El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-09-14
Our Presidents and the Navy.

| Our Presidents and the Navy.
The HERALD has received from the
Navy department pamphlet entitled
american Navy Policy as outlined
in me sages of the presidents of the
United States from 1880 to date. 1t i.
a most interesting compilation. The
pamphlet has been prepared by Theo
dOre Roosevelt, the Assistant Secreta
ry of the Navy, and he precedes the eX
tracts from the messages with expla
nations and Interesting suggestions Of
| his own.
President Washington gave his
ideas tersely in the words:
To be prepared for war is one OF
peace.
| John Adams said:
| To secure respect to neutral flag
requires a naval force organized and
ready to vindicate it from insult or
aggression. This may even prevent
the necessity of going to war by dis
couraging belligerent powers from
rights of the neutral party as may,
first or last leave no option These
! considerations invite the Z nited States
/ to look to the means, and to set about
the gradual creation of navy.
Again, the next year, 1898, he de-
clared that "navsl power is the natural
defense Of the United States.''
On different occasions he urged the
same thing in state papers al through
| his term. In the same oirit President
Madison praised the signal services
which had been performed by the navy,
and at the close added.
To preserve the ships we now have
in q sound state, to complete those al
| ready contemplated, to provide amply
for prompt approximations, is dictated
by the soundeSt policy.
In 1925 President Monroe called at
tention to the helpless condition of the
coast in the late war, to the expense,
anxiety, etc, suffered by the people
and Government, urged sea coast de-
lenses and an adequate navy, and sta
ted his ideas in these words:
First, to prevent war SO far as it may
be practica BILE: second, to diminish its
calamities when it may be inevitable.
No government will be disposed to
violate our rights if 1t knows we have
the means and are prepared aud re-
solved to defend them.
Pre-ident John Quincy Adams open
ed d message with these words:
A military marine is the only arm
by which our power can be estimated
or felt by foreign nations, and the only
standing military force that can never
After commenting upon the splendid
achievements of the little navy, and
giving list of its ships the message
| closed as follows:
The gradual increase of the navy
was the principle of which the act of
| 29;h of August 1916 was the develop
| ment. 1t was the introduction of a
system to act upon the character and
history of our country for an indefinite
Of hca l.,t
| of that congress to their constituents
and to posterity that it was the destiny
| and duty of the United States to be-
come in the regular process of time
and by no petty advances, great
naval power.
President Andrew Jackson was earn
est in urging an effective navy. Toe
| fire of the old man is seen flashing in
these words in 1929:
The increase of our navy, whose flag
! has displayed in distant chimes our
skill in navigation aud our fame in
| arms: the preservation of our forts, ar
Senals and backwards, and the intro
ductiOn of progressive improvements in
| the discipline and science of both
branches of our military service, are so
plainly prescribed by prudence that l
should be excused for emitting their
mention sooner than for charging on
| their Importance.
| In another Place, after urging that
the navy be built up while the country
| was at peace, he said:
| 1t is your true policy, for your navy
will not only protect your rich and
| flourlshing commerce in distant seas,
but will enable you to reach aud annoy
the enemy, and will give to defense its
greatest efficiency, by meeting danger
at distance from home.
| John Tyler, in 1S41, was parti cularly
anxious ia have the navy Increased. II
was the same with Polk in 1915.
In 1863 Mr.. Lincoln urged more ships
more esta blishments for building ships
and foresahdowed training school for
Seamen.
President Grant repeatedly urged
that the building OF warships keep
pace with the progress of the country
and insisted that the navy was the
Or election of the American citizens
abroad aud that the navy should be
''strong enough to command the res
pect of our flag abroad as necessary fol
the full protection of all their rights ,
i In the same strain Pres d mt Arthur
urged the building of navy, and said
If we heed the teachings Of history
we shall not forget that in the life O.
eve~y nation emergencies may arise
when a resort to arms can alone save i
from dish onor.
In like tones President Harrison
said:
There should be no hesitation II
promptly completing navy of the bes
, modern type, large enough to enabl,
his country to display its flag in al
seas, for the protection of its citizen
and it's extending commerce. 1t is es
sential to the dignity of this nation
and to that peaceful influence which i
should exercise on this hemispher
that its navy should be adequate bot
upon the shores of the Atlantic and G
1.-THE Pacific.