The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-05-21
Senator Germans Speech.

in either branch of Congress this session
has 50 arrested public attention. The
nress comments range from adverse crIti-
cism TO highest praise. Some of the com
ments were based on the very meagre teIe-
graphic reports first sent out, and OF course
were unjust TO the Senator. These de-
taehed portions seemed to place Mr. Gor-
man in the attitude of advocating large |
expenditures. and of defending, by impll-
cation. the record of the Billion Dollar Con
gress.
The naval appropriation bill was under
discussion, and Mr.. German frankly stated
it was impossible to decrease expenses very
materially because to keep the public faith
under existing laws and contracts the an
nual expenditure must be from four hun
dred and eighty to five hundred millions
of dollars.
The need of a navy has been manifest
for Years, and although millions of dollars
were spent in that direction we had the
poorest apology for a navy aHoat, and our
coasts and commerce were practically with
out defense and we were exposed to injus-
tice and indignity from even fourth rate
powers.
Under the Cleveland Administration the
work of building a formidable navy was
commenced, and has been continued under
the present Administration upon the same
lines. 1t was found that the country was
without the necessary plants to produce
armor plates, beams, &c, and orders TOR
these had to be placed abroad. This was
humiliating, and showed helpless condi-
ton discreditable alike to our energy, skill
and enterprise 1t was Mr. German who
favored giving contracts to private concerns
rather than undertake the making oil
plates. beams, &C., at the government
works. which would cost immense sums to
enlarge. He contended the work could be
done as well and cheaper, and his views
were adopted. The effect Of letting work
10 private contract, is thus given by Mr..
German:
The Senator from New Jersey asks why we
desire to keep up the private shipyards. Are
we to make an appropriation TO keep them
going? No, sir; but that is the inevitable
effect of the system developed by Il Demo
cratic Administration.
Mr.. President, in 1888 there were but three
shipyards to offer to construct u ship. We
were without single forge or rolling mill
which had produced plates, angle bars, beams'
etc. =
There was not single forge capable of
making the necessary shafts and other heavy
forgings; not foundry prepared to under
take the required steel castings. In word,
tha construction of the new Navy vRG new
industry: or, ut least, new conditions OF an
existing industry, so radical and comprehen-
sive that it amounted practically to the same
thing.
A review of our situation in detail and an
account of the efforts by which the obstacles
were snrmounted, would, when fully descrlb,
ed. be interesting, and no further proof would
be required TO show tae indemitable will,
courage, aud skill of the American shipbuild'
ers.
As late as 1886 we brought lrosl abroad the
apmor for the turrets of the MiantonOmoh.
Forgings for g and 10 inch guns were pur
chased from Whitworth. The steel shafts for
the Charleston were made by krupp, and
those for the Baltimore, Yorktown, and We
suvius by Whtvortb.
To depend upon English and German FORCES
and machine shops for such essential elements
of national defense was intolerable, was hui
Initiating.
The cost of plants to make us independent
was not taken into account. What the PEG.
pie daRanded were war ships constructed
from stem TO stern by American shipbpilders
out of steel furnished by our own FORCES.
OF the earlier attempts it is not necessary
90 sneak The difficulties met, the want O
skill and appliances are now fully recognized
Look at the result-the proposal for seVera
thousand tons of heavy steel armor and forg
ings for guns. 1t resulted at once in the ex
pansion Of the plant at Bethlehem until it has
capacity at this time hardly excelled in the
world as to extent; as TO quality OF output,
nowhere equaled. The Midvale Steel Works
of Philadelphia now furnish forgings for the
largest guns. The Homestead Works, of Pitts
burg, have the capacity to make the heaviest
armor plate Of the highest quality.
The Steelton Works, near Baltimore, is
another great industry prepared to furnish
the material and construct ships. There are
other plants in Chicago, Kentucky, Tennes
see and Alabama soon to De in active com.
petition with those have named.
The production of cast steal for stem posts
engine bedplates, and other like large cast.
ings is now admitted to be at least abreast
with similar works anywhere in the world
In 1885 they could not be produced in this
country.
No one in the Democratic party wanted tC
continue to buy from Whitworth; nobody thai
] know, no matter what his politics, was con
tent to rely upon English or French or Ger
man FORCES, but desired that we should have
FORCES here in this country so that we could
make our own war vessels and build our own
ships for commercial purposes. That policy
could not be inaugurated unless the Govern
ment began its work of constructing a navy;
and when you appropriated that $50, 000, 900,
as by magic there sprung up these great es-
adjustments.
In addition to those in Pennsylvania and
at Baltimore, there is one on the Pacific coast,
where, under the control of a native Mary
lander, a genius, as constructor OF ships,
there was produced that great plant on the
Pacific coast Is there American who
is not proud of those works? ! rejoice Us \
Democrat that so much was accomplished
under Democratic auspices, and that by the
spending of money honestly and faithfully
these great works have sprung up.
The natural result has been that we have
establishments prepared to build ships for the
commercial marine of this country, ships
equal to any which float upon the ocean, and
il has not been ten days since the Democratic
House, true to the traditions of its party,
passed bill to admit two great ships to
American registry on condition that two others
of equal tonnage, 10 be built in American
shops, should be put upon the ocean, thus
completing the record ofthe Democratic par
", which Is that there has not been, with one