Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-04-02
SPEECH OF
HON. ALSTON G. Day TON
IN THE
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES
SPEECH or
zhntsaay, March II, 1905.

The House being in Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, and
having under consideration the bill Oh.
r. 937s) making appropriations for the
naval service for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1899, and for other purposes
Mr.. DAYTON said
Mr.. Chairman, inasmuch as this
bill now presented tor the considera-
ton of the House increases appropria-
tions something more than So, 900. 900
over the bill of last year, it is we'll for
the House to clearly understand the
provisions that make up that increase.
Generally stated, three items consti-
tute it.
First, the increase of the force OF
1000 men and boys, made necessary
by the manning and putting into ac-
tual service of the ships; second, the
increase in the number of vessels that
shall hereafter constitute our Navy
and provided by this bill, viz, the 3
battle ships, E torpedo boat destroyers,
and 6torpedo boats. In additionto this,
the bill has provided for the rebuilding
of guuboat to take the place of the
one. substantially disabled upon the
lakes. The third principal item
which has helped to make up this in.
crease is the provision of the bill fol-
the five dry docks that it has been
deemed necessary to build at Ports.
mouth, Boston, League Island. Al.
giers. and Mare Island.
Mr.. Chairman, every thoughtful
citizen of the Republic will agree with
the Secretary Of the Navy that this
country is to be congratulated upon
the fact that we do not need either the
vast military 'or naval armament re.
quired by the other great powers. Our
forefathers chastened by the deadly
and protracted struggle of the Revolu-
ton, builded better than they knew,
and when by the Monroe doctrine
they established the principle as one
of fixed national policy that we would
not allow ourselves to become entang-
led in the meshes and network OF Eu-
ropean politics, but that our interests
and our action should center alone in
the Western Hemisphere, we made
way for the dismissal of armies and
gave full sweep to the tide of develop
ment and national progress that has
come to us beyond the widest dream
OF one hundred years ago.
Separated as we are by vast seas,
we can rest in security and tranquil
ity, notwithstanding the EARNED
peace" of Europe, with its Franco.
Russian alliance, its triple alliance
between Germany, Austria, and Italy
facing each other, while England,
with her characteristic energy, main,
tains singly and alone naval arma-
ment equal to and able to cope with
that of either of the alliances in case
it shall become necessary.
We need no navy to protect foreign
colonies or to enforce our rule in dis
tant empires. We are not interested il
the questions of the East, nor will we
be affected if China in the future shall
seek to revenge her recent humiliation
at the hands of Japan.
But, Mr. Chairman, while we may
rejoice in our favorable location and
conditions, this sense of security
should not cause us wholly to over.
look the wise truth proclaimed by the
great German chancellor, the man o.
"blood and iron," Count Bismarck
that the best means for securing and
maintaining peace is being prepared,
in a measure at least, for war We
must not forget that while oceans in
tervene between us and other great
nations, those oceans are now under.
laid with strands of cabled steel, by
which communication can be had in a
few minutes, and that we are, there.
fore, necessarily in much closer touch
with foreign powers than in years
gone by
We must not forget, either, that
the obligation is upon us, not alone
from considerations of national pride