The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-12-10
TILDEN TALKS.
The HOnOred Statesman Writes a Long
Letter to Speaker Carlisle.
In which Ho Says the Surplus In the
Treasury should bo Expended In
Strengthening Sea Coast
Defonses,

DEAR AIR, CARLISLE: Az public 0pln-
ion pOiats TO you as the Speaker OF the
nexl Hlnse of Representatives, desire
TO submit q suggestion az TO one OF tho
public objects for which an appr0pria-
ton ought to be prompt and liberal.
"In considering the state and manage
ment Of the public revenues the HnhJbct
| wolves the questions whether we shall
extinguish the surplus by reducing the
revenue, or whether we shall apply the
surplus TO payments on public debt; or,
whether we shall selze the occasion to
provide for our sea coast defenses which
have been long neglected. ! am OF the
opinion that the latter is q paramount
necessity which ought to pTecede the re-
ductiOn OF the revenue and also to pre-.
cede an excessive rapid y In the payment
OF the public debt. The property exposed
to destruction In the twelve seaports'--
Portland, Portsmouth, Boston, Newport,
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans,
Galveston and San Franciac0--cannot be
less In value than Ave thousand millions
Cf dollars. To this must DO added vast
amount of property dependent for 10
use on these seap0rts. Nor does this
statement afford true measure OF
THE DAMAGE WHICH MIGHT BE CAUSED
to the property and business Of the coun'
try by a failure TO protect these aeapOrts
from hostile naval attacks. They are
the centers not only OF foreign com
meTce, but OF most OF the Internal trade
and exchanges OF domestic productions,
To this state OF things the machinery OF
transportation OF the whole country has
become adapted. The interruption OF
the currents Of traffic by tho Occnpa lon
OF one or more Of our principal seaports
by u foreign enemy, or the destruction
Of them by blmbardment, or the holding
over them the menace OF destruction for
the purpose Of exaclng contribution or
ransom, would Il ilcl upon the property
and bu 'lness OF the country an Injury
which can neither be f0Tseen nor meas
urtd, The elaborate aud costly l0rtlllcl'
tiOns, which were con lructed with the
greatest engineering skill, are now prac.
tlcally useless. They are not capable OF
resisting the attacks OF modern artillery,
"a STILL GRFATgR D6FgoT
exists In our coast defenses, Tho range
OF the beAt modern artillery has become
40 extended that our present fortified,
tiOns designed 10 protect tho harbOr OF
New York, where twOHhlrds OF the im-
port trade aud more than one'hall Of The
export trade OF the whole United States
In carried on, ara too near TO the great
population OF New York city, Jersey City
and Brooklyn to be OF any value ~
protection.
40 provide elfectual defense would be
the work OF years II would take much
time 10 construct permanent f0rtilica'
tiOns, A small provision OF the btat
modern guna would take several years,
Neither Of these woyks can DO extempor-
ized In the presence OF emergent danger.
A million Of soldiers with tho best equip
ments on the heights surrounding the
harbor OF New York, In our present state
Of preparation, or rather In our total
want OF preparation, would be powerl0as
to resist small squadron OF war steam
ers. This state Of things Ia
DIscREDITABLE TO OUR FORESIGHT
and to our prudence The best guarantee
against aggression, the best assurance
that our diplomacy will be successful
ard pacific and that our rights and honor
will be respected by oil nations ia In
their knowledge that we are In q aitna
tion 10 vlndlcate our reputation and ln-
terests. While we may afford 10 DO do
1clent In the means OF Uifanae, we eau.
not afford TO be defeneeleas. The not0rie-
~ OF the fact that we have neglected
the ordinary precautions OF defense In.
vites want Of consideration In our diplo.
macy. injustice, arrogance aud Insult at
the hands Of foreign nations,
"lt Ia now more than sixty years since
we announced 10 tho world that wo
should resist any attempts, from what
ever quarter they might come, To make
any new colonization Oh any part OF the
American continents that while we
should respect the status quo we should
protect the people Of the different na-
tions lnha6iting this continent from
every attempt 10 subject them 10 the
dominion OF any foreign power or 10 In.
terlere with their undstnrbed exer,
else Of the rights Of self government,
This announcement waa formally made
by President Monroe, after consultation
with Mr., Madison aud Mr. JrlfaraOn II
was formulated by Johu Quincy Adams,
Our government has lrmly
ADHERED TO THE MONROE DOCTRINE,
aud even no late a. 1855 II warned Ma.
pole0n III, out Of Mexico.
ut " impossible TO fOresoo In the 70.
cent scramble OF the European powers
for acquisition OF colonies, how soon an
occasion may arise for our putting In
practice the Monroe doctrine " IN clear
that there ought 10 be come relation be.
tween our assertion OF that doctrine aud
our preparation TO maintain ",
ut II not intended t0 recommend any
attempt TO rival the great European pow.
ERA IN the creation OF u powerful navy.
The changes which have rapidly occur.
red by the dlminutlOn OF the relative 10.
Stating power Of the defensive Ormor OF
ironclads. aud by the indorsed efficiency
OF modern artlllery-which on the whole
has gained In the competitlon.-euggest
that we should not, nv present, enter
largely Into the creation OF armored
vessels. In the questions that beeet
this subject until they have reached u |
solution, we can content ourselves with
adding but eparingly TO our navy. But
what we 90 add
SHOULD DE TBE VERY DEsT
that science and experience can indl.
cato. This prudential view In rein.
forced by tho consideration that the m.
nual charge OF maintaining u war ves.
eel hears an important proportion TO the
original cost Of constr IuctiOn.
"ln constructing perman nj fortlH.
cations, aud In providing an ample sup
ply Of the beat ul0itru artillery, the an
nual coat Of mainteuauce IL inconeider.
able Nearly the whole expenditure Ia |
In the original outlay or construction,
| we do lot make ho expenditure nee.
eaebry 10 Prov o for 0Ui ~ tacoapt defen.
eeg when VIZ have n surplus, aud have
no need 10 levy now txep, WI certainly
will not make those expenditures when