered against him.
( His second motion was to strike ou
! the provisions that all the parts OF
these ships and the steel material uset
in them shall be of domestic manufac'
turc.
on motion Of Mr. Hale that amend.
{ rient was laid on the table by vote OF
IS to Q. Mr.. Gore securing the support
Of Senator's Bacon. Culberson Davis
Gary. Mccreary, Milton Money and
/. Simmons all Democrats, Mr.. Gore of.
fered the amendments. he said, to Tres.
cue this country from the tolls of tho
steel trust" which, lie regarded as thu
hpeworm Of the treasury"
The steel trust, he said. not only held
up the country. but 1t held up the
American merchant marine.
At Mercy of Trust.
Mr.. Bacon also spoke in favor OF
eliminating the provisions requiring
materials of domestic manufacture, as
he said 1t would by law force the gov
ternment to buy OF the trust at extor-
tionate prices.
He remembered he said. hearing
the Senator from Maine (Mr. IIale). or
q former occasion, say the steel Trust
mad the opportunity to put the knife
into US. He said the armor -plate
could be made by only two or three
concerns IN the United States and
when the time came to buTid them they
would nave combination and the
coaltry by law, would be at the mercy
OF the trust. Saving that some near
him had said, he was unwilling tic
trust the enemy with making our
weapons of Defense Mr.. Gore de.
clared that the experts of the govern.
ment could be depended upon to see
10 the quality of material purchased
If his amendment, he said. had been
adopted, not ton of steel would be
purchased abroad
Three, Instead of Two.
what l want declared Mr. Gore,
rs to legislate so that we can get
three. instead OF two battleships for
the same money!
MIR. Money offered an amendment
providing that material for the new
ships shall be of domestic manufac-
ture, but permitting 1T to be purchased
abroad, explaining nnat It was well
known that American goods were sold
cheaper abroad than in this country.
Mr.. Hale said that as worded the
bill would permit just what the Mis-
sissippi Senator contended for. and the
amendment was withdrawn.
Mr.. Beveridge insisted that he had
reliable figures showing that the
United States pays less for its steel
plate for battleshps than any other
nation of the world except Japan.
Mr. Bacon offered an amendment
providing that the President or Secre-
tary of the Navy shall be authorized
10 purchase any part of the material
abroad in any case where the material
Of domestic manufacture cannot. in his
Judgment be purchased at reasonable
price. having regard to the cost of man
lfacture aud reasonable profit. The
amendment was rejected by vote Of
"a TO IS.
Replying to question. Mr.. Hale said
The United States was paving s416 per
ton for its armor, and that Germany
paid $3.50, France $500 and England
ss25 per ton.
Mr.. Hale insisted that the. investiga-
ton of the steel trust some years
ago had brought about a reduction of
the price for arnlor from $3.50 and SGoI
to S4l6.
More For Submarines.
A committee amendment proposed by
Mr.. Hale reducing the stipulated speed
of the two fleet golfers from sixteel
to fourteen knots was adopted
On motion of Mr.. Hale the apprn.
priation made by the House of $1,000
600 toward the construction OF eigh,
u,-s,1 do ho, 80, {,o
20 100000, which may be apple
toward the completion OF submarine
boats heretofore authorized.
An amendment appropriatinH 500.
300 for /" new trunk-in battlcshir
hoist" proposed by Mr.. Hale. was
adopted.
An amendment was agreed to ap.
propriating s7,ooo.0oo toward the
construction, machinery, armor and ar
mament OF vessels authorized in this
bill.
This action was taken without COM
rlcnt, 1t having been stated yesterday
that such a provision would permit a
prompt beginning of the construction
of the new battleships.
The pay of the enlisted men in the
hospital corps'of the navy is made tbs
same as that of seamen of corresponds
Ing rating by committee amendment
which was adopted.
No More "Irons.'
On point of order made by Mr.
Lodge, the committee amendment Civ.
ing naval staff officers rank on the
same basis as that provided for the
staff of the army, and providing thai
command of vessels shall be exercised
only by line officers, was stricken from
The bill as general legislation.