New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-09
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
THE PRESIDENT AND THE RECIPROCITY
TREATIES.
SENATOR 1NGALLs's CRITICISM OF AMERICAN
NAVAL AMBITIoNs-wHAT THE NAVY
JAS DONE FOR sHIPBUILDING-
THE COPYRIGHT LAW.

washington, March Sine fresluenI III uhe
last few days following the adjournment of Con-
gress has given his entire time to the consdera-
ton of treaties authorized under the Mckinley
Dill Tor the advancement of our trade with coun-
tries south of us. Cuba has been the subject
Of negotiation for some time and the conclusion
has been about reached between this Government
ana Spain for mutual concessions. There are
several other South American countries which are
about ready to take part in the general reciprocity
plan OF the Administration. Indeed, there is a
general tendency throughout South America to
cooperate in the heartiest spirit with the Presl-
dent IN securing the greatest possible mutual bene-
nus under the power given him by Congress-
something of the character of the opposition to
thls policy Of the Government is shown IN
recent publication in the form of dispatch by
caplc from Brazil in which 1t was declared That
the recent treaty published by the State De-
partment with that country had not been ratified
and would not lie. This declaration has been
widely circulated. but it was such u declaration
OF ignorant misrepresentation that the Depart
ment has not cared to officially take notice Of IT,
There is no necessity for ratification of the
treaty promulgated. 1t has been already rati-
fed. The original declaration that it was not
ratified was sent out by an English correspondent
OF British syndicate which has large interests
In Rio The history Of the Brazilian treaty is sim
pie. IL was ratified through Senior Mendonca, the
Brazilian Minister. lie first obtained Mr.. Bainc'S
views of what was possible in the shape of
formal proposition. lie carried this to Brazil, OBJ
tanned the approval of the proposition submitted.
and brought one back from his country. He also
obtained full authority to negotiate and to ratify
any agreement following the line Of his nstruc-
tions. lie thus concluded the negotiations in
nj nf,op ,I,ot- fuIl tod
the treaty was made the subject of a proclamation
by the President This is in answer to critics
who would place the Administration in the silly
position of parading a treaty of which only one
side had been completed.
1t is said TO lie Il principle of journalism that
all beginners adopt the line of attack as the best
means of showing their quality. Ex-senator
Insas'S debut in journalism adhcrcs TO this ira
dtiOn His article on the Navy has attracted
some attention al Washington on account Of the
exaggerated rcpur,S Of its alleged virulcncc.
Upon examination, however, il is found that
the article is not at all violent and is in 10 way
up To the Senator's reputation a man Of ability
and information He makes exactly two points
in his article One is that under an annual scare
Of war with Great Britain great and cXtrayagant
sums are forced out Of Congress to spend upon
q navy, which, in II few short years, Will I've made
useless by future improvements. lie cites the
War OF the Rebellion in evidence to the rapidity
with which We could produce navy, if need he,
ant' reasons that there is no need therefore, OF
long advance preparation for remote war pos
sihility. Coming from any one else, such decla-
ration would be regarded as weak Coming from
Senator ingalls,. it is politely called careless and
thouchtcSs. The country was then engaged in
a. hot, Had, no IN
that were built at that time were simply used
for blockade purposes and were never called in
conflict with anything approaching modern
ship-of-war In the second place, there was not
4 shin built during the war that was retained
on the active list of the Navy after the war closed
The only ships that we had left then for gen
cral service foreign stations were the old
wooden ships built before the war. The second
point made by Mr. ingalls, was that, after all
;hc scare about war, England had quietly put
this country in a Imaginable position by appearing
in the supreme Court to submit the question in
dispute for arbitration. and that was the end OF
tic whole "pothcr" Surely Mr.. Ingalls, is IA
miar enough with the case in the Supreme Court
to know that this is just what the English author
tiles have not done. They have put in catch
case hopinp 10 cmharrasS this Government, but
they have distinctly stated through their Official
organ The London Times, that III the event
of an adverse decision they would not be bound
by such adverse decision. The view concerning
tile development of the Navy may be one which
will please the Farmers Alliance people, who
take no broader view OF their country than Is pre-
scnted 10 them from the side OF some dcSo!ate
patch of prairie, but il Is not in keeping with
any view of modern craftsmanship. Inc con
dtiOn u! affairs has greatly changed IN thc last
twenty-five years. The development OF ordnance
alone has been great that enormous investments
will have to he made to enable uS % compete with
the world in the manufacture of guns. The tact
that are perfectly prepared Tor wax IS Inc
ONLY absolute guarantee that We Will never have
one What is invested in the Navy represents
nothing more nor less than an insurance. that any
good business enterprise would regard as mod
crate percentage upon the property secured.
In another way the building Of a great navy is n
distinct encouragement to private enterprise We
have made such progress III shlpbuuding during
the few years that the Government has been build
ing new ships that We can to-day build as chcaply
better ships than are built on the Clyde. This
fact is demonstrated at the Cramp shipyard. More
than this, the stimulus from this advancement
in the art of shpbuilding will cause the conStruc-
ton of new merchant lines The encouragement
given in the Postal Subsidy bill will lead TO the
establishment of n great Transatlantic line, 10 be
built with American money and conducted as an
American enterprise, flying for the first time in
many years the United States flag over n modern
steamship line between NcwYork and Liverpool.
The plan for this new line has been completed
and the public will soon hear of it in connection
with capitalists who are thoroughly experienced
in this kind of enterprise and who have been
rcservng their energies for the time when they
could have line which should carry their conn-
try's flag.
Senator Platt of Connecticut, is much pleased
over the success that he had in passing the Copy
right bill lie said last night that several times
il tOuch-and-go with the measure. The Hhcr-
man amendment should not have been added to IT.
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