Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-09
UPHOLD MONROE DOCTRINE
Determination Of Administration on This
Point Most Conclusive
AMPLE PREPARATION FOR ARMED SUPPORT
Indicates the Serious Intentions
of the President and
His Cabinet.
CFrom a STAFF CorrespondentJ


be free to resume its commercial relations
with the rest of the world and that It
has virtually concluded arrangements for
the settlement of its Indebtedness, the
real question at issue between the United
States and the European nations has not
been settled by any means. Thet question
is the meaning of the Monroe doctrine and
the extent TO which this country will go in
upholding it's Interpretation Of that declar-
alton.
There is a peaceful air today among Off
cials of the War and Navy departments
but Notwithstanding this atmosphere, the
Springfield armory has received orders to
keep the rife manufacturing plants at
work night and day. The excuse given for
this extraordinary activity is that the War
department Is desirous OF securing an ade-
quate number OF the new Krag -Jorgenson
rifles to equip the National Guard of each
state with this modern species OF small
arms I'VE have enough Krag Jorgenson
rifles en- hand to supply the militia OF the
various states" said General Crozier, chief
OF the bureau OF ordnance. "but we do not
want to break into our reserve supply. and
consequently II was thought best to hurry
forward the manufacturing OF enough new
rifles for the equipment OF the militia
under the new law"
II is understood that there are on hand
something like 125,000 modern, breech
loading, magazine rifles OF the pattern in
use in the army and navy in the store
houses of the government at this moment
The reserve supply referred to by General
Crozier could very readily be made up
again after having been depleted by the
ordinary methods, but in addition to orders
for extra shifts of men at the Springfield
armory, preparations are being made for
the establishment of a new plant for the
manufacture of rifles at Rock Island, ILL.,,
and agents OF the War department are
known to be quietly at work investigating
the facilities Of a number Of private con-
Germs who may be called upon in case of
need to still further add to the number
produced.
Hurry Orders for Vessels.
The little trouble in Honduras which was
reported in the press dispatches early in
the week offers a very plausible excuse for
the hurry orders which we're sent out by
the Navy department to Mare Island, Bos-
ton, Philadelphia and other points where
United States war vessels are under con-
struction or repair. 1t is known that at
the last cabinet meeting a great deal Of
time was devoted to the discussion of the
roe doctrine at any cost. and the secretary
Of war and the secretary OF the navy were
advised that 1t would be as well for them
to leave no stone unturned toward securing
adequate preparations. On Monday came
the news that Maine was to be gotten ready
to receive her complement of officers and
men at least three weeks before IL was
originally intended to At her out, and there
are on every side signs Of as much activity
in the shipyards and armories in this
country as there were FIVE years ago Just
before the old Maine was so mysterlously
destroyed in Havana hsrbor In this con-
nection the Washington Post, discussing
the repeated assurances that there is no
significance in these warlike preparations,
says very pertinently:
To say that there is no Significance In the
strengthening OF our army and navy is alb
surd II deceivas nobody, while II makes us
ridiculous. We harbor here a swarm Of
foreign attaches whose notorious business It
Is to spy upon our military preparations,
our forts and batteries; to obtain, legit-
imately or otherwise, charts of our coasts,
sea ports, channels, approaches, etc. 1t
is perhaps true that. engaged in the came
abominable business abroad, we are not in
a position 10 complain The fact remains,
however, that every war office in Europe
knows far more about our equipment of
offense and defense than the American
sary to prolong the farce? Especially why
need We protest to people who do not In the
least believe us that we are building navies
and Assembling armies merely In a spirit
of innocent amiabtlity?
The war which Secretary Root predicted
must come may be deferred for a year or
| two. II IT is to be deferred indefinitely the
administration is taking the very best
| peaceable course to delay It, for so long as
the manufacture OF warlike material and
the construction OF battleships, cruisers
and torpedo boats is conducted with so
much vigor, foreign powers will be charg
OF stirring up strife In Central and south
America for the purpose OF testing the
sincerity of the American contention that
no European power shall be permitted TO
obtain additional foothold upon the Amer
| lean continent
ship Building Growth.
The Navy department has Just awarded
contract for two new cruisers to two
/ different concerns, both located on the
Delaware river within rihe-shot OF Phila-
delphia. The cost of each cruiser is a
| fraction over S4,OOO,OOO. The same price
! is to be paid to each company and vir-
tually the same designs are to be followed.
| Heretofore all the big vessels built on the
Atlantic seaooard outside OF the navy yards
/ have been constructed either by the New
1 BolA NNhb Gulpuullulub Nulupuug VI ug
| the Cramps OF Philadelphia. There have
| been exceptions to this rule, but they were
/ of comparatively little moment. Now a
new giant has arisen on the Delaware to
/ compete with the concern which has had a
monopoly on ship construction since the
| failure OF John Roach This concern is
/ known as the New York Shipbuilding COM
/ pany, and its works are located at Cam
| den, N. j., right across the river from
! Philadelphia, where the Cramps are situ-
/ ated. The Cramp concern has a capital
of nearly $4,000, 900 and has on its payroll
| some 5000 workMen. Its rival has So 800,
900 capital and 1000 workmen. The two
new cruisers are to be each 502 feet long
| on the load line, with an extreme breadth
of 70 feet 6 inches; displacement OF j.. 800
/ tons and a guaranteed speed OF twenty-five
knots. The time limit is fixed in the case
OF the Cramps concern at thirty-nin months
| while the New York company. owing %
the newness of its plant, is given three
months additional The Navy department
will watch with great interest the progress
of the work upon these two additions Il
the navy one OF which, by the way is to be