National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-04-24
THE sTRANGLERs.
MIR. Randall and His Followers With
Their Hands on the Throat OF the
American Navy.
NeW York Herald.

Ne,0 York Herald.
Tho democrats of the house appropriations com.
mlttee at Washington have determined to refuse.
so far as in them the power lies, the proper and
necessary additions to the navy bill made by the
senate Mr.. Randall the chairman of the COM
mittee a vigorous enemy of the navy, will ask the
house to non concur with the senate amendments
and insist on the house bill.
Ar. Randall has already done so much during
the present session TO demorGlize and destroy the
predomnance and influence of his party tina
democrats are beginning to be sensible of the evil
consequences Of his course, and we shall be sur
prlsed II he can in the end persuade the majority
of that party to follow him in refusing approprG-
tons absolutely needed If we arc to have any
navy at all worth speaking Of Can the demo
Gratis afford, under the coercion of Mr.. Randall to
60 into the canvass this year us the declared and
determined opponents of even an extremely and,
for so great a country us this, an aDSurdly small
navy2
As to Mr.. Randalps navy BILL to which he now
requires that the democrats Of the house shall
adhere
l. II refuses the money absolutely needed to pay
for effective guns for the three cruisers soon to be
completed and will leave those ships for At least
year unarmed, and therefore useless.
q II refuses money for the completion of the
monitors, and thus insists that our most important
harIors shall remain without means Of defence
which they need; for 1t leaves these ships ION
which the country has already spent several mil
| lions, and whose importance and usefulness for
harbor defense and as the indispensable protec'
tors of torpedo lines one denes) to the delay Of
another year.
3. 1t refuses the appropriation needed to begin
the construction of four additional steel cruisers
| The three steel cruisers now nearing completion
but which Mr.. Randall proposes to leave unarmed
| will DO the only effective ships in our navy. Ou
| Of. Na., RI,f,. and
the ports of even fourth rate power TO protec
our citizens or assert their rights Before the add
tlonal cruisers proposed in the senate bill can b.
| completed the greater part of even the presen
small and weak fleet will be unfit TO go to sea
and then We should have only seven steel cruiser
effectively armed as the total of really capable
vessels But Mr. Randall proposes that we shall
not have even seven, but only three and dis
patch boat; and if he can carry the Democrat
party with him those three Will be In port helples
for lack of guns.
We ask the democrats OF the house TO conside
this matter gravely before they follow Mr.. Rar
dali and bring repIoach aud contempt on thei
party The Herald is not in favor of what Is al
surdly called a spirited foreign policy such q
that which brought Mr. Blaine into Just oppro
brum We want no "guano policy" and we ar
satisfied that the country wants none. But we d
need what Mr.. Dorsheimer, in the navy debate
spoke Of as necessary-a Small, compact an
very effective navy" few good ships armed wit
the best guns. 1t Is this that Mr.. Randall ask
the democrats of the house TO refuse to the cOun
} try. The senate bill proposes to give the counr
within three years seven steel cruisers ehectiycl
armed, and four harbor defense monitors of
/ class so good that at least one European power
now building several Of their kind. Mr.. Randall
bill proposes to deprive us of harbor defense an
to limit us to tho three steel cruisers now con
, | plotting, but to which he refuses guns. Is III
craftsmanship? Is 1t common prudence? Is
G common sense? VIII the country be Statistic
, with that?
y Let the democrats Of the house consider tn
question with the attention II merits. We shn
- not soon have a land war, but II VIC had OF
70 militia arc under constant and costly training
10 we have trouble anywhere il will be In ioIoii
parts and we shall need ships, not armies TO Sci
a there. If we are attacked II Is our ports whit
will suffer, and ships not merely land troops, W
. be required to defend them. Our geographic
81 position is such that whether We are attaeke
Or whether our people are wronged or need suco'
o. whether the honor OF our flag requires reno
)t STRANGE or menace, there Is no case in which
of shall not need ships and there is scarcely &C
- Ceivable case In which We shall need troo
u Whatever may happen the navy must bear
10 bnnt, as It has always and glOriousy done
ut DO the democrats forget the pride they lome
S. and additionally took In the nayyY Do q!
or forget that the cry with which once and ag'
ra they carried the country was Free Trade II
- sailors Rights'-a cry which would make
- Randall, degenerate democrat as he Is, turn
OF with shame ? DO they forget that II was un'
IT, democratic rule, and by democratic care Tor
in navy, that the. most brilliant part Of our hls