New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-18
THE INCREASE OF THE NAVY.
HoLMAN's OPPOSITION TO ANY NEW SHIPS.
POSSIBILITY OF THE PASSAGE OF HIS AMEND
MEST-THE DEMOCRATS AND THE
MODERN NAVY.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TKIBUNE.I

MODERN NAVY.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TKIBUNE.J
Washington, April 17.-After about two hours more
OF debate In the House the paragraph In the Naval
Appropriation bill which provides for an increase OF
the Navy and the amendments which have been oHercd
to It. will be brought to vote In the Committee OF the
Whole. some OF the friends OF the bill think that
there Is serious danger OF the adoption OF the Holman
amcpdmcnt % strike out the extremely moderate pro
vision for the building Of one new armed cruiser
recommended by the majority OF the Naval Committee
1t is understood. however. that Speaker Crisp mas
quietly advised Las party friends in the House to XII
the Holman amendment on the ground that 1t would
be bad politics" for the Democratic majority to turn
its back suddenly on policy which sustained by
Democratic maorities in that body In three preceding
Congresses and was vigorously urged by the Admlns-
traton OF President Cleveland. The Holman amend
ment will be opposed by all OF the Republicans and by
every Democrat who believes that the United States
ought to make some provision for the National de
fence and also by some Democrats who indifferent.
but are lhcl TO be Influenced by the Speaker and other
leaders Of the party.
Judge Holman's speech yesterday in support Of
his amendment was feeble It was violent, and
could net have gained friends except among the
cheaper and more ignorant and inexperienced dema-
gogucs OF the House-Inen who agree with him that
a modern Navy "may be improvsed on the spur OF
the moment" to borrow his phrase, as easily as
backwoods district improvise statesman by
eectng self-seeking demagogue to Congress Early
In the session Holman declared that sandheaps ana
cotton bales reinforced by american skill and In
ventive genius" in case OF an emergency, would be
all the land defence that the United states could ever
need TO Iepel foreign foe. In HIS speech yester-
day he declared that the United States shoHd ever
need q navy to meet the aggressions OF foreign
power, american ingenuity and American INDUSTRY
could mprovise vessels In brief space which could
cope with the most powerful ships Of any Navy In
fba mid IIo i- Tho
man In the House Of Representatives who holds that
expenditure Of money TO provide for the National
defence is useless. and extravaganza not to be
justified defended.
But the present danger TO the Navy is not from
the ignorant and sordd opposition Of the liomans IN
Congress II springs from the thnly disguised, half
concealed desire and determination of Democnts TO
make the maintenance OF the Navy party question.
Even in the report OF the Naval Committee this fact
is TO be discovered. II man did not know better
ne would he likely to infer from this document that
the policy OF building modern Navy adopted and
the work initiated and prosecuted by the Cleveland
Administration, and that the Democratic party Is
entitled 10 all the credit for both. And yet 1t IS
fact that the policy was initiated by Republican Con-
Gress and the work begun by the Arthur Admins
tration. II Is probable, however that the work then
begun would have been checked if not abandoned II
q Democratic Administration had not come into power |
in 1885, simply because n Democratic House would |
have refused 1t proposes 10 refuse, TO grant |
adequate appropriations for the Increase of the Navy
and authority for the building of ships. a brief
review OF the facts will show that this criticism OF
the Democratic party IS not unjust
In the first session OF the XLVllth Congress, both |
branches of which were Republican. four new ships
we're authorized with an aggregate tonnage Of 1897
ons. In the first session OF the XLNIlIth Congress the
House being Democratic md the Administration Re
publican, not single new ship was authorized Al
DC second session of the Congress. however.
|
lew cruisers and two gunboats were authorized with
~ aggregate tonnage OF 1913 tons. The NLINth
congress, the House being Democratic authorized nine
'cw ships, with aggregate tonnage OF 3o"lo TONS
and also provided for the completion Of the monitors
upon which work had been suspended years before
by n Democratic Congress. Tie total tonnage OF
ese vessels IS ,0o0 tons. At the first session Of
inc Lth Congress. the House bcifs Democratic, and
before it was known that a Republican would succeed
ieS'ue,t eist Oe "e S on I "ov "o
1t appears, them that between March g. 1889 the
day before The inauguration Of President Cleveland
and september :, ISs9, two months before he
defeated Il candidate for reelectOn-a period Of
one new vessels with an aggregate tonnage OF G7752
tons, and authorized the completion OF five other
Dnring this period ne Senate was Republican and tie
lionse Democratic, but The majority Of the former
and earnestly supported every provision for the In
crease Of the Navy there was no partisan opposition
Al The second session Of the Lth Congress when it
was known that Republican would succeed Pre- iden;
an aggregate tonnage Of 4,2s3 tons. The List Con-
gress Republican in both branches and II author
lied nine new ships with aggregate tonnage OF |
45,430 tons. 1t Is now proposed by the majority Of
tnc Committee on Naval Affairs. the IIOu<. being |
again Democratic and the President Republican, 10
authorize new Ship Of about 5000 ton, 50 |
mesgre and inadequate is this proposition that It f.
not strange that Democrats who able rise above
party In matters which involve provisions for the Ma
tiOna defence concerned constrained oppose
it. Whether their opposition VIII be cfectual
mains TO he seen.