The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-29
Secretary Longs Response.

After Governor Tyler, of Virginia, had
spoken, Secretary Long responded to the
toast, THE Navy" He said, in part:
II have been interested in the circular
signed by many eminent citizens, my be-
loved friend, Z. Z. Hale, at the head, in
which they regret the estimate of 500, 000,-
900 for the increase of the navy. The size
of the navy, if there is to be a navy at
all, is a question like the tariff-Of ADJUST
ment rather than of principle. OF course,
it is rather a taking thing to say as a
matter of theory, this circular says,
that 500 100000 for the navy means a tax
And yet, on the other hand, a matter of
practical fact, If that sum is spent there is
probably not a family in the United States
whose future income could be shown to be
So less, and there are a good many families
whose income would be Sc more, and still
more families whose income would be many
times So less if it were not spent. 1t is also
rather taking thing to say that 100000
600 could be better spent for education or
charity And yet, on the other hand $780,
100000 spent in the employment of labor is
the very best use TO which it can be
1.-The great question of the day as to
wealth is its distribution. While few would
say that the community should be taxed
for the sole purpose of distributing the
proceeds of taxation yet 1t is some COM
fort to know of a tax which, when IL is
laid on the community, all returns again
TO it. If 500 100000 shall be appropriated for
the navy by the present Congress, small
terial, and something for salaries but the
great bulk Of it for labor in every part of
the Union.
Somehow it just now happens that with
larger revenues than we have ever had
before in time of peace, and, therefore
with more direct and indirect taxation
there is more prosperity and more money
In the pocket of the citizen than ever be-
fore. Students may speculate over the
economic causes, but this is the DENIM
ton total Undoubtedly Uncle Sam ought
70 ra1l a W Yer no On
the other hand ii is shrewd and wise in
him TO run things so as to keep business
good; and if, as a result his income is
large, he conferS much more benefit by
spending ii than he would by hiding it.
Whenever the interests of the country re-
Guire he should reduce his receipts, but
as they are now excessive the great ques-
ton seems to be how he shall get the pro-
ceedS back among the people. Another
year he may not have so much money to
spend. But II, TINS year, having a surplus
he spends $1O0, 100000 for the navy. let US
remember that while it is spent under that
name il is really spent. as l said before in
the employment of the peoples labor and
in the purchase of the material they have
10 sell, and the people get rather more out
of it than the navy does, for they get it
all back again.
Nor is 1t true, as suggested in the cir
cular. that great navy necessarily in
flames the fighting spirit and leads to war.
If my recollection serves me right while
Great Britain has had troubles in Egypt.
Africa and elsewhere, she has had no con
fiict on sea for many years. and yet her
navy has been twice as large as that of
any other power. The recent increase in
our navy did not induce the war with
Spain. which, as things were, seems 10
have been inevitable On the other hand.
IL is more than likely that If in the begin
ming of 1895 we had even as large a navy as
we have now. certainly as large a one as
now proposed, there would have been no
war with Spain, and that country would
have come to terms. as she was very near
coming. without battle. At that time, how
ever. ii was the general impression among
that her navy would blow us out of the
water
All the foregoing deals with questions
of expediency, which are the only ques-
tons raised in the circular. But this is a
question of principle. and that question,
strangely enough, the circular does not
touch. The signers. II seems TO me, instead