Mr. RIDDLE. Mr. President, the hour admenishes me that I have but a short time to speak, and I shall detain the Senate but a few minutes. I shall vote against this bill in its present form. I shall vote for the amendment of the Senfrom Nevada in the 1st place, but I would prefer the amendment of the Senfrom Iowa. With either of these amend fmeats attached to the bill, I am willing to vote or it. There is one fact that has ese aped the attention of Senators upon this floor, and it is a question of contract. If I had not already been convinced, the Senfrom Ohio would have convinced me by his argument thatif you open the door in this matter, other contractors can come in and claim additional compensation. I am for additional compensation in these cases, but not in the way it 18 naked for in the bill. In my city the largest firm there built 2 of the largest monitors and have not asked for additional compensation. They have not come forward to knoek at the doors of Congress and ask for additional compensation. Another firm in my city comes forward and asks for it. Now, how do they predicate their O tracts? My friend, the Senfrom Indiana, alluded to a contract for a house a few minutes ago. How does such a contractor predicate his bid? He goes around and asks the stone mason how much he will put up the stonework for; he asks the brick layer how much he will put up the brickwork for; he asks the plasterer how much he will put up the plastering for by the yard; so with the shingling, the roofing, and all; and before he takes the contract he pred icates his bid on the sub contracts he can make. How do these machinists do? How have they done? I know how they have done; the Senfrom Ohio knows how they have done. Before they make a contract with the Government they make arrangements for the iron and steel conditioned on the receipt of a contract from the Government; they get the material at the price it was worth when the Government asked their proposals. Now, ifyou give 15 or cent., or twalvo%., as the Senfrom Iowa suggests, hat pays amply for the increased cost of labor; the mechanics do not suffer; they will lose nothing by this operation. But inthe event of passingt e bill as reported the contractor makes the money and temechanic ets nothing out of it. This is a fact which can e substantiated by every practical man living in a city where those iron clad vessels have been built; although an institution in my city is interested in it, I care nothing for that. I say that unless the Senate adopt the amendments offered, I shall op pose the bill and take another Opportunity to consider the subject.