Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-05-12


ter an all day discussion an agreement
was reached to vote on the armor
plate section. at o'clock tomorrow
afternoon. During the days discussion
a notable speech was delivered by Mr.
Lodge of Massachusetts, upon the ne
cessity of building up the United States
navy without delay. Mr.. Daniel of
Virginia, presented an extended argu-
ment in support Of the immediate con
struction by the government Of an
armor factory. while Mr.. Allison of
Iowa opposed the project on the score
of economy.
Governor Roosevelt Of New York
was on the floor of the Senate. today.
He entered the chamber with Senator
Lodge and was warmly greeted.
AT the conclusion of routine business
the Senate proceeded to the considera-
ton of the naval appropriation bill. the
pending question being an amendment
Of Tillman providing for a straight
price of $500 per ton for armor and an
armor plate factory to be built by the
government at a cost not to exceed
$4 000. 900
Lodge. Mass, speaking in opposition
to the amendment. said that for the
past three years the senators from
South Carolina and New Hampshire
tTillman and Chandler) had been en-
deaVoring to get armor at a low price,
the net RI suit Of their work having
been 10 put a stop to the construction
of a navy. The amendment of Tillman.
ne said. would absolutely stop tn"
building of ships. He had no preju
dice against a government armor plant.
Indeed. he was not ut all assured that
il would not have been setter i'll the
beginning Of the construction of our
new navy to erect on armor plant. To
stop the building of all ships until the
armor plant could be erected would, he
thought b. fatal mistake.
My reason for desiring more ships"
said he. land desiring them quickly,
is my belief that the safety of the
United States depends upon the
sire myth Of our navy. We d. not need
The navy for the protection Of our in
sular possessions The danger lies in
our own great coast line and in the
defence of the Monroe doctrine in this
hemisphere. our Atlantic coast is
studded With cities from the Gulf to
this great coast line ana these cities we
have no adequate fleet.
I'VE are about Ia enter upor the con-
stlUrtiou Of an Isjhmian canal.
Whether it will he better t. f)rtify the
canal ar mt ii vet m open question.
Eut control the canal. II defend it.
II hold il oman for our commerce and
for tho commerce Of the world. even
though it he against an encmys fleet,
We must bc the naval masters of the
Caribbean sea. We must have far
more powerful fleet than We have. to-
day The safety Of the canal depends
upon our fleet. All admit that the ca
nal ought to be- built and the time is
near when the work will be begun. If
We are to protect the canal as we'll as
our own coast. we must have a navy
proportionately strong.
II hone and believe" he continued.
that We shall have no war. but
great fleet is the creates Insurance of
peace. However. we Wou-i be foolish
indeed if We should close our eyes 10
the possibilities Of the situation. We
could never allow the Danish islands
to pass into any other hands than ours.
The European nation which should I'M
dertake to take possession Of these is
lands right on the road to the canal
ana to make Of them great naval sta
tions would by that very act become
an enemy of ours. We could submit to
no such thing as that. The Monroe
doctrine is n great protection to the
United States. Men of all parties, Re
pubicans and Populists-withOut dis
tinction, adhere to that.
Il am by no means sure that some
European nation tporhaps one whose
navy is now receiving such rapid in
creased may not test the Monroe doc
trinc. We may be called unon that
doctrine in Brazil or in some other
South American country. / am not
coniuring up fancies. but l believe the
way to preserve peace is to have such
n navy as no power in the world would
care to encounter
Lodge believed in the construction Of
a navy powerful enough to defend our
coast line and the Monroe doctrine.
That was one question upon which the
American people were agreed.
He wanted the navy department TO
be able to proceed with the building of
authorized ships. Already too much
time had been lost. If the Monroe doc
trine should be endangered or if our
coast should be menaced we should be
prepared. If we We're not prepared. he
said it would be weak excuse that
we had been engaged in throttling an
egregiouS monopoly. He urged that no
further obstacle should be placed in
the way of the navy's construction.
In a colloquy with Lodge, Tilman
said it was we'll known that the navy
Of the United States was superior to
that of Germany.
Lodge. agreeing in part with Till
mans statement. pointed to the great
increase that now was being made in
the German navy. IF the senator
thinks" said Lodge. there is no dan
ger to be apprehendcd. | fear he under
rates the Importance of the subject--a
subject to which I have given much
thought and consideration.
In 4 speech in support Of Tillman
amendment. Bacon. Ga, advocated the
of n government factory be-
cause he believed il would be a protection
of the interests of the United States. He
strongly advocated the proposed increase
in the navy i'll order hat the country
might be prepared To build ut once Il gov
ernment armor plant. then defend tho