The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-27
THOUGHTS OF THE DAY.
Henry George Denounces the At
tempt to Build a Navy.
"The Talk OF War with Chill" ue Says,
was NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Vim
cont Discusses university"
Extension.
IcopYR1Gur. 1927

Aho uiSBracclut tolk ABOUT q war with Chill
tnat mas recently been filling our newspapers
ought to arouse attention to the evil course we
nave entered on in attempting to build up u
great naval armament. The navy on which wo
are spending such an enormous amount OF pub
lilo money is useless and worse. 1t is anti
American, corruptivc and dangerous.
1t is useless because IL Is unnecdcd. We are
so strong and so situated that there is no possi-
bility OF n war being forced upon u.s. No nation
in the world would wanton]y attack us, for thcro
is no nation that would not have everything to
lose and nothing to gain by doing so While,
even II there is no higher motive to restrain us,
there is no nation In the world with which tho
provoking OF war on our part would not mean
certainty OF loss without possibility OF gain.
1t Ia useless, however, because the ships wc
are building would suffice neither for defensive
or offensive war. Modern invention has made
them as antiQuatcd tho coat armor of
the fcudal era. In case of attack from
the sea tho modern means of defense con-
sist In the power of concentration brought
about by telegraph and railroads, in electricity
and high explosives, torpcdocs, submarine
boats, airships and Quicklyplaccd distractions
ana dcicnses For aggression abroad power
Is really measured by the swift merchant ships
that can be called into service We might build
up such navy as that OF England, yet Eng
land would still be UNNECESSARILY our superior
Tor offensive purposes in her merchant steam
crs. we would be to-day superior to England
IN merchant steamers and the capacity of
building them had we not taxed American ships
OF the high seas We could remit all taxation
on ships and on their materials with the loss of
iar less to the revenue than wePdrc now spend
Ing on the navy.
1t is anti-Amcrican, for the reasons that 1,alsc
all standing armies inimical 10 our traditions
and institutions. IL is anti-Amcrcan because
organized on aristocratic principles the irnpass-
able class distinction between noble and peas
ant being perpetuatod in the distinction be-
tween commissioned officers and enlisted men.
These men are for the most part foreigners
who are onlykept in our naval service after be-
ing invciSled INTO it, by severe restrictions and
a standing reward for running them down if
they escape.
II is corruptive, rs interesting large class of
permanent ofllcc-holdCrs in influencing govern
ment, as providing means for dcbauchng poli-
tics wherever there is navy-yard or Il CON
tract 10 nc given out and as building up cor
porations whose profits depend on lobbying.
1t Is dangerous, because it creates an infucn-
tal class whose interests are opposed to the in
tcrcsts OF the masses OF the people and who de-
sire war for the sake OF the Importance the
promotion, the contracts and the picl,irgs that
war will bring TO them. II is dangerous. he.
cause the possession OF q strong navy fosters
among the thoughtlcss, even those TO whom
war could bring nothing but injury, the same
desire to try 1t that the possession OF a new pea
shooter arouscS in tho small boy
we have no reason for war and there is No
more need for our building of ironclads than
therc Is Tor the members OF tho house clothine
themselves in arrlor because Mr.. Crisp might
go crazy and might fire a blundcrbuss from
the speakers chair. But II we go on building
ironclads and sending ships around the WORLD to
make themselves unpleasant to even little ma
ttons, VIC are certain sooner or later to get a
war on our hands. One such war will provoke
others
strong as VIC are, war TO US is the greatest OF
dangers. For, setting aside altogether its cos;
In money and blood, war inevitably dcmoralfzcs
republican institutions, postponcs reforms
strengthens governments at the expense of the
people, dinerentiates classes and places power
In the hands OF the few. And finally even when
successful, II destroys popular liberty
Cur greatest advantage over European na-
lions is that our strength and our position ex-
empt US from the fears that compel then, 70
stand armed. 1t ought to be our pride and glory
to lead them in what Is coed, not 10 ape them in
what is bad. The real dungers. that bcset us
arc not from without, they are from within and
these dangers no army and no navy can guard
against They can only intensity them
There arc reasons which dispose the unjust
~ rich 10 strong and aristocra ticaly organized
armies and navies-the reasons which always
dispose them to strong government But for
these very reasons II for no others, tho working
masses ought TO set H. r faces like flint against
Them Standing armies and navies belong TO
the policy OF Hamilton, not TO that Of jefferson
They belong 10 monGrchies and impcrialisms,
not 10 democratic Republics HENRY G. GORGE.