Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-07
HkRBOR DEFENsEs.

Il is not surprising that Democratic
Senators should oppose, as they did last
week, the demand for the strengthening of
oar barber defenses. 1t is all very well to
pirate of our strength, our ability to resist
invasion, our capacity te put million
soldiers into harness and 10 feat navy III
three months. What of it? The damage
the nation would sustain in case of foreign
assault would not be renedied by repulse.
Whatwe need is such preparation, such
constant maintenance of strong defenses
upon exposed coasts that assault will be
prevented by that very readiness. Senator
Cocberill had this to say:
The American people feared nobody; that
they worshipped at the shrine of an everlasting,
almighty Jehovah, and not at the feet of any
single power on earth, or of all combined; that
it babe them defiance. and that the talk abort
the necessity for Notifications was not only
womanly but childish. The Senator from Nc
Tada need have no fear. He would never see
foreign power levying contributions on San
Francisco, New York, Charleston, Mobile, Gal
weston, or any other city in the United States.
rs TO Canada, the militia of the border States
could take care of her, and do it in very short
time. Ii CanGda should cross the border in
hostile array every solitary foot of that country
would be under the power and jurisdiction of
the United States within sixty days. 1t would
not De even a skirmish, and as to Great Britain,
a war with the United states would be the
death-knell of that power, and her statesmen
knew it.
All which amounts to this that ma
tions are to be frightened, Or at least kept
in nervous fear Of us because of the
strength We could develop in an emer-
gency. But what sort of statecraft is It
that neglects ordinary precautions Of de-
Tense, trusting to the fear of armed powers
to arouse the slumbering anger Of the
American people? In the ordinary view
it seems to be the hight of folly TO trust for
defense to the fear we inspire by boasts
Of what we can do if so minded The
true policy for nation is to maintain her
harbor defenses, equip 4 navy 50 well that
it will command respect in all waters, and
be power as well for Intervention as for
defense The cost of such maintenance
nous cost inseparable from hasty prepar-
alton for war out of 4 condition of non
preparation. The disturbance to the III
dustries of the country would cost Us ten
times the sum, and more, in case Of assault
upon lines where no precautions of defense
have been taken. Senator Hawley, in
arguing the necessity of increased army
appropriations to augment the strength of
our coast defensss hy equiping them with
proper guns, well said:
With an appropriation of 5000, 900 90 guns
could be constructed, but THAI il would take
some five or six years to cxpend the 5000 600.
If the American people were driven to war and
were humlliated, then the men who argue
against the policy of providing guns would hide
themselves and would call upon the mountains
TO fall upon them. The English themselves
we're surprised at the caTelessneSs of tde Uuitei
states IN regard to war preparation, and as ed
was there ever such a happy-go-lucky reliance
on luck since the world began? This country,
with Its 60,g0O,uOO people, was monstrOus mass
OF potential power, but against modern steel
guns 1t was no more effective than u dead
whale.
The Democrats appear to be so bound
up in Mr.. Cleveland's tariff reduction
measures that they are willing to put all
interests of the country at stake in order
to prevent any expenditure of the surplus;
that must be held rs a menace over the
people in order to fortify the Cleveland
policy.