Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-04-12

" oCC " ~ tudI SuCu udLlOudl SuCOuT~
agement as might be needed to enable
US to forge to the front would be
granted, IL energy, pluck and persever-
ance on his part could accomplish it.
ut is truism that standing still is
retrogression, and as a city we should
not be content to stand still: therefore,
I join hands with you in asking that
the next congressman-at-large should
be from Philadelphia and that he
should be an aggressive and energetic
man."
POLITICIANS WATCHING.
1t is a somewhat remarkable condi-
tion that the politicians who are usual
ly alert in stating favorites for almost
every Office have not as yet taken up
anybody for ongressman-at-largef from
this city. 1t is true that several we'll
known Philadelphians have been men
toned for the honor, and some Of them,
II Is believed, would consent to the use
of their names in that connection, but
there has not been even suggestion of
getting the state convention delegation
bgether to unite upon a candidate.
This may be done later on II the move
ment among business men results in
their uniting upon any one. Former
Minister to Italy William Potter, a lead
ing member of the Union League; AL
exander Balfour, a prominent manu-
facturer, and half dozen others are
being discussed as available to repre-
INT Philadelphia on the state ticket.
It Is likely that before many days SEN
timant will cryetalize on one Of the
candidates and there will be a deter
mined effort to bring about his nomi-
nation. !.
There will be good field of candi-
dates for these two nominations for
ongressrnen-at-large at the Harris
burg convention. From the western
section Of the state it is announced
that Congressman Davenport, of Erie.
will not be an aspirant for renomina-
ton as congressman-at-large. DR.. 7.
L. Flood, of Crawford county, is being
backed by the Republicans in his Sec
ton of the state and J. B. Steel. OF
Westmoreland, carried that county for
the same honor over former Congress-
man Robbins. Then Mr.. oliver, a
manufacturer of Allegheny, Is highly
spoken of and two or three others have
been mentioned from the western and
northwestern counties. The fact that
Senator e. B. Hardenbergh, of Wayne,
has gotten such long lead in the race
eral has not been relished by those
who are advocating another term for
ongressman-at-Large Grow, who halls
from the adjoining county of SusQue-
hanna. Mr.. Grow has not been able to
get about much of late on account OF
illness. There has been no personal op-
position to him, but the demand for
younger and more active representative
from the Quaker City business men
has, of course, had it's effect upon Mr..
Crows candidacy for denomination.
What the outcome will be at the
state convention it is difficult to say.
ARMOR PLATE PROBLEM.
II congress removes the price limit
on armor plate, which now appears al
together likely the present naval ap-
preparation bill, the same measure Of
the previous session. and the work now
under way will set the shipyards of the
country at work on a navy which, in
point of efficiency, is not excelled in the
world.
Philadelphia, through the great
Cramp plant, should profit much by the
creation of this new navy, for with
vastly increased space and facilities the
big Delaware river yards will be fully
CdpGDle VI uluGFtdhiu6 VI Va
the new work for which contracts may
be secured. The present naval pro-
gram contemplates the construction OF
two seagoing coast line battleships Of
approximately Is, 500 tons each, to cost
about s3,600,000 apiece. exclusive OF ar
NOR and armament; three armored
cruisers of $4,000 tons each. costing not
over s4,25O. 900 each, and three protect
ed cruisers of 5000 tons, to cost about
$2,S00,000 each. Added to these eight
ships must be the three similar sized
battleships, Pennsylvania, Georgia and
New Jersey, and the three great cruis-
ers, West Virginia, Nebraska and Cali
fornia, which were authorized in the
last bill. but which have never been
contracted for, because of the 5000
ton limit placed on the purchase of ar-
NOR plates.
Thus, If the restrictions are all re-
moved there will be contracts to let
for il tremendously powerful fighting
ships, each of the very best of her
class. What kind of ships these will
be and how they will be armored Is just
now engrossing the attention of naval
authorities all over the country. 1t Is
admitted that with such models as the
Alabama, Iowa, Indiana. Kearsarge and
Maine in the battleship class, and the
New York and Brooklyn in the cruiser
line, the new productions can not we'll
be anything but the very highest devel-
opment of the ship Of war.
Pennsylvania great iron and steel
industries await with some anxiety the
outcome of this issue In congress.
More Republican Primaries With
the Usual StalWart