Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-06
sUNpAY........DECEMBER 6, 1885,
Mr.. Tilden's Letter.

New York papers and congressman
oppose nearly every bill that comes up
in Congress for the improvement Of the
rivers Of this country. Whether 1t be
the ietties at the mouth Of the Missis-
sippi, or the smaller streams near the
head Of that great inland sea-whether
James river or the Ohio, New York
pronoupces the scheme for their
Improvement "a job" And this,
though the Government has expended
millions upon millions Of dollars in the
improvement OF the approaches to New
York harbor and the harbor itself.
Mr.. TILDEN is an opponent OF river
and-harbor bills, such as are generally
passed by Congress. but he is none the
less an ardent advocate of the expendi-
ture of Government money to render
New York city safe in the presence of
the armed vessels Of a national enemy.
And in order to secure round sum OF
money for use in New York, he con-
sents to allow other cities to come in
for a share Of UNCLE SANS bounty.
Is New York liable to be bombarded
by public enemy? That city is ac-
cessible but what Of that? Nations
do not 20 TO war because stronger
nation has ne forts. There must be
some other impelling reason. AS well
say that Tom THUMB would be foolish
enough to attack the kentucky giant
because his hands were in his pocket.
There is no nation in the world that is
not weak in comparison with the United
States, and there is no statesman worthy
Of the name in any nation who does
not know that his country would in
the end have to pay the costs Of war
with such power as the United States.
In aword this country is so powerful that
there is not nation on the globe that
would dare to attack it.
We endorse Mr.. TILDEN's declara-
ton that "the best guarantee against
aggressions, the best assurance that our
diplomacy will be successful and pacific,
and that our rights and honor will be
respected by other nations, is in their
knowledge that we are in situa-
tion to vindicate our reputation
and interests" That's it exactly.
They knop our strength, and will never
challenge its exercise against them. In
q hundred years-most Of them years
Of weakness on our part-no nation
worthy of being mentioned in this con-
nection except England has declared
war against us. England is totally ~
capable Of the folly Of doing so now.
Where is there any other nation that
would do this foolish thing Nowhere.
Mr.. TILDEN's fears are groundless.
We move to expend the money in i'm
proving rivers and harbors--not in OBJ
structing them.
The MONROE document will need no
armed vessels to enforce it. The know
ledge that we have sixty millions Of
people and that this is the richest coun-
try in the world will, as Mr.. TILDEN's
language justifies US in saying he knows,
guarantee UNCLE SAM against having
his hat knocked off by any ruler under
the sun.
Mr.. TILDEN speaks for New York
sgain when he attempts to ridicule the
proposition to abolish oil internal taxes
by styling it proposition to take the
tax off whiskey. The State Conven-
tions of the Democratic party in Vir-
ginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, and no doubt other States
declared few years ago in favor ofthe
measure, and we would ike to see it
successful, though we cannot say that
the prospects Of its success are very
bright.