Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-17

80 Largo sums spent by the conFtrucuoh
rpreau. the steam engineering and DINERS
nrohablv bring the payroll OF the NOT
folk ward TO $4,000 month. AZ New
,or, News throe battleships and mon'-
,or have been building for the govern
,,ent while IN Richmond three torpedo
boats and two torpsdo-boat cestroyers
| ors unaer construction in the same spe-
| cl.l II Is also noted that Petersburg sup
plies @ large part Of the projec'iies i'i-
ni4h.d the navy. and Chario''esV'ns -
said 10 manufacture great quantities OF
clothing used by the sailors
This is very gratifying and ENCOURAGING
Pm, "a far as our share OF naval con-
.truc,ion IS concerned. Il suggests a most
important question. And the answer 10
that question should set our people 10
thinking and to acting. 1t should stiinu-
lo,o further and varied industrial devei-
opmen:
How much Of the money received IN
VIRGINIA for naval ship building remains
IN the State? A small amount, as COM
pared with what Pennsylvania Tor IN
stance. retains out OF her receipts from
tho same Industry. And why? Because
virginia has TO send beyond her borders
FOR the greater part OF tho manufactured
material that enters into the building OF
naval vessels. Such is not the case with
Pennsylvania. The latter supplies withln
her own territory all, or nearly all, OF the
auxiliary products" needed by her ship
buijders. Save for certain per cent,
deducted for wages, profits, &C., the
n,pc., Virginia draws for naval snip
construction merely passes through the
state. Tho balance goes TO other states
10 be turned over in those states IN IN
dustries that are contributory to tho
work Of the ship-buildnc plants. OF the
money the Keystone state ship-builder
draws out Of the United states Treasury
very little goes out of Pennsylvania For
the most part the difference between
what he deducts for profits and wages
and the total. goes to the upbulding and
feeding Of other Pennsylvania enter
priso'.
And this should be the operation In
Vireiria. There Is no sound reason why
we should not manufacture all the more
important auxiliary products that are
used i'm the construction Of naval and
other modern vessels. and which are the
outuut Of iron ana steel industries. All
that IS necessary 10 that end Is the e%-
ercise in other NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN
which our natural advantages and ma
terial resources call us-of the same sort
OF zeal. public spirit, and energy that
has developed our ship-bullding industry
When this shall have been done the bulk
Of the money paid 70 Virginia Tor ship
construction win be distributed in The
state through various channels and many
classes down to the laborer in the ore
banks
OF course the per cent Of the money
VIRGINIA gets for ship-building which re-
mains in the State is a great considera-
ton. and does a great deal Of good. d.
rcctly and indirectly it helps thousands.
But 10 be content with retaining part
and with the benefits therefrom. when
there are vast possibilities for retaining
nearly the whole, and multiplying the
present benefits many times, is to do
ourselves great injustice. 1t is in our
mower TO make the actual fruits of the
harvest to us many fold greater, and the
halvesters thousands where they are now
hundreds.