Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-08-07

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Mast Open n shspynra 20 Brace EHis
Chances far Re-eIecii0n.
Washington Dispatch 10 New York Times.
The committee called for by the resolu
ion yesterday introduced by Mr.. Gum
ningH may, il Mr.. Reed does not smother
he resolution or insist that the House
shall not Dass it. turn up good deal OF
Information that will be interesting about
the two vessels that the Secretary of thu.
Navy has directed to be re 2air d at Ports
mouth or at Klttery. The state OF things
now may not be 30 different from that In
1876, when kr. WEitthorne reported that
vt the navy yards, whsn elections were
pending, men Were ordered to be put ut
| work on vessels that had bsen undergoing
repairs for thee or four years. II may
not be found, as il was found at that
time, that old vessels were kept on hand
for no other purpose than to employ men
upon them to make repairs, and that
while the vessels were not OF much con
= alence they were described 90 .,good
enough Morgans until after election"
table prepared at that time showed
that the emp oyment of men at the yards,
and particularly at the Kittery Yard, wa
greater before an election and that it fell
on IS soon as the election had passed.
Daring the examination Constructor
Webb, of the Kittery Yard. testified that
the list of men to be employed was made
out Tor the commandment, and that il WAS
known to be made out for political pur.
poses, and that when they failed TO ap
point the men who had been picked on.
it was not considered beneath the dignity
OF the Secretary of the Navy to order,
over his signature, the employment of
man of extremely bad reputation.
This same witness wont on to say that
when the election was approaching in
Maine the excess of employees was drawn
from that state and that when there was
q New Hampshire election coming on the
Maine msn were dropped and New Aamp.
shire men put on in their places.
The Lancaster ought to be pretty much
at home at Portsmouth Navy Yard. She
has spent nearly all her life there, under.
going repairs, at great cost to the gov
eminent. Six yeats ago report VS.
taade to the Senate by Secretary Chan
der of the condition of vessels Rt the
lime borne on the naval register. Ac-
aording to that report the Lauoaster,
which was built In 1858, had cost origin
ally $3.50, 900 and had been repaired at d
cost of ST. 657 2iO, 80 that she repre-
tented en- expenditure of 50 ,327 29t.
This is the vessel that in 1876 was re-
fsrred to in the report of Chief Hanscom,
o. the Bureau o. Construction and Re-
pairs, included in the report of the See
retary of the Navy for 1876. The Lancas
ter is put down us .'rotten at Portsmouth,:
probable cost Of repairing, $750,000; NO,
worth it" The Tioonderoga, "half rot
an utzfad oil 81
sas, 'rotten," was at the same yard.
The Monongahela mas had her share OF
attention from the voters who lived by
repairs. She was built in 1862. He.
original cost was S435, 72O. Up to 1883
when Secretary Chandler made his ~
port, ii had cost 10 repair her little
more than $3.50. 900. She has undoubtedly |
been repair d 1t some cost since 1888, or |
'he is one of tine most inexpensive shjps |
in the navy. Mt. Reed ought to be will |
ing to help the navy department to be |
economical by allowing committee OF |
friends in Congress to fad out whether
this ship is worth repairing, or if sue il
IA the condition in which the Lancaster
vas reported to be in 1876.
The startling report of 1876 will be |
road with good deal of interest by those
who have noticed that 'the needs OF pub
10 service make it necessary at this
lime to increase tho force employed at
ne navy yard, Portsmouth, N. a." Thu
'aport stated that .the use of the navy
ards of the country as political engines
s fact which it is admitted has existed
or great many years. Their prostitu-
ion by the pc itioiens OF both parties
vas carried to such an extreme length
hat 1t became necessary, several ysare
go, in response to the demands OF the
,eople, to reform the gross abuses in
his regard. The law has been
'penly, deisntly, and oorruptIy disre.
arded."
1t was found that fully $1,00o 1000 .
ear during election years had been taken
rom the treasury by corrupt voters, and
had been done wilfully, in face OF the
aw and 10 control the elections.