The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-04

: whole people are united IN demanding, Il
3 imperative that our navy should be put
and kept in the highest state Of efficiency
and should be made 10 answer 10 our
: growing needs So far from being n any
: way provocstion 70 war, an adequate
ana highly-trained navy IS the best guar
sntee against war. the cheapest and most
effective peace insurance. The cost OF
building and maintaining such d navy
lnsuring peace which this nation can
possibly pay.
! Anxious for Peace.
Probably no other great nation in the
world is so anxious tor peace as we are.
There Is not single civilized power
which has anything whatever to fear
from aggressiveness on our part. All We
want Is peace, ard toward this end We
wish 10 be able 10 secure the same re-
spect for our rights from others which
we are eager and anxious 10 extend 70
their rights IN return. TO insure fair treat
ment 20 US commercially and 10 guaran-
tee the safety OF the American people
Our people intend to abide by the Mon
roe doctrine ana to insist upon it as the
One sure means Of securing the peace OF
the western hemisphere. The navy offers
US the only means OF making our insist
ence upon the Monroe doctrine anything
but subject OF derision 10 whatever ma
ton chooses 10 disregard IL We desire
the peace which comes as OF right 10 the
just man armed: not the peace granted on
terms of ignomtny 10 the craven and the
weaklins.
1t is not possible 10 improvise q navy
after war breaks out. The ships must
be built and the men trained long in ad-
vance. Some auxiliary vessels can be
turned into makeshifts which win do in
default Of any better for the minor work,
and a proportion OF raw men can be
shortcomings being made good by the
skill Of their fellows, but the efficient
fighting force OF the navy when pitted
against an equal opponent will be found
p
have been regularly built and in the Off
GERS and men who through years of faith
full performance Of sea duty have been
trained to handle their formidable but
complex and delicate weapons with the
highest efficiency In the late war with
Spain the ships that dealt the decisive
blows at Manila and Santiago had been
I launched from two 10 fourteen years, and
they we're able TO do as they did because
the men in the coming towers the gun
turrets and the engine rooms had through
long years OF practice at sea learned how
to do their duty.
Preparation Necessary.
Our present navy was begun in 1882 Al
that period our navy consisted OF a collec-
ton of Anticipated wooden ships already
almost as out Of place against modern
war vessels as the galleys OF Alcibiades
and Hamilcar, certainly as the ships o.
Tromp and Blake. Nor at that time dio
we have men ut to handle modern man
of-war- Undor the wise legislation OF the
congress and the successful administra-
ton OF a succession Of patriotic secreta-
ries OF the navy belonging 10 both politi-
cal parties the work of upbunding the
navy went on, and ships equal 10 any II
the world of their kind were continually
added and what was even more impor-
tant these ships were exercised al sea
singly and IN squadrons until the meL
aboard them were able TO set the best
possible service out OF them. The result
was seen in the short war with Spain.
which was decided with such rapidity be
IL to- ana -eaff.
ness OF our navy than or the Spanish
navy.
While awarding the fullest honor to the
men who actually commanded ana manned
the ships which destroyed the Span
ism sea forces in the Philippines ana IN
Cuba, we must not forget that an equal
need Of praise belongs to those without
whom neither blow could have beer
struck The congressman who voted Tor
years in advance the money 10 lay down
the ships, TO build the guns, 10 buy the
armor plate. the department ofnclais and
the business men and WageworkerS Wnc
furnished what the congress had author
izsd the secretaries of the navy Who
asked for and expended the appropTia-
tons and finally the ofliceTS VINO IN iSii
weather and foul on actual sea service
trained and disciplined the crews or the
ships when there was no war IN signt-aii
are entitled 10 a full share IN the glory OF
Manila and Santiago anu the respect ac-
corded by every true American u those
who wrought such signal triumph Tor oui
country. II was foretncught ana prepSI d
ton which secured Us the oyerM heiR 9l
triumph of 1895 II We fail 10 show fore
thought and preparation now. there may
come p time when disaster viii beiall US
instead of triumph, and should TINS tlnt
come the fault viii rest primarily no.
mon those whom the accident Of events
mrs in supreme command az The moment
bur upon those who have failed TO prepare
IL advance.
Increase the Personnel.
There should be TO cessation in tho
work OF completing our navy; 90 iaI ~
gerutty has been wholly unable 20 ceNise
: substitute ior the great war craft whose
hsElfnerirg guns beat out the mastery u
the li-h seas. IL IS unsafe ana unHise hot
IN provide this year Ter several sCCiiloiial
bsf'tleships and heavy srmoreo cruisers,
with auxiliary and lighter craft y pro
portion For the exact number snc cnar-
acter refer you 10 ne report on 1Ils 80 y.
tary OF the navy. But there Is some mrs
we need even more than adrluonal SHIPS
anC this Is additional ofhcers ard meh. 10
provide batleshlPS anc cruisers ara lAsn
law them I'D. with the expectation or leaE-
irw them unnamed until they are need
81 In actual war. would be w0rss thar
folly. II would be crime against the
To send any wsrship against compe-
tent enemy unless those aboard i nave
been trained by years OF actual sea SeEF-
ice including incessant sllIeIy pt@C..cs'
would be 10 invite rot mercy o-saslet'
but the bitterest shame ana humii.allQn-
Four Thousand additional seamer arc a
Thousand additional marines Snouse be
provided and an increase n TIE od1cers
Should be provided by making large sd
ditfon 20 the classes at rrspolis- Ihere
is one small matter which should be mer-
toned ir connection Wiz ATrapot4s- j ne
r,~s-er-+so,,s zrS urrrrarirE title cf naval
cadet should De abolished. me title OF
mid shipman.' fun ot historic assoc!a-
tion. should be restored.
Even IN sine Of peace warsh5n should
he used urfH u wears out for orlF 20 can
II be kept fll 70 respond 20 any emergency
TIE officers and men a-he sDculc pe
for Il is there only they car learn the.t
duties q IS they should b learned The n-s
vessels should he mare uverec IN squad
rors containing not merely psIt-esnips
h.ir the necessary proportion 81 cruisers
srd scouts. TIE torpedo boats shcfid p
handed b. The Younger Officers in sucA
resporS ihiiity ard meet the emsrgercies
o. sctusi warfare
Use for Men and Boats.
Every 6eiaI ashore which can be per
formed bv civilian should he 50 per
formed. me oaicer berg kept Tor h.s sps-
gunrers practice shou-1 be Urccaslng- u
Is important 10 have our navy 1T ace
Quate size. but i : ever more iupor-
tart that. ship for sf-p. T should ecl4l
THIS j. passsbis 0Elv WITH highly trilisc
crews ard scficers. ard tnis "a rurD -ru-
perativeiy demands continuous and Pro
Eress.Fe instruction 81 target Trarfre
Shlo handling squadron tactics ard ger
era 5.sC5pl.re our shi0s -uer ~ essen
bed B. salzSrous actively cruising ewar
f~5u hzrbars ard reFer iocE a anchor
TIE resulting wear npoE engines ar1
h--I-s mas- - ensured A 6st-,e-hip wcrr
OFT iu long training - officers ard ru-r e
wei paid for oy inc results While or frs
ether hsuc. 70 matter ir hoE excellent
condition. L is useless u the crew be Tlt
expert
Ne row have seventeen hatfiesrirs sp-
r,~r-rsareE for 81 Ehlch r--e are Ccr-
rseszE snG have been commissioned f1-
acrusl service. The Terrzir -shr ~ D.