The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-27
Circulation statement.
The President and the Navy.

Aal4J average tH-n-1F. -te-O, excepted 4S.s,!
The President and the Navy.
People who claim to know something
about The Presidents views on public
questions state that he is particularly
impressed with the necessity for rapid
increase IN the effective strength of the
navy. and that one of the strong
points in the policy of his Administ~a-
ton viii be the promotion Of that OBJ
ject
4 more popular movement could not
well bee imagined The experiences
and lessons Of the past few years have
taught the American people that if they
wish 20 be free from all danger of for
eign complications they must equip
their Government with sea power az
great as that Of the strongest naval
State. 1t is to ensure peace and not
for the purpose Of making war that we
need as many battleships, armored
cruisers, and torpedo boats as can be
built during the next fifteen years.
Does anybody believe that were cur
navy in the condition il was two dec
AIDES ago. the Monroe Doctrine would
be treated with anything but deris!ou
in Europe today2 1t is true that now
We have something OF a navy. but so
have ether Powers. and they are in
cTeasing their war tonnage a great deal
faster than we are. II We hang back
we shall he left in the lurch and one
day discover that our innexible position
in support Of the Monroe Doctrine has
90 make good our declarations we must
have more ships, more Deweys and
Schleys, and. in the name Of God. no
more Simpsons and Crowninshields
That this thought has been present in
the mind Of the President for "a long
time is shown in the language he used
In his Minneapolis address. delivered on
the second Of the present month. four
days before the assassination of Presi-
dent Mckinley. Mr. Roosevelt then
said.
Right here let me make as vigorous plea
as ] know how In favor oi saving nothing That
We 60 not mean, and of acting without hesitation
up 10 whatever We say.
a Ee1d many of you are probably arguJ -u-cI
with the old uroYer5 Speak softfr and carry
h-g s--ck-you viii so far II man continually
clusters, II he laCs CivIllrE. big stick VIII NOT
'-AN il4ali A4NLl alHAa-ar UFlLEHE WIFI
softly avail If back % tie satrness there does NOS
he strength, power. ln private life there arc fcV
beings more obnoxious than The man who d, o.
WAYS loudly bolstlu-, and Il the bolsier is nor
prepared 90 back mp his words his position be-
comes absolutely contemplate So 10 Is vitE t.e
nation
eft is 10th foolish and uudi-aiGrd 20 indulge
ID undue selt--larlIlati0n. and, above all, DOB
iaaS.-laE@u-I LeHureiatign of other people,
Whenever on any point we come in contact
with foreign Power I hope that Es shall lI-lss
strive TO- speak courtegualy and respectfully gf
that foreign Power
Lot us make it evident that we intend Do DO
justice Then let us make 10 equally evident t.at
Uc VIII not tolerate injustice being done as .u
return. LIT Us further make n evident that r-
use no words wlirh $50 are not prepared tu back
up With deeds, and that while ogT speech B, al-
ways moderate We are ready and willing o. make
IL -lpl- such an attitude VIII hs the ~l-E-f
possible guarantee of that seif-TC-peCllu- UgI.a
tla attainment Of which Is and must ever be
the prime ain Of se.i-soyerHiug people
Obviously the biggest stick the United
States could find would be navy 50
powerful that no single foreign Gov
eminent would venture 20 attack US.
or 90 tread on the toes Of the Monroe
Doctrine. There is one question in con
nection with naval expansion which the
country viii expect 10 b. taken up quite
as vigorously as that Cf planning bat
tieshius and cruisers We refer 20 a
thorough reformation Of the service.
As President Roosevelt formerly was
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy. bee
knows better than 90 most men what
disgraceful conditions OF bureaucracy.
fayoritism. and often persecution II
gallant officers are =. be found in the
department. and have existed there Tor
years, TO the vast det-iment OF the SER
vice and its prestige abroad The
American people viii be found heartily
willing 10 stand the taxation that Il
huge and splendid array Of fighting yes
sells may entail. but they would deeply
resent continuation Of the present
bureau system, as il is conducted by
persons Of the CroWuinshiald sort. and
Of such humiliatiug scandals as Samp-
sonism has produced II President
Roosevelt viii use the executive power
10 purge the department of the evils
and abuses that now degrade il, and see
that the prizes Of the service are re-
served Tor those who earn them by de-
vOtiOu TO duty and professional ability.
and not for the favOrltes, friends, and
relatives Of politicians and bureau
chiefs. be viii deserve the honest graft
tude OF his fellOw-cOu1trymen. and will
have the last man 81 them with him in
his naval policy.