The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-12-29
THE BATTLESHIp MISSOURI
Fifteen Thousand Persons Witnessed
the Launching Yesterday.
II WAS 4 MOST SUCCESSFUL AFFAIR
Secretary Of the Navy Long Made an
Address in Defense Of the Hundred
Million Dollar Appropriation.

Newport News, Va. December 1s-The
hattleship Missouri was launched at the
saipyards here today at 1t:l2 o'clock. Fully
l5,ooo people, II Is estimated saw the big
defender 20 overheard. The Launching pass.
ID OF without hitch aud none prettier or
more successful was ever accomplished
here Miss Marion Cockrell. daughter OF
United States Senator r. NJ. Cockrell OF
Missouri was sponsor for the ship and she
performed the duty assigned her with the
traditional bottle of champagne, using
bottle OF Missouri product for the purpose.
The number OF distinguished guests gath
cred around the sponsor on the christening
platform was larger than ever seen here.
Among those present were Secretary Long,
Secretary Hitchcock, Rear Admiral Mel
Vile, L. S. n, chief of the bureau OF
steam navigation; Rear Admiral oueil,
chief OF ordnance; Judge Advocate General
I.emIy, Lieutenant Governor j. A. Lee OF
Missouri, acting for Governor DoekeEy,
Governor Tyler Of Virginia, Corwin II.
Spencer OF St. Louis, representing the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition company;
Congressman Rixey, representing ths house
committee on naval Affairs; Senator Cock
reil and a number Of army and navy Of
fcers
Mrs. Roosevelt, wife Of President Roose-
velt, came up from Old Point on the United
States dispatch boat Dolphin with her
guests and viewed the launching from the
steamers deck.
When the big snip had Elided OF the
ways into the water, the crowd on the
guest platform gave three cheers for Miss
Eockrell, three for the army and the
navy, three for Secretary Long, then th~ee
for the shipyard.
Az the Chamberlain hotel this afternoon
the customary post-launehing banquet was
aFts fNa htu once "a ia
the banquet. President {, b. Orcutt OF the
Newport News Ship Building company act.
ed as toastmaster. Oecupylng seats OF
honor on each side Of him were Secretaries
Long aud Hitchcock, Sena~1T CocRrell Gov
ernor Tyler Of Virginia, Lieutenant Cover
nor Lee Of Missouri, Rear Admlrals Mel
Vile Cotton and O'Neill, Captains ). {.
Lemly and c. II. Spencer.
toast TO the president was drunk stand
ing. - NO.,
cock, who bore 10 the gathering the greet
ings Of President Roosevelt and his re-
Ersts at not being present.
10 the toast Missouri The senator
aroused enthusiasm when be said that the
STATE had sent 5000 men into the Union
army and nearly as many into the Con
spain, Missouri furnished her fun quOts
and would have furnished many more had
they been accepted, said the speaker.
After Sovsrnor Tyler Of Nlrgid5ia = mao tSs
tsast the Navy" He said In part:
Il have been Interested in the circular
aTss ,r Il nay e sn Rs. Gi tn. has
which they regret the estimate Of 800,
100000 fer the increase Of the navy. The
aka Of the navy. Il there Is to be a navy
justment rather than Of principle. OF
course 1t is rather taking thing 70 say
Sat n for the IS navy sas f mssn. say
of So on every family In tho United States
And yet, on the other hand, as matte
fhere is probably not family in the Unit
ed States whose future Income could b
shown TO bs 80 less, and there are goo
more, and still more families whose II
comes would be many times SO less II
were not spent. II is also rather a takln
thing to SAY that 500, 100000 could be BET
ter spent for education or charity.
III S1O0.OOo.oo0 shall be appropriated 70
the navy ny the present congress, SINAI
'srisl and something for salaries. but ~
great bulk q i for labor IN every par
Sam ought to reduce taxation wherever h
can. On the other hand. Il Is shrewd ant
wise in him 10 run things so as TO kee
business good and H.. as result his In
rome IL large, he confers much more bene
iii by spending Il Than he would hy hidin
H. II this year. having surplus, b
spends Si0o 100000 for tho navy, let us re
member that while II Is spent under tina
name. il Is really spent. as | said before
In the en- Oyment Of the peoples labo
and in thespnrchase Of the material the
have TO sell. and the people rx. Il all bac
again. Nor is II true. as suggested in tn
circular. that great navy necessarily IL
DANES the hghtlng spirit and leads TO wal
The recent Increase IN onr navy did no
Induce the war with Spain. which a
things were. seems to have been inevitable
On the other hand. II Is more than likel
that II in the beginning OF 1895 we ha
even as large navy as we have now. eel
rainly as large a one as now proposed
there wonld have been no war with spai
end that country would have come to term
as she was very near coming without bat
tie.
our hag into the ports and harhors Of th
world Is something more than nehtin
machine II means relations with thos
ports; Ii means an awakening and livel
. respect there for our country. and II mean
recognition Of the outreach Of orr civlnzs
ND tpH