The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-15

forts Of the Republicans TO expedite
business and adjourn Congress are. af-
ter all, to be antagonized and the oppo-
sltIon will come from the Democratic
senator's. 1t viii not be q declared hos
tnIty to closing up the business, but It
will be an organized effort, with enough
Of plauslblllty in the argument to mask
the real purpose. The movement will
not be prompted by patriotism, nor a
sincere desire to benefit the country,
but, on the contrary, the motive will be
purely partisan.
The remark was let fall by q represen-
tatIve in a corridor at the capitol, With
in the hearing OF a third party, that 1t
Will not be best for the Democratic party
10 permit an adjournment earlier than
the first OF June. II then. The reply,
made by senator Of that faith, was
that there should be no adjournment
until the minority party Is ready. There
were several sulphurous adjectives en-
ptoyed to lend force to the observation.
Just why It will injure the Democratic
cause to close the session before June
was not disclosed, but comment made
upon the declared Intention to block the
wheels was that the average obstrnctor
Is afraid to go home. President Cleve-
land has not declared himself on the
third term proposition, and there is at
present nobody in sight to succeed him,
il he declines. The party policy Is ut
odds and ends, and there IL no one
shrewd enough to gather the fragments
and cement them. The Democratic
senator's can, II they choose, prol0ng the
session indefinitely, but they will lose
by It in the end. They may take the
risks, however, and obBtruct the track.
WASHINGTON. April 1I.-That ven
cradle figure OF the senate, Mr.. Morrill,.
OF Vermont, reached the ripe age Of
elghty-six years to-day, and the event
was referred to in the opening prayer
of the chaplain. Rev. DR.. Mitburn, who
spoke OF the white haired senator as
hale in body, clear, sound and vigorous
in intellect, esteemed by his brother
senators, by his state and by the whole
country. At the coucluslon OF the
prayer, AIr. Morrill, received congTatu-
iatIons from many OF his associates.
AS a mark OF respect to Mr.. morrill,,
the senate directed that the chaplain's 9
prayer be inserted in the record.
shortly after the session opened Mr..
Morrill, gave an added evidence Of his
viRor by announcing that on Thursday
next he would speak on the necessity OF
additional quarters for the national
museum.
recognized for speech on the need of
coast defenses.
what an absurd spectacle has the
Congress Of the United States present
ed during the present session by Its
persistent talk In favor Of the interven-
tion by the United States In behalf OF
Cuba and Venezuelal How cheap is all
this talk. sincere though It may be on
many occasions. Every man who has
informed himself on the subject OF ma
tional defenses knows that as nation
we are not in condition to undertake
war or suffer war. We can talk loud
and long and profess sympathy, pass
resolutions and make believe to our
selves that we are actually taking q
hand In the diplomatic affalrs and In
ternational questions OF great moment;
hut those who are not selt-deceiVed by
eRotfstical giAmoF and who know the
facts, are perfectly aware OF the pain
fiI truth that ali this denomination is
mere talk and bluster and vapid senti-
ment, or, at most, It Is sympathy that
Is easily satisfied with merely verbal
expressions"
The people. he continued, did not
know how shametully their interests
are being banded and played with py
those who represent them In the halls
OF Congress-
They do not know that the great sea-
coast cities, teeming with wealth, are
exposed aud defenaelesss ag1inst at
tack by foreign navies with vessels 1ar
outRumbeFing ours in strength. They
do not know that our navy itself may
be hopelessly crippled by the destrue-
ton Of our undefended navy yards de-
pots OF supply, dock yards, powder
mills and arBenRlR
The senator said all the evidence
taken by the committee on coast de-
fenses had gone to show that the con-
dltlon OF our seacoast defenses Is la
mentable In the extreme. The defensive
works are Of q character Incapable OF
resisting modern artillery.
The evidence IS overwhelming that
in case Of war our whole people would
suffer immelsurably.
From such investigation as has
been practicable Il Ia evident that a
large amount OF destructlble properly. I.
estimated at not less than $4,000, 900 600
iu value, Ia exposed to attack or at least
to heavy assessment for the purpose OF
securing Immunity from destruction.
The president OF the chamber OF COM
merce OF New York has Informed inc
that he has given careful attention to
the question OF the property risks that
would at present be sustained IN the
cities OF New York, Brooklyn and Jer-
sey City. He has consulted with many
Of his colleagues In the great business
institutions Of New York. and he esti-
mates that property valued at 1900
100000 In those cities Ia subject TO de-
structlon or to the imposition OF ran.
som In case OF the capture OF the port OF
New York by hostile Heet."
Made q ComPariaOn'
At this point the senator presented
Il statement showing comparison OF
our navy with that Of England, and
also a statement OF all the steel yes-
sells in the American navy including
those authorized by law; also some data
as IN the naval fighting strength or
other nations. flo Raid: This sttn'
mary Is believed TO be the most favor
able to the United States that Gun be
made from the records and still II shows
this country 70 be far behind the great
nations Of the world IN naval strength
Moreover. Il leaves out Of sight our de-
iccncy In torpedo boats and torpedo
boat dcstrpyers, of which latter we
have to-day only one small vcsEel IN
commission. whereas Great Brlt'aH has
~, Germany llG. France l0s, Italy iO5,
Russia. IL. and even Spain has i8 tor
pcdu Ve1Boia; all In the list have tiVen