Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-12-05
DEBT AND DEFENSE.

The letter of the Hon. Samuel j. Tilden
to the Hon. j. G.. Carlisle concerning our
coast defenses-and the national debt
is most interesting document, and
marks The Old Man OF Greystone
statesman still. The coasts are practi-
cally defenseless, while the property ex-
posed in the cities mentioned in this
letter, according to the estimate oi Mr..
Tilden, is double what the national debt
ever was. The coasts should be defended,
and defended as effectually as science and
wealth can defend them. To do this there
is no necessity to cease paying off the
national debt, although the reduction
might not be so rapid as heretofore. Ii
the choice is between continuance
Of the reduction of the debt
and the continuance OF defense
less coast, we believe it would
be better to let the coasts remain defense-
less for few years longer. The national
debt is still enormous, but not so enor-
nous that the nation may not hope to see
it SO reduced in size by the close OF the
century that it will be a mere bagatelle,
comparatively speaking. Many things
are essential to the conduct of a great
war, or to constitute great nation, but
the sinews of war, money, are an abso-
lutte essential. England has been ena-
bled to more or less sway the destinies of
the world more on account OF her money
than her military prowess. She was en-
abled through her money to form coali-
ton OF the European Powers which finally
succeeded in overwhelming Napoleon
while without British gold Napoleon
would possibly have ruled the world. The
amount OF a nation's debt is to that
amount an incubus upon its resources,
and the sooner it is off the better. By
some it is argued that national debt
is Il good thing, and that ii serves
to hold nation in check Possibly
but one thing is certain, that such debt
holds nation in check when it most
needs full play. The country should be
put in such state OF defense that will
not leave it an easy prey for foreign ma
vies in the event OF war between the
United States and any country, but to do
this it is not necessary to discontinue the
reduction OF the national debt The sci
ence OF war is in state of transition,
and the absolute defense OF to-day may
be absolutely worthless decade hence.
Everything seems now to indicate that
the means OF defense will be found in
superior offensive weapons. Greater
range for artillery must be had for coast
defense, for the guns of such ironclads as
the Devastation " and the "Duillio' u
may stand out to sea beyond the reach
of any of our Rodman guns, and
from their position OF security
raze metropolis. Less reliance is
placed upon submarine warfare than
a few years ago, and the experience
OF the French in the Tonquin war, as re,
lated in late number of the Edinburgh
RegieW, proves that torpedo boats fol
offensive operations are almost useless
where strict watch is kept and vessel.
are provided with the electric light.
1t is now some six months since Lieu
tenant Griffin published his essay OF
coast defenses, and that, together witt
the letter OF Mr. Tilden, will draw the at,
tention OF Congress and the country tC
the necessity OF doing something to pu
the coast in defensive condition, anc
that Immediately,