Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-02
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1891.
AN APPALLING PARTiZAN RESPONSE
BILITY.

1t is somewhat singular that, although
the government of the United States
has been under the control of the Re-
publican party for a period of thirty
years, with the exception of an interreg-
mum of four years, when Cleveland was
president, that this country is today
comparatively defenseiess against for
eign assault. We are absolutely de-
fenseless except as to the unimagined
resources. the dauntless spirit and the
inconceivable fertility of invention and
of expedient of the American people.
This exception is limitless in its pos
sibilities. The three million people of
the colonies knew how to defeat Great
Britain in the revolutionary war. Their
slightly accreted millions defeated the
same mighty power in 1872. What the
American people cannot do, if they are
put upon their mettle, would form a
volume of itself.
But still the fact remains that the Re-
publican party have annihilated our
merchant marine and have left us with
out navy. For many years they were
so industriously engaged in subsidizing
the iron barons and in converting the
southern states into satrapies, that they
supplemented, by their neglect and ad-
verse legislation, the work of the Ala
bamas and Shenandoahs in destroying
American commerce. The desire to en-
rich special classes was SO overmaster-
ing with this great party that they per-
mitted our Notifications to become en-
crusted with moss, and the ships OF our
navy to rot at the navy yards, with no
thought of yitalizing commerce or pro-
viding for the maintenance of the digni-
ty and power of the premier republic of
the world.
And SO passed these thirty years, with
one brilliant exception, viz, that of the
four years of Cleveland's administra-
ton. During the all too brief ascend
ancy OF Democratic government the
plan was started for new navy. 1t
was not such, Ia its scope, as would have
been suggested by the exigencies OF
imminent or existing war. But it was
the first movement noted for years in
the line of providing for the national
safety and the national dignity. The
building OF the few vessels fit for SER
vice that the United States now owns is
referable to this era of patriotism.
Why is it that, under Republican rule,
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie, the coaching
companion of Mr.. James G. Blaine in
Scotland. was able to boast to Hon.
William l.. Scott, OF Erie, that he was
making personally $4,000 a day in his
iron works in Pennsylvania, the Ameri-
can merchant marine was suffered to
dwindle to next to nothing, while our
navy was undergoing the disintegrating
process from the decay inevitable from
age, with neither repairs nor renewals?
The HERALD would be pleased to see
its Republican contemporaries answer
this squestion.
Why are we now debating the ques-
tion whether, in the event of collision
with Italy, we might not at the start be
obliged to chronicle disaster?
With all its high and mighty preten-
sions to superfne, double-milled patri-
otism, it would really look as if this
most pretentious Republican party
ought to have had weather eye on our
fortifcations and upon our navy.
The laches has been tremendous.
Whence the inspiration of such criminal
and inexcusa BILE neglect?