The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-12-11
TILDEN TO CARLISLE.
HE URGES 1.-THE SuRPLUsu SHALL BE
ExTINGUrSHED IN SEA COAST
DEFENsES.
Its Date OF Publication Appears Diseourteous
to the President.

Jonn ". Cariisle:
GREYsToNE, YeNKERs, n. Y,
December /, 1885.
Dear Mr.. Carlisle:
As public opinion points to you as the
Speaker of the next House Of Representa-
tives desire to submit a suggestion as to |
one of the public objects for which an appro. |
priatlon ought TO be provided and liberal
one. In considering the state and manage |
ment Of public revenues the subject involves
questions whether we shall extinguish the |
surplus by reducing the revenue or whether
we shall apply the surplus TO payments on
the public debt, or whether we shall seize
the occasion to provide for our sea coast de-
fenses, which have been long neglected. l
am of the opinion that the latter is of para
mount necessity and ought to precede the
reduction of revenue and ought also to pre-
cede an excessive rapidity in the payment of
the public debt. The property exposed to
destruction in twelve seaports, Portland,
Portsmouth, Boston, Newport, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, Savan-
nah, New Orleans, Galveston, and San
Francisco, cannot be less in value than five
billions Of dollars. This must be added to
the vast amount of property dependent for
its use on these seaports. Nor does this
statement afford a true measure of the dam
age which might be caused TO the property
and business OF the country by failure to
protect these seaports from hostile naval
attacks. They are the centers not only of
foreign commerce but of most of the inter-
national trade and exchanges of domestic
productions. Interruption of the currents
of traffic by the occupation of one or more
of our principal seaports by foreign enemy,
the destruction of them by bombardment,
or the holding over them of menace of
destruction for the purpose of exacting con-
tribution or ransom, would infct upon the
injury which can neither be foreseen nor
measured. The elaborate and costly forti-
fcations which were constructed with the
greatest engineering skill are now practically
useless. They are not capable of resisting
the attacks of modern artillery.
A still greater defect exists in our coast
defenses. The range of the best modern
artillery has become so extended that our
present Notifications, designed to protect the
harbor of New York where two-thirds of the
import trade and more than one half of the
export trade Of the whole United States is
carried on, are toe near TO the great popula-
tions of New York City, Jersey City, and
Brooklyn to be of any value as protection.
To provide effectual defenses would be
work of years. II would take much time
to construct permanent Notifications. A
small provision of the best modern guns
would take several years. Neither Of these
works can be ex,emporized in the presence
of emergent danger. A million soldiers,
with the Oest equipments, on heights com
handing the harbor of New York In our
present state of preparation, or rather in our
total want of preparation, would be power
less TO resist q small squadron of war steam
trs. This state of things Is discreditable TO
our foresight and prudence. The best guar
antee against aggression, the best assuran ,es
that our diplomacy will be successful and
pacific and our rights and honor be respected
by other nations, is In their knowledge that
we are In a situation TO vindicate our repu-
Lation and interests. While we may afford
to be deficient in the means of offense we
cannot afford TO be defenseless. The note
worthy fact thst we have neglected ordinary
precautions of defense invites q want of con-
sideration in our diplomacy, injustice, AFRO
gance and insult at the hands of foreign
nations.
1t Is now more than sixty years siHce we
announced to the world that we should re-
sist any attempts, from whatever quarter
they might come, to make any new coloni-
cations on any part of the American CONT
nent; that while we should respect the stdtu
quo we should protect the peoples of the
different nations inhabiting this continent
from every attempt to subject them to the
dominancy Of any foreign powers or to inter-
fere with their undsturbed exercise of the
rights of self-government: This announce
ment was formally made by President Mon
roe after consulting with Madison and JEFF
erson. 1t was formulated by John Quincy
Adams. Our government has fairly adhered
to the Monroe doctrine, and even as late as
1865 warned Napoleon Ill. out of Mexico.
1t is impossible to forsee from the indecent
scramble Of European powers for the acqui.
sition of colonies, how soon an occasion may
arise for our putting in practice the Monroe
doctrine. II is clear that there ought TO be
some relation between our assertion of that
doctrine and our preparations 10 maintain it.
II Is not intended TO recommend any attempt
to rival the great European powers in the
creation of powerful navy. The changes
which have rapidly occurred by diminution
of the relative resisting power of defensive
armor Of iron clads, and by the increased
efficiency Of modern artillery, which on the
whole has gained in competition. suggests
that we should not at present enter largely
into the creation of armored vessels. In the
questions that beset this subject until they
have reached a solution, we should content
ourselves with adding but sparingly to our
navy. But what we do add should be the
very best that science or experience can
indicate. This prudential view is reinforced
by the consideration that the annual expense
of maintaining war vessels bears an impor-
tant proportion to the original cost of con-
structiog permanent Notifications and pro-
viding an ample supply of the best modern
artillery. In the latter the annual cost Of
maintenance Is inconsiderable. Nearly the
whole expenditure is in the original outlay
Of construction. five do not make the ex-
penditure now which Is necessary 10 provide
for our sea coast defense, and while we have
a surplus and have no need to levy new
taxes, we certainly will be compelled 10
make these expenditures when We have no
larger surplus In the treasury.
To leave our vast Interests dtfrnseless in
order to reduce the cost Of Whiskey TO Its
consumers would be q solecisin.. The pres
ent time rs peculiarly favorable for providing
for this great national necessity, too long
neglected. Not only does the surplus in
the treasury supply the means to meet this
great public want without laying new bur
dens on the people, but the work can now
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