, 1870-01-20

This speech Of hi. Dawes, Chairman Of
the Committee Of Appropri priatiena, against the
Little job for the benefit Of Philadelphia At
League 1aland, and against tho expenditure
by the departments Of 81, 2,o0o,0 900 more
than have been appropriated for the pres
ent scar, will be as warmly commended by
ell intelligent Republicans throughout the
country AZ it waa by his colleagues in the
House. As to the navy-5ard job, the OBJ
lection that 1t empowered the Secretary to
sell property worth S3,ooo, 900 at private
Gale, for what he pleased, was sufacieut.
But behind this md all naval works and
military arntaments, whether ahipa. forts,
nrsanals, arms, or other preparations for
land or naval warfare, lies the Same ir1e-
versible objection which applies to stand
ing armies, VIZ, that they are almost
wholly 3 wastefui expenditure The e1-
peHenee Of all recent wars proves that the
preparations which have been made during
peace nro worthless. Stona forta erected
at an expense Of millions are found to be
al where they are not wanted, and less
available or tenable then eattbworka
thrown up in single hight. And who
knows Whit our naval vessels are TO be in
the future7 Our American Commo7oras
have every variety Of opinion,-a few be1isv-
ing fully in our tu1ret monitors, eone in
iror-clads, some in iron ships. aud Soma In
exclusively wooden ships, while English
and French Admirals regard ell the naval
devices Of cur recent war With akepticd
contempt, and are confident of the superb
<,ssty et she,r o..esaoas iroa.P1.Aea battle
ships, the Warrior and La Gloire, which
hive never gone INTO action, and sosroely
gone to sea.
In such transition state We need no
other navy yards than the nuclei necessary
as the means Of extomporizing navy in
The event Of war. Then We shall have To
build our entiro navy anew anyway. Any
vessels We might now build would be found
as unserFiceable aa the old wooden hulls
that went down under the as-
sault Of the Me17lnac at Hampton
Roads,-a source Of humiliation and
weakness instead of strength. The best
way to prepare for war is to keep tho
wealth which would be squandered on
naval preparations in the hands Of the tar
payers, where it will multiply itself at cou.
pound interest, at the rata Of c5 per cent
per annum, thus furnishing far more than
the means that would be necessary in tha
event Of war TO crexte navy Of precisely
the kind and at the points We should need.
With regard to Andrew 5ohnson's esti-
mate in the last year Of his administration
Of what the government could be carried
on for under his successor,-wnich Mr..
Da1es compares With President Grants es-
timate,-it is, Of course, no test Of the
relative economy Of ths two ndministra-
tlors. That must depend upon actual,
not estimated, expenditure. We believe
President Grants actual expenditures have
shown very large reduction on those Of
his predecessor. But the only way in
which the Republican party can redeem its
pledges Of economy is to show itself
argns-eyed, IS the peculators and thieves
are assailng the Treasury at every
point. President Grnnt means reform,
as it is his interest to do; but there are
hundreds of thousands Of people in tho
country who have each their personal plsn
OF making money out OF the government
under patriotic prcteuces- It is estimated
that, including the subjects such as sub
| sidies to stearnsrs, improvements Of Eiyeza
and harborB, new Custom Houses and Post
| Offices and Marine Hospitals, new Capitol
| buildings, including the $1,000,0o now
asked for a new State Department
btildiDg at Washington, the demands Of
the department, If granted, would esceed
by s47, 600 the amount appropriated
! for this year.
We are glad that air. Dawes hss
not waited for critics Of the adverse
party to e1pose these tendencies to useless
expenditure. The true way to naintain
the Republican purity in power is to 80 in.
partially and Independently ventilate the e1-
rors and shortcomings Of its own members
as to deprive the Democratic party Of ans
opportunity to serve the country either bS
action or by criticism. So long as the Be
publican party continues to be ata OWL
severest critic it ia not likely to be expelled
from power, and those members render il
the trnest service who perform boldly thit
unwelcoma duty Of criticism.
!