People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-10-13
Jerry Simpson has been charged


this charge two weeks ago an
showed that Mr.. Simpson supporte
an amendment to the bill providin
for more vessels for immediat
service. In this connection it wi
afford food for thought to quote tn
record Of Congressman Cannon
speech on the subject. Mr.. Canno
was chairman OF the committee o.
naval appropriations. He is Re
publican from Illinois. Mr.. Canno
said:
MR.. CANNON.
Mr.. Chairman, it is with grea
diffidence that | offer this amend
ment the amendment supported b.
Jerry Simpson except that Simpson
favored aduing the torpedo boats anC
leaving the battleships 10 alsOl; ant
10 Offering it | want 10 testify 70 the
highest respect for the committee
that reports this bill, and nothing
but belief that is earnest and fixed
that it is my duty as d member Of the
committee TO offer this amendment.
cCmpels me to do il. | think, if
can have the real attention of the
committee for five minutes, | can
state just what there is in the amend.
ment, and then, so far as | am con,
cerned, | am ready for a vote. The
amendment, in word, strikes out, if
II is adopted, two battle ships and
makes one instead of three. The
amendment increases the number of
torpedo boat deStr0yerS six, doubling
them. The amendment doubles the
number of torpedo boats. making
twelve instead of six. The amend
ment increases the appropriation for
torpedo boats and tOrpedo-boat de.
stroyers by 100000, which will pay
IN full for them. | will
explain that. The effect of this
amendment, and it is just why |
offered it, is this: This bill author.
lies, In round numbers, the construct
ion of works in connection with the
Navy, $4,000, 600, that can not mater
ialize for three years. The three
battle ships that are authorized will
cost over 100000 apiece. They can
not be placed in commission by any
means whatever short OF three years
from the time they are contracted for.
So that If this amendment is adopted.
instead OF authorizing three battle
ships that will cost SIS, 900, 900; and II
u Is adopted, instead of authorizing
six torpedo boat destroyers and six
torpedo boats that will cost S., $780,
900, 1t doubles the number of torpedo
boats and torpedo.6oat destroyers and
increases the appropriation 81, 300, 900,
while it decreases the expense carried
BY the bill by sl0,OOO,OOO represented
BY the two battle ships.
Last December, when there was some
prospect ola difficulty with Spain
Or, II yoq choose, you may Call it no
prospect If a difficulty, just as .ol.
VV..ssaase-tnes secretary Of tie. navy, in
bis report, after iall discussion
recommended one battle ship to care
for the future, three or four years
away. This bill recommends three.
Now, then, what has happened since
that time to authorize the building
o. three? Why, the prospect Of war
with Spain. You had prospect of
war IN December. II we have a war
with Spain, is there any gentleman
within the sound Of my voice that is
not satisfied to a moral certainty
that long before the three years have
rolled around and these battle ships
can be placed in commission the war
would be over? l take 1t, then, that
this Is q provision to care for the
navy without regard to the war with
Spain, II we are to have one.
Last December the secretary of the
navy said, build one. What has
to make a change in the
ordinary policy for the future wants
OF the navy as disassociated with
Spain? Nothing on earth except the
patriotic feeling Of 7O,0OO,OO OF peo-
pie which is to be utilized to con-
struct battle ships that can not be
used 10 the coming war. To do what?
TO get ready for another war. l believe
% business man, believe there Is 20
man in this house as a business man,
X he could control 1t In his business
Affairs, and bis business embraced the
national affairs, but what, if we are
90 have war with Spain, would pre-
fer, before he had bound this govern.
ment to put SIS, 600, 900 In three battle
ships, that a test as to the value of
the battle ships should be made be.
tween this and the expiration OF the
close Of the war before he would make
Q contract to bind the Government
$4,000, 900 or more.
I honestly believe, II We do have a
war, long before the battle ships can
become completed they would either
be 90 changed that the government,
with a strong hand, would repudiste
the contract and pay damages aud
abandon them. During
our civil war, and for years after.
wards, there was a revolution in naval
construction; and we refrained from
entering upon construction during
that period OF evolution. l think il
was wise that along about 1883 OF
1884, under the secretaryship of Mr.,
Chandler, we commenced to build a
new navy.
Take the Texas, which / believe
was the first one Of our battle ships
constructed. Does not my friend
thank God that there were not any
more battle ships like the Texas