The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-10
A DEMOURATIC AMERICAN NAVY.

We have read of the time when the House
of Commons remained in wise and mastery
inactivity" The inaction of the present
Democratic House of Representatives is not
of that character. A party endowed with
principles and having the courage of its con
victions would not waste time by ingloriOus
inaction. The Democratic House let's Il
dare not wait upon l would because it
seeks mere party success rather than the
establishment of any principle. The do
nothing strategy of Mcclellan applied to civil
polity is Democratic innovation. Days have
crept into weeks, and weeks into months, and
still, so far as any practical legislation is con-
cerned. all is quiet on the Potomac. The
great Democratic party Is wasting the peoples
time and money in the vain attempt at
making record for the coming campaign.
It is preaching economy in the land and prac
ticing parsimony in Congress,
The inventions of the last decade in ships
and guns have revolutionized naval warfare.
All the powers Of the world are rapidly adapt
ing themselves b this changed con-
dition Of binga excepting the
United Sfaaes The Democratic House,
under the Leadership of Mr. Randall, sets its
face like flint against the building of an
American navy. Prudence, economy and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in favor Of its construc-
D,14- nd on,
the eve of presidential contest and so the
Democratic party opposes the building of
ships-at this time.
The Democratic party is nothing if not
Jeffersonian 1t satisfies itself with clarifying
and enacting in its party platforms the ex-
ploded heresies and proyincialisms of Jeffer-
SON. This is the vice of the Democratic party.
1t has never been able TO pull away from the
Jeffersonian anchorage. 1t has never grasped
growth and development, its wants, and re-
sources, and capabilities, In the march of
progress it has remained in the rear. It has
never realized the new order of things. And
so its ideas of an American navy to-day are
the ideas Of Jefferson, which we're provincial
even in his time. The world moves but the
Democratic party stands still 1t is alike Gu
rious and instructive to note the parallelsm
in the action of the Democratic Congress in
regard to the navy and Jefferson's idea He
is In truth the father of the Democratic party,
and the child is a chip off the old block. In
a letter TO John Adams, dated Nov. |, 1922,
speaking of his action looking toward an
American navy, during Westinghouse admin
istration, jefferson says
II thought that the public
safety might require some additional vessels
of strength to be prepared and in readiness
for the first moment Of war provided they
could be preserved against the decay which
is unavoidable, if kept in the water. and clear
of the expense Of officers and men. With
this view, | proposed that they should be
built in dry docks, above the level of the
tide-waters, and covered with roofs. fur
ther advised that places for these docks
should be selected where there was com
mand of water, on high level, as that of the
Tiber at Washington, by which the vessels
pIe of lock Yet nav
is a very expensive engine. It Is ad-
mitted that even in ten or twelve
years vessel goes into entire decay; Or, if
kept In repair, costs as much as would build a
aew one; and that nation who would count