The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-06-13
The Dolphin and the Democrats.

The Dolphin and the Democrats.
The Dolphin has now successfully per-
formed all the stints set by Secretary Whit
ney, and, much TO the disgust of the Secreta-
ry and the Democratic newspapers no doubt
there appears to be ground on which her ac
ceptanse by the government can be refused
longer. 1t would be profitable occupation
perhaps, for the experts in naval architec-
ture who have been editing the scientific
columns of the Democratic press for some
months past to look back and see how close
ly their predictions in regard to the Dolphin
have been verified. 1t might convince them
that before they again perform as experts
1t would be well to acquire some knowledge
Of the subject of naval architecture other
than can be got by reading the speeches of
Democratic Congressman.
The Dolphin was built on a contract en-
tered into by Republican administration
with shipbuilder who was Republican.
The contract went to him simply because he
was the lowest bidder But long before she
was completed the experts of the Democrat
ic press began to predict that she was des-
tined TO turn out failure. They had not
seen the ship and knew little, if anything,
about the plans on which she was construct
ed, but they did know that she was being
built by Republican. That was sufficient
ground in their eyes to condemn her. When
Secretary Whitney, because of hot journal,
an incident very common to new machinery
and one that does not imply any serious
fault of construction, the enthusiasm of
these experts knew no bounds. 'We told
you So" "John Roach builds ships with
view of having them break down, SO he can
get more jobs repairing them," ''The Dol
phin will do well enough tied TO ths wharf,
but is not staunch enough to stand the rack
of her machinery in motion" "She was
built in the expectation that when compile
ted Mr.. Blaine would be President and that
she would be accepted without TRAP
these were some of the assertions of The
prominent Democratic journals, and they
were taken up and reiterated by the smaller
| fry in all sections of the country. Mr.. Roach
was abused in style that would be consid-
cred harsh even if applied to convicted
swindlers like Fish and Ward, and Secretary
Whitney was covered all over with compli-
ments for his skill and frmness in confound-
ing the swindling Republican shipbuilder.
1t is hard to recall any performance of the
Democratic party quite SO indecent and with
SO little excuse as this raid upon Mr.. Roach
and his ship. 1t was not the result of fear
that the government would be imposed
upon, for the government was amply
protected by the terms of the con-
| tract. 1t was not the result of con-
viction that the Dolphin was poor ship, for
it was begun long before the failure of the
first trial trip had given any grounds for
such suspicion. 1t had it's origin simply
in the fact that William e. Chandler was
Secretary of the Navy when the contract for
her construction was awarded, and the
further fact that the gentleman who was
awarded the contract was Republican and
a strong believer in the protective theory.
| This is the whole secret of the Democratic
raid on John Roach and the Dolphin.