New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-07
WHAT A NAVY IS WORTH.

There are ignorant persons who regard tn
fighting force and the defensive Notifications
of a nation as sheer waste. TO them the maj
in brass buttons is cumberer Of the ground
the battle-ship is frghtful tax on the people
and it would be cheaper to have the big gur
explode than live to be fired again Well. thu
sx-footer in brass buttons on Broadway is {
waste of money in the estimation of the Anar
! chist. The judge is as useless as the genera
and the big courtroom as needless as the cruiser
The Anarchist and the peaceful citizen, how
ever, have different points Of view. Wreck and
ruin are not objects of national longing and
the man who loves peace is willing to pay fol-
1t If he has sense
The cost of an army is the cost Of peace
GrOwn-up babies imagine that disarmament by
concert Of all nations would end war; In fact
II would make war cheap and easy; and Jane
son raid, any fast boat with gun, might then
conquer something The longest stride ever
taken toward universal peace was the building
OF the Monitor. Whatever makes war so cost
ly that no nation can rush into it without large
resources and international credit helps to pre-
vent war and preserve peace.
The value of this defence to the good citizen
and productive artisan is usually overlooked.
and truth If every dollar earned by labor or
by capital We're compelled to pay, as a condi-
ton precedent to its receipt, fifty-eight hun
dredths Of 4 cent to the Army and Navy which
make its earnings possible. The Nations earn
ngs are perhaps S12,OO0000000 a year. and
it pays S1OOOOOOO for its Army and Navy.
There could be no prof table Industry, no safe
investment Of capital no legitimate return for
labor or money invested, if there were not
enough OF National preparation and public de-
fence to render war undesirable and costly 10
any foreign Power. 70 realize this, the coun-
try has only TO consider the effect of recent
events upon its markets.
Nobody imaglnes that Spain could by any
possibility injure this country otherwise than
its outer crust or fringe, to speak. 1t
might possibly damage some seabOard cities.
and for a while interfere with some ocean
traffic Not even that much could Spain or any
other nation do if the Army and Navy were at
all times prepared for National defence in any
emergency; but cheap and shOrt-sightcd men
in Congress, who have no idea Of the value Of
National defence. have saved millions by stingi-
ness there in order to waste twice as many
millions IN making places or jobs for constt-
uents. Hence a single days alarm has reduced
the average price Of stocks more than a dollar
share. and the possibility of trouble with
Spain has reduced the average about 50 a
share As there are over $40 000OOOOO Of
stocks and bonds, the holders loss in single
days decline OF market value has been about
double the cost OF supporting the Army and
Navy for year. and In three weeks more
than four times that cost. That is only frac-
ton Of the sacrifice. Enterprises by hundreds
have been deferred or refused because of in
ternational uncertainties, including n single I'M
dcrtaking involving investment Of about 500
100000. Nobody can estimate how much the
demand for labor for its products has been
affected, or how much the earnings Of all cap
tal in business or industry, by the uncertainty
regarding foreign affairs But let ANYBODY
imagine how frightfully destructive that I'M
certainty would have been If the Nation had
no Army or Navy. Then let him consider how
insignificant 1t would have been if the Army
and Navy had been absolutely sufficient for
National defence at any moment and against
any Power The fact Is, a good police force
Is an extremely profitable investment