National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-07-08
Providing Tor the Navy.

The building OF an effective navy must
be postponed until the republicans control
both branches Of congress, or, at least, un-
til man of larger ideas and more liberal
spirit than Mr.. Randall is put at the head
of the house committee on appropriations.
After long contest between the two
houses the naval appropriation bill MS
amended by tho senate was dropped, and
bill was substituted appropriating asum
equal to so per cent. of the amount
appropriated by the naval bill of last year
for ordinary expenses, $l,750,000 for the
four new steel cruisers now being built
and S5o90DO for arming them. Mr.. Ran
dali fought stoutly against the appropria- =
tion for buying guns for the new ships,
but was overruled by the house.
The senate amended tho original bill so
az to provide for tho building of seven
additional war ships aud the completing
of the four double-turretted monitors,
struction for somo years. but are still lying
in an unfinished state. twas this proposed
enlargement of the navy that caused tho
long struggle between the republican
majority in the senate and the demo-
cratic majority in the house. The OBJ
ect of the senate in holding out was to
save the bill as 1t stands for action Mt the
next session. 1t will again go to a
committee Of conference, aud the country
having in the meantime passed upon the
kn n. IL
Randall and his followers may conclude
to stand aside and allow the new ships tC
be built.
No embarrassment will be caused by
the passage of the compromise bill. The
basis on which the appropriations for the
next six months were computed was fixed
when both houses Of congress were repub
| lican, and the several sums will be suC'
ilcent to meet current expenses and tc
carry ON the ordinary operations Of thu
navy. One Of the monitors, the Monad
mock, is being built on the Pacific coast
A balance of $4,000 of the sum appro
priated for engines for this vessel re-
mained to its credit. Mr.. Randall's COM
promise bill contains clause requiring
that this unexpended balance shall bt
covered into the treasury, thus indicating
II to be the sense of the democratic ma
jority that no more work shall be done oi
the Monadnock under any circumstance
or any of the other monitors except unde
existing contracts,
This action is exceedingly distasteful
the people of California, all of whom
without distinction of party, are anxious
that there should be powerful vessel i
San Francisco harbor to protect tho city
in case of war. Any maritime power tina
has cruisers in the Pacific ocean could la
San Francisco under contribution long be
fore fleet from the east could come to IL
defense by way of Cape Horn. Th
democratic representatives from tha
state have good reason to be indignant a
Mr.. Randall for committing the demo
cratic majority to policy which th
people of California will certainly cor
demn at the ballot box,
Another piece Of unwise economy wa
the killing of an item in the defcienc
bill appropriating $4,000 for repairin
tho dry dock at the Brooklyn navy yard
There are fresh water springs under thi
dock which have started the stone foo
from its foundations, and when the waite
spumped out and the arch is relieved frol
pressure above it rises at least an incl
If this dock should collapse some da
when vessel is on the blocks all tn
workmen would stand good chance I
being drowned. There are sometime
considerations of humanity as we'll a
public policy to bO taken account Of
dealing with appropriations. Mr., RaI
dali is so anxious to earn the reputatiO
of an economist thar he often overlook
: the best interests of the country, an
} even the best interests of the Democrat
lpartY. ,