The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1892-02-17

The republican clamor for a great
navy TO "protect American in
terests," has called forth a charac-
teristic letter from Henry George,
which is full Of wisdom and genu-
inc patriotism. Writing TO the
Memphis Appeal-Avalanche, Mr..
George says:
The disgraceful talk about a war
with Chill that has recently been
filling our newspapers ought to a.
rouse attention to the evil course
we have entered on in attempting
to build up a great naval armament.
The navy ON which we are spend
ing such an enormous amount oil
money is useless and worse. 1t is
anti-American, corruptivc and dan
gerous.
1t is useless because not needed.
We are SO strong and so situated
that there is no possibility Of n war
being forced upon US. No nation
in the world would wantonIy attack
us, for there is no nation that would
not have everything to lose and
nothing TO gain By doing so. While
even if there we're no higher motive
to restrain US. there is no nation in
the world with which the provoking
Of war on our part would not mean
certain y Of loss without possibility
OF gain
Ii is useless, moreover, because
the ships we are building would
suffice neither for defensive nor or.
frnsive war. Modern invention
has made them as antiquated as the
coat of armor Of the ieudal era. In
cases Of attack from the sea, the
modern means of defense consist in
the power of concentration brought
about by telegraph and railroads,
in electricity and high explosives,
torpedOes, submarine boats, air
ships and quickly placed obstruc-
tiOns and deienses. For aggression
abroad, power is really measured
by the swift merchant ships that
can be called into service. We
might build mp such a navy as that
OF England. yet England would
still be immeasurably our superior
for offensive purposes in her iner-
chant steamers. We would be to-
day superior to England in mer-
chant 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 far less to the revenue
than we are now spending on the
navy. e W s'af
=
1t is corruptive, rs interesting 4
large class Of permanent officehold-
ers in influencing government. as
providing means for debauching
politics wherever there is a navy
yard or a contract to be given out,
and as building up corporations
whose profits depend on lobbying.
It's dangerous because il creates
an Influential class whose interests
are opposed to the interests OF The
masses OF the people and who de-
sire war for the sake Of the impor-
tance, The promotion, the contracts,
and the picking that war will bring
to them II is dangerous, because
the POSSESSION of q strong navy fos-
ters among the thoughtless. even
those to whom war could bring
nothing but injury, the same desire
10 try II that the possession Of a
pea shooters arouses in the small
boy.
I'VE have no reason for war, and
there is no more need for our build
ing of ironclads than there is for
the members Of the house clothing
themselves in armor because Mr.,
Crisp might 90 crazy and might fire
A bIunderbuss from the speakers
chair. But II we 60 on building
ironclads and sending ships around
the world 10 make themselves un-
pleasant to even little nations, we
are certain sooner or later to get
war on our hands. One such war
will provoke others.
Strong rs we are, war to ms is
the greatest Of dangers. Fol set