Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-10-22

81 millions higher than those for last
year only demonstrates once more how
the naval appetite always grows with
feeding upon the public treasury. No
navy department the world over has
embarked on this policy and ever pro-
claimed itself satisfied. There are al
ways more ships or more men re-
quired, unless the Legislature, or the
people, or national bankruptcy puts
on the brakes. The time for the Amer
ican people to say enough has come.
That we have sufficient ships for ma
tional defense Is the testimony of high
naval officers. To enter upon prepar-
ations for offensive warfare is to in
vite war and to go counter to the
spirit of the American people and its
institutions.
1t is noteworthy that, despite the
enormous increase in appropriations
asked, Secretary Long is planning for
not more than three battle ships and
two armored cruisers, as against the
two battle ships and two cruisers au-
thorzed last year The fact is that
the cost OF battle ship by no means
ceases when 1t Is finished. Every ship
afioat, private or public, calls for per
petual repairs, and each battle ship
for force of ship tenders, even when
, 1t is laid up in n nevy-yard. The more
, ships authorized, the more men are
demanded. The navy department, I'M
dlsmayed by the fact that it cannot
now find the men to fill up its present
: quota Of seamen, announces that it
4 must have more, and whenever it OBJ
tains them from Congress, it cries for
more ships. How easy it is to step
' from one large appropriation to a
g larger Is shown by the figures of the
! last few years. In 1881 the appro-
prlations were but $15,0SO 437, and in
1880 less than $1O,U0O,OOO. BY 1890
( the sum appropriated was $50, ,456, 113;
e In 1893 $32,574,0S2; and in 1901,
So5,623,4 ,422 And it must not be for
. gotten that these sums are being
3 lavished upon ships which are as
t perlshable as any living being; that
not one cent of the money goes to-
ward the advancement of the United
l States along those higher lines of cul-
a ture, prosperity and civilization which
! alone make for true national great
ness.
In striking and pleasing contrast to
. these navy estimates are those of the
q war department. Despite the In
: creased regular army, the cost of re-
0 organization and the unceasing nee
essity for keeping 10000, men on a
war footing in the Philippines, Secre.
:, tary Root asks for considerably less
:, money than last year. Sixteen mil
lions Is the sum which he finds he
=, can lop off from the amount he re-
+. celved last year, and still carry 20
millions for river and harbor improve
ments not properly chargeable to the
military accounts. That this modera-
tion Is largely due to economies in
administration, rigidly insisted upon
Y by the secretary is another feather
y In that able officials cap. 1t makes
the contrast between the $4,000, ,OOo
asked by the war department for mill
" tary purposes ana the S9S,91O OOt
called for by Secretary Long all the
more striking that the army is still
at war, while the navy, even with its
= blockadng duty, can hardly be sale
to he upon that footing. When on,
considers the enormous sum to bt
paid for pensions, the total trlbut,
(which the United States will prob
ably pay to the spirit of war durin,
: the next year will seem appalling
y even to those familiar with the bur
dens of European militarism.
u ----------.------ $780,
" RUMMAGE SALE, Walsh Blk. Main st