National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-07-22

porter.
$50 you want to know the causes that
led to our assignment" said John Roach
to q New York Tribune reporter Sunday
night. well, 1 have scarcely had time
to prepare my mind for such talk as I
would care to have printed as coming
from me. But before we go any further
let me ask you to deny with the heaviest
emphasis an outrageous and wickedly
false story in this mornings Herald. It
is a shame and a disgrace to any reputa-
BILE newspaper that IL permits its re-
porters to manufacture interviews with
men, and make them responsible to
thousands of readers for language such
as they would not have thought of using.
You are the first and the only newspaper
man whom have spoken n word to since
mnde the assignment.
"Now as to the causes which have led
up to my assignment; strictly speaking.
IL is not failure; that is to say, my as
signees will be able to pay 81 for every
81 of liabilities If they realize anything
like the real value of my property.
cannot now say what the exact amount
of my liabilities is, nor what the sum of
my assets will be TO meet it, but If | were
not 80 old man, and If had health
awhile longer, 1 could pull things
straight again. If the people under
stood this matter, If the mendacious
free-trade press had not so extensively
deceived, them the failure of John Roach
would be recognized from ocean to
ocean as a national calamity. Twenty
four hundred workingmen, 800 in the
Morgan Iron Works, and twice that
number at Chester, went out OF my shops
Saturday night who will not go back to-
morrow. In these hard times that is
serious matter. This is not party ques.
ton. l have been Republican, but
above that l have first, last, and ever
been an American. It was my great
ambition that our nation should re-
cover its glory and prosperity on
the seas. / wanted to prove
that American merchandise, grown or
made by American workingmen in Amer
lean shops, could be sold the would over
through the medium of American ships
built from iron rolled in our own shops
and of timber cut from our own forests.
/ wanted to prove that we could do bust
ness on our own bottom, and that other
nations with less resources were not more
sagacious and enterprising on the seas
/ have given my life and my fortune to
that end, and even in the presence of this
calamity am proud of what John Roach
has accomplished. Ten years ago an
American minister accredited to Brazilwas
forced to 90 to England in oider to reach
Rio Janeiro To day John Roach's iron
vessels take him there direct. My fleet,
representing millions Of invested capital
and millions of wages that have gone into
the mechanics pockets, and millions of
merchandise bought and sold at southern
ports, cruise along the coast under an
American flag. And the rates of freight
are less than half what they once were.
AT an expense of more than million
erected a ship yard. l built a rolling
mill to prepare my own iron and steel.
employed $500 American workmen. l
Incorporated companies to sail vessels,
and despite the fact that the government
lent me scant encouragement while
foreign governments practically sup
ported their shipbuilders, have proved
that it is possible for us to secure an i'm
mense foreign trade and to become, ii
the government would but lift its con-
senting finger, the greatest sea-tradine
nation of the earth. Traduced and
abused by those men and newspapers
whom foreign interests have subsidized,
and brought into scandal with millions
of nv fellow citizens who were deceived
by them and who did not understand my
purposes, in my old and enfeebled age
and after half century Of toll, have
lost my money and my spirits, but l am
consoled by the fact that the people will
one day understand il all and see at its
real value what have done of good and
they have done of harm to our national
interests.
Business became stagnant about Q
year ago, when the Presidential nomina
lions were being made. The free ship
movement was strong, for it was q
catchy sound. 1t sounds practicable Il
we can buy ships abroad at less than We
can build them here that that is where t.
save the money the fact is that il
is neither fair nor honest nor possible
In dozens of pamphlets, and in argu
ments before Congress, have 80 forclbly
established that fact that the repeal Of
our navigation laws has been invariabl.
defeated. 1t would take too much tint
and space to go into all that here, anc
the Tribune has explained the heres.
time and time again. The Democrat,
party is supposed to be in favor of fret
ships, and VIII, n the election excitemen
began, and the people saw the possibil
ity of Democratic success and the pas
sape of law that would mean the ami
hilation of American shipbuilding, Their
was no business. Carrying companie
would not build ships because the.
did not know how soon the forei n ships
operated by foreign cheap labor, woult
be admitted to drive their business away
All the work, therefore, that have ha'
ON hand has been the construction O
the new dispatch boat and the thre
new cruisers.
II tell you. my friend, that those boat
were condemned before their keels wer
laid. They were condemned in Congress
The Democracy dared not oppose tn
plan of new navy, because IT had be
come very popular notion. The peopl
in mass wanted navy. But they OF
posed the appropriation because as the
claimed in their congressional speeches
the money would not be honestly spent
The appropriation was made against thi
clamor and bids for the work wer
asked for Mine was the lowest bid, bt
cause had far greater facilities Tor tn
work than any other shipbuilder, 81
cured the contracts, and began the wor
of construction. In the meantime I'll
Democracy had come into power, an
prepared to prove their prophecy th'
the appropriation was not honestly spen
The Dolphin strong, substantial, O.
cellent vessel, was condemned on u
most puerile technicalities, and to add
this injustice Mr.. Garland has repudiate
the contracts, and practically said th'
l.,