Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-30
A BETTER NAVY.

Naval Appropriation Bii-Crseu thae
.tcopg Navy stood for Peace With Dig
nifty and Honor.
cneech of Hon. John 0. Pendleton, OF
West Virginia. in the House of Rep
resentatives, Friday, February 10,
1898.
CONTINUED from Yesterdays issue)
few years later, in the city of
Neu- orleans. when the people had been
n,,traged by the Vaccinations of
eerret society. when American citizens
ho6 been assassinated and shot down
IN the streets by members of that in
fomous society known as the Malta,
anI the citizens of New Orleans had
ken the law into their own hands,
ond we're inficting merited punish
,,,ant upOn asSassinS, we came near
frding ourselves at war with Italy;
and we all know that it was but a very
few years ago, during the administra-
lion of President Harrison, when the
government of Chile refused for time
"a make reparation for the outrages
committed upon American citizens i'll
me city of Valparaiso, that it was only
when President Harrison sent mes
sage 10 the House of Representative
practically threatening war and show
iug the Chilean government that we
intended to assert our rights that we
succeeded in obtaining the reparation
that was due to our citizens, due to
orr nationality, due TO our honor as
nation in the eyes of the world And
vet my friend tells US that We are
never again to have war with a foreign
mower, and therefore we need not pre-
pare for it! The gentleman's vision
is a beautiful one. | would welcome
its realization as much as he would:
but | say that the old doctrine is true
to-day as it has been true for more
than FIVE thousand years, "In time OF
peace prepare for war" Man is still
a lighting animal, and for many CEN
turtles will continue 10 be-
in 1879, had we have gone to war
over the Virginius affair with Spain,
our nation, which calls itself the
proudest in the universe, which boasts
to-day that to be a citizen under its
flag is greater than to have been Ro-
man citizen in that elder day when to
he Roman was recognized as greater
than TO be a king-had we have gone
20 war with Spain at that time it was
feared and predicted that the proud
flag of our country would have been
Inundated upon the high seas before a
third or feurth-class power Had We
have found ourselves at war with Italy
about the Malta affair it was recog-
nized by many naval experts, both at
home and abroad, that we could not
have faced her successfully upon the
ocean, and |, for one, Mr.. Chairman,
am tired of this penny-wise and
pound-foolish policy which leaves the
greatest. the most populous civilized
nation, save Russia, on the face of the
earth, the wealthiest, the freest, and
che nation which l believe to be the
most powerful in the world, bereft of
It's arms when the occasion arises for
the assertion of its rights.
The policy that leaves us in this
condition is a humiliating and
shameful one. 1t is disgrace to us
and most shameful 10 our national
pride, and to the patriotic spirit of our
people II makes all civilization be-
lieve that, to save few dollars in
taxes we are willing to eat all the
"leeks" that may be offered us and to
d+ASPh nuiAblC PIC llOIi tNtly
We must assert ourselves and hold our
heads erect
think our Republican friends have
a proper appreciation of the situa-
ton; and though they spent. fifteen
or twenty years in trying to give US
good navy and only gave us bad one,
still | think they are honest and pa
trlotlc in their desire TO do what should
be done for the country in this respect.
say to the Democracy, not only to
The Democracy Of the North, but par
tlcularly to the Democracy of the
South, that it has been the historic
policy Of the Democratic party to
maintain the navy.
We have under Democratic admins
tration made it our boast that the navy
was efficient, and that under such adj
mlnlstratiOn, with the hearty concur
renee and applause of the whole party,
our navy has been able to compel re-
speet for our flag and to uphold our
rights throughout the world. And
now when our party is again in power
and when we-especially the men of
the South-are called upon to show
our patriotism, our devotion to the
General Government in which we are
Participating, it is, above and beyond
al, our duty to convince our Northern
democratic brethren and our Northern
republican brethren that so far as
they go in patriotism, so far as they
move onward in the desire to main
IAN the honor of the flag, they shall
nnd the men of the South marching
siQe by side with them and doing their
lull and entire duty to the common
country that belongs to us all.
Mr.. Kilgore-How large an appro-
prlatlon will you vote to convince
them?
Mr.. Pendleton, Of West Virginia.
VIII vote every dollar that is necessary
ior the proper defense of our country,
u II takes the last cent out of Colonel
AiIgofe pocket. Uaughter.)
ne South is here, my friends. and,
N ~ lne language of the late Senator
mn, of Georgia, thank God that she
u mere to remain-as much a part
suo parcel of this country as any 9TH
q part OF it. And she has just as
niuCh 10 defend as any other section.
sAall she be found wanting in her
uuty! l do not believe it. She will
W as much as any section of the coun-
~ 10 defend the nation. She has
.Ae same interests, the same feelings,
suu the same inspirations in the per-
p51uatlon and preservation of national
Aonor, credit, and fame
NY friend from the West (Mr. Simp-
SOM speaks as if it were a matter Of
Interest 10 i