New-York tribune., 1901-05-19

IT, shi4 and genius that made the Oregon
~ AhoWh @ when the Oregon started TO join the fleet
", worS aSa1tlago fugo Days and days we heard not one
Mmoro M from her. But we had confidence in the
STOUT stout snip you had builded, and had
Il1ehce IN that gallant officer Captain Clark.
VINO commanded 1t; and 1 shall never forget the
early morning when Captain Clark telegraphed
Irom the Florida shore: THE Oregon is here and
leeds no repairs. and is ready for action" And
the country. 1 want to thank you o. the
Union Works for your assistance in the defence
Tor having builded ships that have maintained
the honor of the United States and added glory
TO the navy OF the United States.
L was sorry, indeed. not to have been at the
unveiling of the monument the day before yes
terday, erected by descendant of Peter Dona-
hue who founded the Union Iron Works and
dedicated to the mechanics Of the city of San
francisco L should have liked have paid
that honor to one who founded these great
works-works that have been so successfully
carried on by Mr.. Scott and his associates and
that have made the fame of the Union Iron
Works worldwide.
OHIO AND THE NATION
1 don't want ship in the American navy
ou1it this year to be any better than the Ohio
say that to you among ourselves. l say it to
you workmen who are going to build her, for /
have great deal of pride in the old State |
have a great deal of pride in the name but
proud as | am of my native State. I am a thou
sand times more proud of the nation that is
over all the States, supreme and sovereign and
glorious in it's mission of goodwill and liberty to
all mankind. applause and three cheers for
Ohio)
What want is to build more ships We
ought to have good commercial line from here
to the Philippines. made in the Union Iron
WORKS built by American workingmen and
manned by American sailors. and carrying the
American flag. There is nothing in this world
that brings people so close together as
merce. There is nothing in this world that so
much promotes the universal brotherhood of
man as commerce. and want TO encourage
commerce The nations close together now
The powers of the earth are tied together. We
have overcome distance We not only want
commercial line, but want cable line, from
here to the Philippines. We want il to be
American cable that cannot be cut by any
power in the world. They say trade follows
the flag. The telegraph must follow trade.
DEALING WITH NEW POSSESSIONS
My fellow citizens. we have got problems be-
fore us. We never had more important ones
We have expanded Do you want to contract?
(Cr1es Of "No!) 1t is not a question of whether
we will acquire the Philippines Porto Rico
Guam or Wake Island Hawaii Tutua.
We have acquired Them they ours. The
cries of "No!'D
And from one end of this country to the
other comes the answer They are ours not to
sub1ugate, but to enancipate; not to rule in the
power OF might, but to take to those distant
people the principles of liberty, of freedom of
conscience and of opportunity that enjoyed
by the people of the United States
our nag never goes anywhere except it car
ries blessings. Our flag never oppressed any
body. but 1t has given freedom to every people
over whom it has foatai
Having said this much, only want to thank
you all for this most cordial welcome. l
glad again to meet the workingmen of my coun-
Try. All my public life has been devoted in
efforts TO giving the workingmen the best op-
steady employment. When labor is we'll en-
ployed the country is safe. and when labor is
ness in the homes of the laboring Let
DO our duty, the great public duty that con-
fronts us Let us do IT walking humbiy before
God, dealing justly and mercifully and always
asking His favor and guidance
Let me say that I shall carry this beautiful
souvenir of the employees of the Union Iron
Works with me- and il shall abide with so
long I live and shall be passed along to those
OF my family that shall follow as one of the
dearest tokens 1 have ever received from my
fellow countrymen Enthusiastic applauseD
After the speechmaking the launching crew
returned to their posts. and the rattle of mauls
and splitting OF timbers gave warning that
the cradle being released down to the
stranng block. tugboat and a launch pa
trolled the channel in front of the ways and
took final soundings to make certain that all
was clear
The launching platform had been enlarged
somewhat, 10 admit of the seating on the south
side OF about two hundred people On the plat
form there was standing room for one hundred
and fifty more. In the lower yard a number of
seats put in place for guests fortunate
enough to hold invitations To the east Of the
o
clety. with seating capacity of eight hundred
The hull of the Ohio looked anything but pretty
but the lines of signal flags and large national
banners strung and set fore and aft softened
the grim outlines and when the ship took the
water d number of men the decks waved
small American flags. The customary decora-
tions prevailed the launching stand, and
bunting and banners were in profusion about
the adjoining ways and on the vessels building
and awaiting repairs at the company's docks
No vessel was allowed within hundred yards
of the channel, and small boats warned to
keep TO the eastward.
Irving NJ Scott and Henry T Scott took the
President and Governor Nash and their Parties
| for cursory inspection of the important
sections of the great yards where the ocean war
riors built. Both President Mckinley and
Governor Nash followed the explanations con-
corning the works closely and with evident in
terest. After the inspection of the works Presi-
dent Mckinley and the others of the party went
to the stand where they saw the launching.
THE LAUNCHING CEREMONIES
| BY the hour of II the greater number of the
guests had arrived at the stand beside the hull
OF the big battleship They saw lying there a
great shape of steel. ready for the sea. The
greater part of the superstructure of the slip
wherein the Ohio built had been removed
The battle craft lay in her great wooden shoe
like cradle the slippery ways Toward the
, stern the ribs of the cradle ran well up her
sides, shortening toward the forward end of the
ship and disappearing. Tall shores. reaching
from their firm foundations in the earth to the
decks of the ship. were standing close along her
sides. On a table on the stand near by was an
electrical instrument. The pressing of button
meant the launching of the ship.
The ceremonies were simple, but significant
There was the formal exchange of acceptances
the part of the government and then the
tide having reached its flood. the word was
/ given. A bottle of California champagne de-
| pended from the bow by ribbons of red white