The record-union., 1898-03-25

war actually arrives, in the hope that
a disparity in naval force can be speed
lily corrected, is an idea unworthy of
rational and patriotic men. 1t is the
very acme of human folly.
80 much has been said in the press
and on the stump about the new navy
that the public have grossly over
estimated its fighting capacity True.
/ may assert that the ships we have
are Of the best, and our personnel
active, keen and equal to the highest
traditions of their predecessors. 1t is.
indeed a powerful navy, compared
with the best feet of wooden ships that
the United States or any other nation
ever possessed but it is far inferior to
the present navies of France, Germany
and Russia. 1t is a very small navy
compared with that of Great Britain.
1t is inferior to that of Italy, a country
nearly bankrupt with about one third
of our population, and still more in
ferior in wealth and the interests she
may be called on to defend
There are only four battleships of
the first-class and two of the second
class. One of them-the Maine-now
lies at the bottom of Havana Harbor,
the victim, probably of an assassin S
foul act, whose instigators, whoever
they may be, evidently took no thought
from the words of the English states
man, that assassination has never
changed the history of the world
Now then, we have only five battle
ships left We have five more Of the
first class now being built, and these,
the Secretary tells US, will not be ready
before the latter part of 1899, say eigh-
teen to twenty months from now Even
the torpedo boats-an essential part of
our system of coast defense-will not
be ready for a considerable time to
come.
Holding these views as to our duty
and the public necessities, l welcome
the exceedingly modest and reasonable
addition of three battleships and six
torpedo boats and six torpedo boat de-
stroyers proposed by the bill. With
equal satisfaction do I hail the steps
which propose to give our warships ade-
quate docking and repair facilities upon
the Atlantic. Pacific and Gulf Coasts.
THE fifty million appropriation unan
imously voted by Congress was not only
declaration of our purpose to stand by
the country in time of war; it was also
a confession by Congress that we are
lacking, sadly lack ng, in preparation for
war, and that whatever money, freely
voted, would do to atone for our past
neglect and want of foresight would be
cheerfully, promptly given"
Dayton (R.) of West Virginia, a mem
Der of the committee, in discussing the
bill, spoke fee1ingly of the Maine ex-
plosion. But the blowing up of the
Maine" said he, lis a mere incident
compared with that greater and more
horrible tragedy which is transporting
daily before our eyes and which we, as
great and enlightened nation, insist
must stop. Great applause) Two hun
dred and fifty American sailors
have gone down in Havana harbor;
100000 people are dead in Cuba, and
2oO0O0 more, mostly women and chill
dren, are being starved to death We
do not know that Spain blew up the
Maine, but we do know that she is re-
sronsible for the deadly murder in Cuba.
This thing must cease; | hope without
war, but if war is necessary, let it come
quick" (Applause)
Arnold (R.) of Pennsylvania discussed
for the blowing up of the Maine. When
he declared that arbitration would not
be accepted by the American people,
there was a round Of applause. Our flag,
he insisted, had been insulted, and our
honor was at stake.
Tate CD of Georgia. member of the
committee, and briggs CD of New
York spoke briefly, the former contrast
ing the enormous extravaganza eXpendi-
lures of the present day with the frugal
ity and economy of the early days of the
republic
Fox Cd of Mississippi spoke of the
general conditions in the country, and
Low (R) of New York, in comparing the
navies abroad with those of this coun-
try, said that had the steps now being
years ago the United States to-day
might be fitted to cope with the navies
abroad on more equal footing.
Skinner Pop) of North Carolina re-
ferred to the war preparations, and said
almost every country in Europe was
establishment for possible conflict, and
that Spain was hawking it's deprecated
credit in every market to secure means
for Defense
The other speakers were Fitzgerald
Cd of Georgia, Kitchen Cd of North
Carolina and Osborne CD of Wyoming.
At 300 p. m. the House adjourned.