Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-12-10
OUR IRONCLADS


ably with Other Navies OF tue world
Lack OF Money for Armor Plate Maine
Big 1roo OF statesmen Boutelle's Visi
tor.-The New House Ca pet. Our Fai
Cuban Heroine.
Washington. ID. G., Noy. 80, 1897.
Secretary Long, in his annual report
expresses his qualification AT the pr
gress made in building up our navy
He rnumerat.s the different vessels
with the speed and power OF each, anC
then SAYS:
The country is to be congratulated
upon the results obtained in the re-
building OF the navy, While lis ships
are not AS maryland it is not neceN-
sarv that they should be-as those If
some other great powers, they are, class
for class. in power, speed, workman
ship and offensive and defensive quail
ties. the equal OF vessels built anywhere
else in the world"
On the subject of armor the Secretary
says it will be necessary to accept some
ships now about ready for the water
without their full complement of plates,
the appropriation made by the last
Congress not being sufficient to fully
armor them. No greater example OF
the lack of wisdom at times exhibited
in appropriations could be secured than
this one of appropriating money for the
building of war vessels and yet not APP
propriating enough to fully equip them
for sea fight.
The Secretary pays a tribute to the
old frigate Constitution. and expresses
the hope that funds may be made avail
able 10 tit the old war vessel out rs a
tlaining school for cadets. This is
happy idea and meets with the approval
of everyone who knows the grand old
vessels HISTORY. Scamen trained on her
deck must needs he imbued with the
glory and etaunch patriotism that the
old ship represents.
The Senate committee which has been
Investigating the civil service for the
past few months is still at work, and
the chairman. Senator PrItchard, e
North Carolina, thinks that they Will
DE able to make report To the Senate
on or about December To- In a recent
Interview the Senator said:
"A too broad extension is calculated
10 weight civil service down and rem
4ered it unpopular, thereby endanger-
ing It's continuance, a good principle
so. adopt would be tina scholastic eX-
animation Is proper to determine the
ituess OF persons for clerical positions,
but such a test is not suitable to deter
mine the fitness Of man to fill posi-
ton where the duties are executive
The idea that the law is sort OF blank
ct to cover everything is very unpopu-
lar. j."
This view of the case has a great
many sympathizers on both floors of
Congress. There will be. undoubtedly.
some sort Of legislation on the subJec,
OF civil service during th, SESSION.
General Grosvenor is lis most outspoken
in the House. During the eX
session he made one set
speech against the system that has been
given wide publication, and is viewed |
by the opponents OF civil service as a
arrangement of that system.
many Republican politicians attribute
ice great falling of Of the vote in the
sislatiye campaign in Ohio To the fact
1T President Mckinley officially APP.
owed the extensions made by his pre-
u, cessor Just before his retirement from !
ice This was felt especially in the
ernal revenue department, where
some 5000 Democratic were retained i'm !
bcrths and placed in po- |
sition where they could give both mon
ey and political assistance to the Dem
ocratic cause. 1t IS understood that |
the Senate committee will take up the
workings Of the system in the internal |
revenue department next, and some !
..;.h L ora nXnqstaI
-
Maine. ever since the war, has been
a state rich in leaders. In the field of
literature and State craft she has ON
more than one occasion commanded |
the attention of the world. Her states
men have not only assisted in shaping
the policy of the Republican party, but
she has always had one or more who
stood ready at all times to carry the
banner. In truth, she has too many