The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-03-23
FIFTH ON THE SEA.

That will Be Our Power When Our
New Navy is Ahoat Ex-Secretary
Tracy Speaks H ighly of His Successor
Who. in Turn, Compliments Mr.. Tracy.
Ex-Secretsry Trscy's return TO private
life was formally cele brated by the Hamil-
ton club of Brooklyn. by a banquet. BY
happy coincidence the new Secretary OF the
Navy Hilary A. Herbert, was enabled 10 be
present and the banquet incidentally be.
came glorifcation OF the new navy, and
gave the club, which is not a political or
ganization a chance to express IL apprecia.
ton of both the outgoing and incoming ad-
ministrations, Tx Secretary Tracy, in re.
sponse to the cheers that greeted his name.
| in part said:
/ That marked progress has been made In
| the reconstruction OF the navy during the
last administration is, believe, admitted by
oil. | shall not on this occasion enter into
| the details of that progress. In my first
annual report in December. 1889, ! stated
that when all the ships which had been uu-
| thorized up to that time should have been
! completed the United States would still rank
rs the 18th naval power, and that we were
absolutely at the mercy OF states having less
than onethird of our population, one -thir,-
| ieth of our wealth ami one hundredth OF
our area But such Is not the condition of
the United States today. When the
shipS now in course OF construction are
completed We Will rank as
the nth naval power, snrpass-
Led only hv England France, Russia and
Italy. We shall have pasScl both SPAN
and Germany and can once more take rank
among the naval powers OF the world. am
aware that lh : is the first public announce.
ment of our superiority 10 Germany, but
the statement is made not unadyi.edly. but
| uft 10 Itaf
shin by ship
For 80 years the management OF the navy
yards has been a scandal and disgrace to
the country. They are filled with men EN-
ployed without reference to their fitness for
The work they are set to DO. Worthless men
having political influence would he retained
while efficient men without IL would be dis.
charged. On September |. 1891, the Connec-
| ton heretofore existing between the navy
and politcs was severed. and since then
employment has been dependent entirely
upon the needs nt the service and the skill
and efficiency Of the person to be employed.
Tailors are no longer employed rs fivcters,
upon iron ships. nor are shuemakers set to
build steam engines. Any man can now
| 90 into A navy ward and offer his services
and il he is needed he will be subjected 20
trel. and IL found skilful will he retained
and il not he will be discharged. HIS re-
teiitiou or discharge depends entirely upon
his personal fitness and not at all upon hi:
political opinions.
Secretary of the Navy Herbert followed
and, after compIimcnting his predecessor
on his administration, said:
Il is perhaps not the time for me TO maj
ont a programme, bnt one thing ! can say
no personal ambition shall tempt me I,
make changes for the sake of change. FIX
pressing my own opinion, think we ough
10 carry on our programme OF providing TO
nj each session OF Congress one or more nev
vessels for the navy, - ms to keep up a res
ular. methodIcal incfease-not TO a view &
forming such uayies rs those of France an,
! Euginud-we do not need such cNpcnsiv
orgauizatious-bd We do need u navy first
| class in all it's appointments.