People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1896 — SHIPS NOT NEEDED. [ARTICLE]

SHIPS NOT NEEDED.

SENATOR GORMAN OPPOSES* APPROPRIATIONS. B*y* the Condition of the Tr**«ury Do • Not Warrant the Expenditure* lor Battleahlpe Pension BUI Pn**ed by the Hoose —Testimony Made Public. Washington, April 29. —The senat~ proceedings Tuesday were enlivened by a speech from Senator Gorman in opposition to the appropriation for battleships, in which the war spirit and extravagance in congress were criticised. The senate resumed consideration of the naval appropriation bill after some routine business had been disposed of. Mr. Bacon (dem., Ga.) reported an important new amendment from the committee on naval affairs. It provides as a condition to the building of foui battleships as provided by the bill, that in case the secretary of the navy makes separate contracts for armor or armor plate he shall not accept bids exceeding $350 a ton for such armor, and in case the secretary cannot make contracts within such limits he shall delay action and report the facts to the next session of congress. This brought the senate to the most important feature of the bill —appropriating for four battleships to cost $3,750,000 each, three-thirty-knot torpedo boats at SBOO,OOO and ten torpedo boats at $500,000. Mr. Gorman moved an amendment to fix the number of battleships at two instead of four, and Mr. Quay an amendment fixing the number of battleships at six. Mr. Gorman then addressed the senate in support of his amendment. The whole country, he said, had been stirred up by a message of the executive, and responsive to this the public and the press had been in a state of excitement as to our relations with other nations. When congress assembled it was informed by'the executive that the financial conditions of the country were of the first moment, that the condition of the treasury demanded economy, or the country would be confronted with either an increase of taxation or the sale of bonds. But when the war scare took possession of us more vessels were demanded, appropriations greater than those of war times were proposed and the secretary of the navy revised his recommendation of two battleships by proposing from four to six battleships. "This from a cabinet Qfficer,” proceeded Mr. Gorman, “was considered a justification for these enormous appropriations in time of peace, in face of the fact, knowing to every senator that there was not revenue enough to pay the ordinary expenses of the government; that there had been, is and will be, a deficit in the treasury; that there has not been for four years sufficient received to meet the appropriations of congress.” The senator added that of the amounts paid for pensions and ships, $162,000,000 came from the sale of bonds. This presented the question, is it wise, in time of peace, to make these appropriations? It was evident that there would be no legislation in this congress for the relief of the treasury. “I am very glad the senator has confessed the sin—the great sin—of the democratic party,” said Mr. Sherman. ‘The republican house of representatives has framed a bill increasing the revenues of the government $50,000,000, and that bill was sent to the senate. Here it defeated by the votes of the other side of the chamber, so the only measure offered to this chamber to raise more revenue was defeated by democratic votes.”

This precipitated a question of who controlled the senate. Mr. Gorman declared the republican control of the committee settled the question. Resuming his speech, he charged that the scheme was to provide greater appropriations than the revenue could meet and thus prepare the way for a higher tariff. In closing his speech the senator with great sarcasm referred to the secretary of the navy and his ambition to build up, man and equip “a splendid navy.” He described the demand of the secretary with unfeigned contempt, and attributed much of his inspiration to association with naval officers who were anxious for ships to command. He ended with an appeal to the senate to limit expenditures, if the revenues could not be increased.

FEM SION BILL PASSED. Bankruptcy Bill Take* Up f or Conaidaratlon —To Be Voted On Saturday. Washington, April 29—The house Tuesday passed the Pickier genera] pension bill by a vote of 187 to 54. The republicans and populists voted solidly in favor of the measure and the demoy crats, with six exceptions, solidly against it. The section to which the bulk of the opposition was directed provides that persons otherwise entitled to pensions shall not be disqualifled on account of prior service in the confederate army, provided they joined the union forces ninety days before Lee’s surrender. The bankruptcy bill was taken up for a vote Saturday at 4 p. m., under a special order. It was arranged that Mr. Henderson should control the time in favor of the bill, Mr. Bailey (dem., Tex.), who favors a voluntary bankruptcy bill, one-fourth, and Mr. Broderick (rep., Kan.), who opposed the enactment of any law on the subject, the remaining one-fourth. Mr. Henderson took the floor and submitted an extended argument in favor of the bill, which has for its basis the Torrey bill. Teatlmony Made Public. Washington, April 29.—The ■ senate ■

committee on naval affairs haa made public the testimony taken in the ar-mor-plate investigation. Thfis investigation was directed largely at Commander Folger, who had accepted a position with the Harvey company after his retirement from the office of chief of the bureau of ordinance of the navy department.