New-York tribune., 1908-01-30
FOR MERCHANT MARINE
Plea Injected Into Discussion of the
Urgency Deficiency Bill.
rFronn The Tribune BrresuJ

Washington. Jan 29-The House began rs
session to-day in high spirits. the result OF the
somewhat peculiar form Of prayer offered by
the blind chaplain. Mt Couden. who satd:.
Good Lord deliver us, We beseech Thee, from
the jngo. the demagogue. the bigot and all
other undesirable citizens, and give US instead
the patriot the statesman. the broad minded
generous hearted manly man. that Thy king
dom may come and Thy Will be done on earth
as it is in heaven, for Christ's sake. amen"
After the usual routine business the urgent
deficiency bill was again taken UP. although the
debate embraced various topics not germane TO
the provisions of that measure Representative
Clayton took occasion to inquire IL any steps
had been taken to collect from Cuba the
penses incurred by this government result
of the present occupation, which now aggregate
close to S5DO00O0. Chairman TawHey replied
that in so far he had been able TO learn
there had not. Mr. Tawney said he did not
understand why not, as. according TO the re-
port of Governor Magoon, recently transmitted
to Congress, there was balance of about $12-
100000 in the Cuban Treasury Mr. Tawuey
said however, that he purposed to make further
inquiry to ascertain why this country had not
been reimbursed for the expense to which it had
been put.
In the afternoon Representative John Wesley
session with a humorous speech.
Upon motion of Mr.. Hull Of Iowa. chairman
of the Committee on Military Affairs. the House
reduced by s3Oo,0 the proposed appropriation
Of s71s 900 for clothing and camp and garrison
euupage for the army.
The $1,000, 900 appropriation for coal for the
battIeship fleet furnished material for an attack
by Mr. LittIeheld. OF Maine upon the legality
of the expenditure. He declared that under the
E~--
the coal which had been shipped in foreign
bottoms should have been seized and sold He
said that the Attorney General had held It not
to be Illegal "for reasons sufficiently satisfactory
to him." but Mr. LittIeIeId said he differed with
him.
Mr. Crumpacker. of Indiana, ridieuled the
contention of MIR. Littef1eId, and said that IL Il
should be sustained the government simply
would be selling it's own coal and turning the
money into its Treasury
VIII the gentleman suggest how this admin
istration carry out Its policies without
violating the Iaw?" inquired Mr.. Fitzgerald OF
Mr.. Littlefeld-
THAT is thing that is not up TO me-" replied
MI IdttIefeld. who then launched upon a plea
for an American merchant marine. The govern
nent he said. at the cost of many millions had
created a naval fleet, and yet that feet was
without power to support itself except WITHIN
the radius of it's operations
Claiming that the cost OF Transporting coai
for the fleet from the Atlantic TO the Pacific IN
foreign bottoms was exorbitant. Mr.. Sherley, OF
Kentucky. said il disgrace 70 Arlerica
that there was not sufficient merchant marine
to supply simple colIiers. and he charged the
Republicans with having built a tariff wall so
high that a merchant marine could not live.
The item was allowed to remain in the hhl,
An amendment by Mr.. Sherwood. OF Ohio. IN
behalf OF Union soldiers and providing for ns
payment Of pensions at the rate Of ST day 70
all who served eighteen months between April
30, 1861 and July Is. 1866. and were honorsoiy
discharged, ruled out on q point OF order
after its author had made an earnest Plea for
its adoption.
The bill was still pending when the HOUSE, "
500 o'clock. adjourned