Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-12-10
THE END OF IT.
Conclusion of the Annual Message OF
President Cleveland to Congress-.

president Cleveland to Congress-.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT-CoNTI
Congress In its last session authorized
| the construction of two additional new
cruisers and two gunboats, at cost not
exceeding III the aggregate $2,995,000
The appropriation for this purpose hav-
ing become available on the first of July
last, steps were at once taken for the
procurement of such plans for the con.
struction of these vessels as would be
! likely to insure their usefulness when
completed. These are of the utmost
importance, considering the constant ad-
vance in the art of building vessels of
this character, and the time is not lost
which is spent in their careful consider
| alton and selection.
Ali must admit the
IMPORTANCE OF AN EFFECTIVE NAVY
to nation like ours, having such an OK.
tended sea coast to protect. Yet we
have not single vessel of war that
| could keep the sea against frst-olass
| vessel of any important power. Such a
condition ought not longer to continue.
The nation that cannot resist aggression
is constantly exposed to it. Its foreign
policy is of necessity weak, and it's nego-
tiations are conducted with disadvan-
| tage because it is not in condition to
enforce the terms dictated by it's sense
of right and justice.
Inspired III am by the hope shared
by all patriotic citizens that the day is
not far distant when our navy will be
such as betits cur standing among the
nations of the earth, and rejoiced at
every step that leads in the direction OF
such contamination, l deem it my
duty to especially direct the attention
of congress to the close of the report of
the secretary Of the navy Ia which the
Illuminating features of the present or.
ganization of this department. is exhibit
ed and the abuses and waste OF his pres
| ent method are exposed. The convic.
1 tion is forced upon US, with the certainty
of mathematical demonstration, that
before we proceed further in the restora.
| tion of the navy we need thoroughly
lreorganized navy department.
The fact that within seventeen, years
more than $75 100000 have been spent
in the construction, repairs. equipment
and armament of vessels, and the
further fact that instead of an effective
and oreditable fleet We have only the
discomfort and apprehension of nation
undefended by war vessels, added to the
disclosures now made, do not permit us
to doubt that every,attempt to revive oul
navy has thus far, for the most part
been misdirected and all our efforts in
that direction have been little better
than blind groupings and expensive
aiDless follies. Unquestionably, if We
are content with the maintenance of 8
navy department simply as an orna
ment to the government, constant
watchfulness'm prevent some of tn,
. scandal and abuse which have founG
their way into our present organization
and it's incurable waste may be reduced
to the minimum. But We desire IL
/ build ships for present use instead o
naval reminders of the days that ar,
past, we must have department organ
ized for the work, supplied with all tn,
, talent and ingenuity our country affords
prepared to take advantage of the expe
rience of ether nations, systematiZed &C
that all efforts shall unite and lead il
one direction and fully imbued will
, the conviction that war vessels though
! new are useless, unless they are to com
bins all that the ingenuity OF man ha
up to this day brought forth relating t.
their construction. l earnestly com
I. mend the portion of the secretarys re
, port devoted to this subject to the &C
tion Of congress, IN the hope that th
suggestions touching the reorganization
of his department may be adopted a
3 the first step the reconstruction Of on
| navy.