Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-25
HOBSON WANTS BIGGER NAVY
Would Have United States Equal All the
World Besides at Sea.
HOW TO KEEP INDUSTRIAL SUPREMACY
Late Lieutenant I'm the Service EH-
plains His Theory 20 Omaha PeO-
pie mt Kountze Memorial
Church.

Forty millions Of dollars to be spent this
year for new warships, $50. 900, 900 next year,
with an increase Of 500 900 each year
until the navy OF the United states shall be
equal to the combined navies Of the world,
sums up the plea OF Richard Pearson Hob
son, late lieutenant and naval constructor
of the United States navy, at Kountze
Memorial church last night.
Mr. Hobson appeared under the auspices
Of the lecture bureau OF the Young Mems
Christian association. He was introduced
by J. M. Gillian, who briefly referred to his
exploits at Santiago and in China In
opening he said that America is entering
upon a new era OF history and must become
q world power, and for that reason 1t is
the duty Of all American citizens to pay
more attention to the general political and
social conditions of the people Of other
nations. He compared the ability Of the
average American with the average Euro
pean and said that It is demonstrated that
the producing power Of America is approx
imately one-third OF that Of the entire
human race, and that It is increasing by
immigration and natural increase almost
double that Of the average OF all the other
countries, so that within a comparatively
few years the United States will be able
to produce material equal to the total pro-
duction Of the world.
why the Navy Is Needed.
Referring to sociological conditions, he
said the citizen Of the United States is the
only civilian who Is not burdened with the
evils and expense OF military government
and strong central power; that the history
OF the development Of the nations Of Eu.
rope shows that each has come UP through
military force-that race after race has been
driven across the continent. to disappear
before a more warlike power, while in the
United States the development has been
entirely along industrial lines, and that for
this reason the United States will stand az
the champion of the new era in history
which is to place militarism in the back
ground and make industrial force the DOM
inant force in the development Of nations.
every other country has conquered or been
Conquered. and the people Of those coun-
tries stsnd today either fearing the ad-
vance Of a hostile army or dreaming Of a
conquest to avenge former wrongs, while
the American citizen does not look forward
to a time when this country shall invade
the territories of its neighbors, and GER
tainly does not fear the march of foemen.
The measure OF the devotion of the Amer
lean to principle can be seen from the his
tory OF the civil war, where Americans,
inspired by convictions of right on either
side, fought battles with greater fatalities
than any war Of previous times, and in
which war there we're regiments which lost
in one engagement more than so per cent of
their members. while the celebrated charge
at Balaklava cost the famous Light Brigade
only about 3s per cent.
watt for Our Industries.
He dwelt upon the statement that the
only way in which the industrial force can
overcome the military force is through a
strong navy, which, he said, will not bear
upon the people, as the central government
is so remote from the people that no one
will feel any burden through the raising of
funds. and the fact that the force is upon
the seas will make any increase in the mil
itary spirit In this country difficult II not
impossible through that source; that such
a navy is absolutely necessary for the pur-
pose of carrying out the distinctive ideas
of the American people. as the other ma
lions Of the world will respect the ideas Of
America in proportion to the size Of the
= navy which it has to enforce them.
Mr.. Hobson referred to the action Of the
United States in Japan and in China in
1860 and before, when Il returned to the
nations a sum of money paid as indemnity,
while the other nations, which received like
indemnities, kept the funds, and while
Germany at the walls of Paris starved the
city into subsection. from his prison win
dow at Santiago he had seen $4,000 old
men, women and children march from the
gates to be fed upon the rations of the
beleaguering army; that while other ma
lions had laid indemnity upon conquered
people. the United States had paid Spain
$40, 600, 900 and had transported it's troops
home from the land 1t had lost.
At the conclusion of the address the
audience, which occupied the greater part
of the church, took part in an informal
reception which was rendered the speaker.