The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-29
BATTLESHIP MISSOURI Launching of Splendid
 WarShip. MISS COCKRELL SPONSOR Secretary Long Speaks for a
 Greater Navy Many Distinguished Persons Saw the
 Magnificent Fighting Craft Slip from the Ways Into the Waters.

Newport News, Va, Deca-2S-The bat tleship Missouri was launched at the shipyard here at Il o'clock. Fully 15.OOo people saw the big defender go over board The launching passed off without a hitch. and none prettier or more suc- cessful was ever accomplished here. Miss Marion Cockrell, daughter of Senator F. M. Cockrell of Missouri. was sponsor for the ship and she performed the duty assigned her with the traditional bottle of champagne. using bottle of Missouri product for the purpose. A large number of distinguished guests were gathered around the sponsor on the christening platform. Among them were Secretary of the Navy Long. Secretary of the Inte- rior Hitchcock, Judge Advocate Lemly, United States Navy; Lieutenant-Gov- ernor J. A. Lee of Missouri. acting for Governor Dockery; Governor Tyler of Virginia Corwin H. Spencer of St. Louis, representing the Louisiana Purchase Ex- position Company; Senator Cockrell and a number of army and naval officers. Mrs. Roosevelt, wife of President Roose- welt, came up from Old Point on the United States dispatch boat Dolphin with her guests and viewed the launching from the steamers deck
 At the Chamberlin Hotel this afternoon the customary post launching banquet was given. the guests mentioned above being on the program as the principal speakers.
 Secretary Long spoke as follows:
 T have been interested in the circular signed by many eminent citizens, my be- loved friend. E. E. Hale, at the head, in which they regret the estimate of Sl00r 900 for the increase of the naW9. The size of the navy, if there is to be navy at all, Is a question like the tariff--of a0 justment. rather than of principle. CT course, it is rather taking thing 10 saS as matter of theory. as this circular says. that $l00, 900 for the navy means a tax of S6 on every family in the United States. And yet. on the other hand as 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 S6 less, and there are a good many families whose income would be s6 more and still more families whose income would be many times S6 less if it were not spent. It is also rath- CT taking thing to say that $l00, ,0000 900 could bebetter spent for education or charity.
 "If $1O0. coo shall be appropriated for the navy by the present Congress. a small part will go for the purchase of raw material and something for salaries. but the great bulk of 1t for labor In every part of the Union
 Undoubtedly, Uncle Sam ought to re- duce taxation wherever he can. On the other hand, it 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 spend ing 1t than he would be in hiding 1t.
 If this year having surplus, he spends Sl00.000000 for the navy, let Us reme mber that while it is spent under that name, it is really spent, as l said before, in the employment of the peoples labor and in the purchase of the material they have to sell. and the people get 1t 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. The recent increase in our navy did not induce the war with Spain. which as things were. seems to have been inevitable. On the other hand 1t Is more likely that if, in the beginning of 1898, we had even as large a navy as we now have. certainly as large 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 in coming without battle
 Tn determining the question. what shall be the size of our navy there are great many things to be considered. some of which I have referred to.
 For instance our world relations have expanded vastly in the last three years in territorial extent and vastly more in international extent. It has not been an extension upon the continent. but upon the ocean itself. and the islands of the sea in both hemispheres. Our commerce has greatly increased in volume and area and our American marine is likely to fol- low suit. If there is to be navy at all, 1t should he a commensurate with all the extending relations and demands. and whether it shall cost S20. 600 or S75. .O0O OOO or S10O 900. .OO0 1t is not extrava- gance to cut our garment according to our cloth especially as last year there was no appropriation for such an in- | crease. There certainly is a heap of ] comfort in feeling that if millions are now spent for the navy the money is in the till to spend It is a case where | the people can have their cake and eat 1t. too; they can have their ships and l they can have in their pockets the money paid for building theT.
 A United Statss nANn4 vessel carrying our flag into the ports and harbors of the world is something more than fight ing machine. It means relations with those ports, II means an dWakeHlhs ana lively respect there for our country; 1t means recognition for the out-reach of our civilization, commerce and influence Five hundred guests sat down to the banquet. President C. B. Orcutt of the Newport News Shipbuilding Company, acted as toastmaster. A toast to the President was drunk standing. It was responded to by Secretary Hitchcock who bore to the gathering the greetings of presidpnt Roosevelt and his regrets at not being present. Senator Francis M. Cockreu. responded to the toast Mis- souri,"