The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-05
Tho Navy Increase Bill.

The secretary Of the navy, Mr.. John
D. Long, is reported as trifle out Of
temper over the manner in which his
recommendations for the increase of
the navy We're treated by congress.
The secretary's programme contem-
plated the construction of three new
battleships. three new armored cruis
ers. three new first-class protected
cruisers and six new second-class pro-
tected cruisers. being fifteen in ALL But
the slashing by the committees of the
two houses resulted in proposed re-
duction of the total number to six, as
follows: Battleships. two; armored
cruisers, two; first class protected
cruisers, none; second class protected
cruisers two. Just what the confer
ence committee really did agree upon
is not yet made clear in the reports.
But the allowance was much below
Mr.. Longs original estimate.
The result of the war. so far
as the civil head of the navy was
concerned was calculated to enlarge
the ideas of that official as to the i'm
portance of his department. and no
doubt strong lobby has been on duty
at the capitol to back up those same
ideas. But there are some statesmen
who become chilly at times. for one
cause and another. Sentiment and COM
mon sense are not necessarily twin
issues.
For instance, we find Senator Chand
Ter. Of New Hampshire. himself for
mer secretary Of the navy, talking in
this hard. cold way
= civ Of hath
we shall provide for ships which cannot be
constructed for several years to come. and
stock the navy with vessels which may not
be Of the kind we shall need a few years
hence.
That touches the core of the sftua-
ton. If the navy had been rebuilt in
a wholesale way upon the structural
lines of twenty-five years ago. our
fleets would have made a sorry showing
in the recent war. and yet that was the
demand during the two terms of Presi-
dent Grant. But a great revolution in
method has occurred since then, and
the battleships and cruisers Of today
bear no resemblance to anything exist
ing even a score of years ago.
Senator Hanna, practical business
man, also interposed his disapproval Of
Secretary Longs plans. He said:
/ New developments are appearing il the
matter of armor plate and armor- piercing
ammunition. 1t is unwise to rush ahead and
commit the government to the building of
additional ships which may not meet the re-
quirements of the naval service few years
hence There is no place where these ad-
ditonal ships can be built, and it would be
fully four years before their keels could be
laid a> .-s,s e~s& t.
If Secretary Long fretful in the
face of this opposition, he displays his
own lack of practical common sense as
applied to "a strictly business move
ment. The United States navy did not
lose a ship during the late war, and
the moral effect of the accomplish
rnents of the service is of much more
value than could be replaced by several
big vessels. Senator Platt, of New
York, voiced the popular judgment in
the matter when he said:
There is a difference of opinion as to the
wisdom OF going ahead building armored
cruisers of the present type. We are build
ing over fifty ships today, and really
have not adequate facilities for additions I'M
til some of those now under way are COM
pleted. y l do not believe there is any desire
on the part of the committee to hamper the
navy.
Of course there is, no disposition to
ohstruct the work of Improvement of
any of the national sources of de-
Tense. The Democratic party itself has
practically rebuilt the navy and has,
as far as possible, pursued the policy
laid down by Samuel J. Tilden in the
matter of maintaining and charging
the coast defense system, and no one
will question that it has performed
the service well and honestly and I'M
associated with any ring influence.
| It is we'll that the spirit of imperial
ism. as reflected in Secretary Longs
recommendations. has received this
check, and it is the more gratifying to
Democrats to find their own conserv-
ative but practical position on this
subject supported by such Republicans
as Senators Hanna, Chandler and
Platt, of New York