The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-08-06
The Work of Democratic Free Trade

they do ?
The Work of Democratic Free Trade
Mr.. John Roach's assignment seems to
disturb the Democrats very much. The
popular belief is that it was forced by the
action of the Secretary OF the Navy and
the Attorney General, and feeling that the
suspension of such an extensive industry.
throwing out of employment SO many
workingmen at this time of depression
will seriously damage Democratic pros
poets in the New Y ork election this fall,
they are trying to break the effect
To this end. they are raking over the re-
cords of the Navy Department to find out
how much has been paid to Mr.. Roach,
for repairs of ships, &C., since he has been
in business, and to make it as large as pos
Sible, they include the whole war period.
The New York Post publishes state
ment showing what Mr.. John Roach has
received for repairs and construction OF
naval vessels since 1862. 1t says he re-
ceived S., 957 900 out of $50, 900 spent
for new machinery in the bureau of steam
engineering. About thirty contractors
received money from this department.
Since 1878, in the bureau of construction
and repair, Mr.. Roach received nearly
S4 900 900 out of $75,OO0,0 The total
amount paid Mr.. Roach by the Navy De-
partment since 1868 to date is $40, 1888 ,626.
1t is known that during the war period,
the government being without an efficient
navy, extraordinary efforts were made to
supply war vessels, and every ship-yard in
the country was engaged in government
work. Yet notwithstanding Mr.. Roach s
extensive facilities for ship building, he
only was given work to the amount OF
$4,000 900 out of about $75,0OO,C00 ex-
pended between 1862 and 1885, according
to Democratic showing. From 1865 to
1885, exclusive of the cruisers still unfin-
ished, he received So 900, 900 from the gov
eminent and $57 900, 900 from private par
ties, making total of $50 GOO, 600 worth OF
work done. His government contracts here
tofore furnished not more than 5 per cent.
of the whole volume of his business as
ship-builder. Mr.. Roach did not depend
upon the government to keep up his ex-
tensive ship industry, but was mostly en-
ployed in executing contracts for private
parties.
There is another palpable misstatement
by the Democratic press OF the amount
appropriated to ship-tuilding since 1860.
From the close of the war to 1885, exclud-
ing the four vessels Roach had contracted
to build, and which contract the govern
ment has repudiated, there was exactly
Sc, 200, OOOappropiated, instead of $500, ooo,-
600 as stated by the Democratic papers.
The Chicago 1nter-Oceaa has been to some
trouble to look into the comparative ex-
penditures of this country and other ma
lions in the line Of ship-building, and has
discovered that while the American gov
erment has been expanding this $9 1900 600,
the Argentine Republic has expended
$5,000,0 600; Chill, $7,000,OOO; Holland,
$28, 100000; France, $90,000,0OO; Russia,
$40, 900, 600; Germany, $3S,oO0,0O0; Aus
tria, 1896, $50, Turkey, $17 ,228, 260 ::
Brazil, $40 ,OOO, 900 and England 100000
900. The revolution in naval warfare IN
troduced by our contest in the civil war,
and rendering all previous styles OF ships,
guns and fortresses absolutely worthless,
has caused an expenditure in naval con-
struction by other nations OF fully $780,
1000, while the United States has ex-
pended the pitiful sum of $3,200,000. Yet
the Democratic papers recklessly assert
that not less than $300,000,000 has been
expended; and yet we have no navy! 1t
is only necessary to point to the figures
above to show how false have been the
assumptions of the Democratic papers and
how indefensble their falsehoods, delib-
erately perpetrated to deceive the mass OF
the people.
The amount of So 100000 paid to John
Roach in fifteen years was for repairs, eX-
Guiding the five vessels referred to, and the
breaking of the contract for the construc-
tion of which caused his suspension. This
is the extent of the fostering care" of
the government to his great enterprise
which employed so much Of American Ia
Dor land this is the extent of the crediblllty |
that can be attached to the statements of |
the Democratic press. They lie to de-
ceive, and the administration has deliber
ately declared null and void, "a contract for
the purpose of prosecuting protective
Republican whose endeavors were d.
rected to the advancement of American
labor.
Free Trade Democracy seems to re-
joice in the destruction of American in
dustries and will hesitate at nothing to
paralyze the arm of labor in this country,
in order to build up and encourage British
industries and give employment to foreign
labor at the expense of our own country.
Bad Treatment
The Valley was ignored by the Demo-
cratic party in the formation of the State
ticket, notwithstanding there were num-
Der of aspirants. Hon. John T. Harris,
Hon. c. 7. O'Ferrall, DR.. S. H. Moffett
Ind Holmes Conrad, Esq, each was
possibility for the first position, and sew
.ral of them thought the chances for
he lightning to strike them was more
han good. Then HI. st. Geo. Tucker.
ESQ.,, of Staunton, and Col. w. A. Amber
on, Esq. of Rockbridge, were spoken of