The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-05
National Security.

The readiness shown by congress TO in
volve the country fin a war IS wholly in
consistent with its attitude in respect 10
making preparations for war. While the
country is rich in everything that makes
a nation great and powerful it is so de-
fenseless at the present moment that there
would De general alarm and CONSERVATION
If war should come suddenly. IT would
catch us in a most unfortunate plight. our
great coast line is practically undefended.
our supply Of arms and ammunition is
small and our army consists of only few
thousand men.
The aggressive manner in which con-
gress deals with all questions bearing upon
our relations with other countries may
bring about war when we are least ex-
pecting such a catastrophe. II war should
come. and find US unprepared for it. con-
gress would be so severely condemned that
very few of its present members would
be reelected.
one reason. probably. why congress does
not seem to be in a hurry TO appropriate
money for our coast defenses is the belief
that there would be no difficulty in finding
a way for defending our coast cities if We
should become involved in war Stn,
congress is liable 10 be mistaken. There
is too much al stake to rely upon the he
lief that we are a people of such resources
that we could find a way TO meet any
emergency that could possibly arise.
Ten years ago. a board, known as the
Endicott board. presented an elaborate
plan for coast defenses. The estimated
cost of building defenses in accordance
with the plan was $s7OOO.OOO The plan was
to have been completed in ten years. AS a
matter of fact very little has been done.
Less than 100000 has been spent. and
the sea coast cities are about as defense
less now as they ever were.
The report on sea coast defenses that
Senator Squire made the other day has
heen commented on very favorably. It
calls for an appropriation Of $So,0oO.CM, of
which amount 100000 is made available
for this and the next fiscal year. After
next year 100000 is to be spent annually
for period of seven years. The whole
amount, however is to be appropriated at
once, so that subsequent congresses will
not have to be depended upon to carry on
the work.
No member of congress pretends that
this question of providing adequate sea
coast defenses is not very important one
and no one of them hesitates to
admit that the work of construct
ing adequate defenses should be
begun at once. but for some reason or
other it is difficult TO get congress to act
in the matter. It is true that the contem-
plated work is a costly one but if it should
be done it is certainly a great mistake to
delay doing it. If we adopt the policy of
interfering in the affairs of other nations
we shall sooner or later have a war on
our hands, and we shall suffer severely if
caught without sufficient means of protec-
tion. Because we are big and rich it does
not follow that we are safe from harm. In
our present condition we are very vul-
nerabe a fact that is well known to all
the world. In time we could put ourselves
in a condition to resist any attack that
might be made upon us. but while getting
ready we might be injured to an amount
vastly greater than the estimated cost of
constructing the necessary coast defenses.