The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-17
Montana Senator CridciSGS the
 Naval Appropriation
TIlLMAN TALKS A LITTLE
Some Pointed Remarks Are Injected By the South Carolina Senator In Defense of the Navy Yard
 at Charleston.

Washington, February 16.-When the Senate today took up the naval appro- priation bill Senator Dixon of Montana continued his strictures of the plan Of having many navy yards along the At lantic and gulf coasts instead of three or four great naval bases. He declared that millions of dollars were annually wasted by the scattering of the work through many navy yards. He particu- larly demanded information as to the necessity for foundry costing s25o,OOO for the Portsmouth yard, which precipi- tated a long discussion on the relative merits of the several yards for repair work.
 Senator Tillman taunted the senator from Montana with being Senator from the Rocky Mountains who has come here to tell us how to construct a navy
 "It is," he continued, easier to sit on a mountain peak out in Montana and read magazine criticisms of the navy than to run the navy in an actuality."
 He declared the magazine article which MT. DlAOU Icdu Wao ihAi CA AiNN.
 .'Whether or not it is full of lies re- piled Mir Dixon, lis just what l am en- deavoring to find out" He referred to q statement in the magazine to the effect that the improvements at the Charles ton, s. C., yard were advised against by the experts, but when MT. Tillmar said this was not the case he expressed himself as satisfied.
 Naval Committee.
 MT Dixon insisted that the naval com mittee of the Senate was composed almos entirely of senators who have navy yard in their states.
 He wanted to know what would b' thought of having the committee on recla nation of arid lands composed of senator from the states in which such lands arr located.
 MT Hale replied that such was thu case, and MT. Tillman added that sim liar condition exists In the Indian anc the public lands committee.
 MT. Dixon was again reading from the magazine from which he had quoted when Senator Tillman interrupted tc say that if he was going to bring undertaking into the Senate,' the bill would be there long time. If this is the only muck raking brought into the Senate it would interfere very lit tie with the dispatch of work re- torted MT. Dixon.
 MT. Tillman returned to the subject of the Charleston navy yard, on whose advantages he elaborated.
 You" he declared. pointing his finger at MT. Dixon, simply are prejudiced against the southern yards, and you want to get that out of your head
 MT. Dixon replied that he was a southern man, and had no such preju- dice; so far as he knew Charleston might be the best place for a great naval station.
 South Has Rights.
 "If I am mistaken" MT. Tillman re- piled, then I beg the senator's par don. But there are some people who think nothing is good if 1t is in the south. The President himself realizes this condition, and has in his speeches appealed for different treatment for that section."
 MT. Tillman declared that there was a "clique in the navy department who wanted to break up the Charleston navy yard"
 q am not speaking in the interest of any navy yard" said MT. Dixon, 'I am only speaking in favor of consolida- tion.'
 eff I stood indicted in this article, said Senator Dixon. referring to the magazine criticism, "I would answer it. I think that it is matter of self respect that the Senate and Congress, and the administration should answer these charges, which are made openly. The people of the country believe these articles. whether we do or not"
 Senator McEnery of Louisiana declared that hostility in the navy department against the navy yards of Louisiana pre- vented any ship from being sent there for repairs "They absolutely refuse he said, ''to>make improvements and repairs in that yard, and yet they send small boats from the south Atlantic coast to northern yards for repairs
 Too Much Authority.
 There was, he said usurpation of au- thority in the navy department, so that even when Congress makes appropriations for certain yards, the department with holds the money and declines to make es- inmates for future appropriations for them.
 MT. Dixon declared, in reply to state ments made by other senators. that he was not filbustering against the naval bill.
 What is the flibustering against?" asked MT. Flint, in an undertone.
 "Ihe senator rom MOntana IS not nl- clustering at all,' replied MT. Dixon for himself.
 Here is a bill carrying $13S, ,000,0O0, and we have had one day to consider it." said MT. Dixon. Has it reached such a pass in this Senate that senator has not a right to ask questions about bill carry ing so much money?"
 MT. Dixon declared that We do not know where we are drifting in making these appropriations. God knows" he said. there ought to be some plan some where to put a check upon this geometric increase in the appropriations. especially when we are confronted by deficit of $50, ,000,eOo.
 MT. Dixon yielded the floor and the con- sideration of the bill was proceeded with. An amendment directing a report on the availability of land of the Jamestown Ex- position company, near Norfolk. Va. for a naval training station was stricken from the bill on g point of order.