The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-15


Machinery 6f5,os4 IS
Amount required TO complete
after March 81, 1891.
Hull 1900 %
Machinery ....... 230O0 %
Total cos. OF Raleigh, hull
and machinery. ............... *lsso,ViS u
Subtract from this the Cramps bid OF
sl,225.00o. and We find the Government
paid the neat little sum of SG6, 1870 for
the pleasure OF building this ship with the
sort OF workmen whose pulls" with con-
gressmen enable them to secure the Cow
eminent jobs. The Government. In other
words. lost 81, 2275l5 on the two ships by
b Hiding the ships itself. or, In other
words still, IT could have had three SHIPS
of exactly the same sort built by the
Cramps for what 1t has paid for these
two, and 1t would have had over the sum-
of s2,5l5 to pay the expense OF Joiiihca-
ton over its intelligence and economy In
building its ships.
There is not included in this estimate
any charge for maintenance OF the Gov
errment plants or interest on their cost,
or for the expenses Of the general bureau
of superintendent, all of which were
necessarily provided for in the Cramps
bid and may be put at Is or 30 per cent.
of the estimate. With the just allow
ance made, the cost of the Government
work Is enlarged to still more astonish
ing disproportions.
But this is not all. The kecis OF these
ships were laid down in the latter part
OF 1855 or the early part of 1859. They
were completed In 1894. taking nearly five
years for their construction. After their
keels were laid down the Cramps laid
the keel of the New York, nearly three
times as large as either one of these
ships: year and half later they laid
the keel of the Columbia. and two years
later the keel Of the Minneapolis. All
three Of Cramps ships are now In COM
mission. The New York has been in
commission year and a half, the Co
lumbia a year, and the Minneapolis two
or three months. In other words. ii took
two nayy-ysrds five years TO build two
30OO-ton ships, without armor, at a cost
of 80 per cent. greater than Cramps bid,
and, in the meantime. Cramp built three
ships, one Of $50 tons displacement, ana
two of 1880 each, and had them al. N
service ahead Of the navy-yard sh.rs.
This is fair Illustration Of he differ
ence between the Democratic .dtd o:
government TO keep the peace between
citizens and regulate foreign Affairs. but
all the affairs Of lie TO he conducted
by individual enterprise. and the Re
publican and Socialists idea Of govern
ment being everything, which the citizen
is always 20 look up 10 as the source
of his well-being and happiness. The enc
idea develops a self-reliant individual.
who spreads prosperity all over the land
by working hard and making himself
prosperous; the other develops the lazy
beggar, whose whole aim is 70 live IN
idleness upon what he can plumber tie
government of. The Republican party of
the United States is essentially Tire So
c.alists' party. 1t believes in govern
ment taking care of the individual. and
that theory leads inevitably to cheating
in elections, bribery Of voters, scoundrels
in office and general rottenness and cor
ruption. There is but one theory for
government, and that is the old-time
Democratic one of equal laws for ali.
and no government, except to keep the
peace between citizens. the citizens 10
look to their own labor for prosperity, and
not to government aid and assistance.