Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-10
HOBSON AT MOLINE.
Hero of the Merrimac episode
Speaks at the chautauqua
Opening.
NEED OF GREAT NAVY TOLD
Large Attendance Marks First Lee
ture in the New Audi
IOrium.

Capt. Richmond Pearson Hobson
was the stellar attraction on the pro-
gram which marked the suspicious
opening of the thirCj annual Moline
chautauqua Yesterday About 1000
people heard the noted naval hero
speak in the large new auditorium
just constructed by the Tri-City Rail
way company at Prospect park.
This seasons meeting promises to
be by far the most successful the as
sociation has yet given, as the pro-
gram is not only better, but the ia
cilities have been immensely improy
ed. The new auditorium win easily
accommodate 5000 people without
crowding and more camping parties
are ON the ground than ever before,
the serving of meals ON the grounds
at a low rate making this way of see
ing the chautauqua more pleasant
than before.
The Wagner Ladies' quartet was
late in arriving, so that the program
did not begin until o'clock. At that
hour Capt. Hobson, escorted by the
Rock Island and Moline Naval Re
serves, arrived at the GROUNDS, and
accompanied by ). w. Odcll and W. \.
Jones, of the assembly committee.
marched to the stage The captain
was attired in civilian garb and when
he removed his large panama reveal
ed the fact that he is growing decid-
eddy bald. lie still displayed, how
ever, the broad shoulders and the
swelling military chest which made
him the idol of the ladies' of the land.
The Need of q Navy.
Capt. Hobson took as his topic
The American Navy" The discourse
throughout was an eloquent plea for
the increasing of the American navy
to size commensurate with the
great country il represents and in
keeping with the great part which
the United States is destined to play
in the worlds affairs. The speaker
revealed to many the fact that he is
an orator of no mean ability, and at
times his delivery was augmented by
an intensity and rugged strength of
expression which wrought up the
audience to enthusiastic applause.
Capt. Hobson says he has mission to
perform. and that is the molding of
public opinion to a point where a ma
tional demand will be made for Il
great navy, one that will exceed those
of all other nations in number of
ships, tonnage and armament.
The captain went at his plea sys-I
tematically and argued his case IKE
q lawyer i'll the court room. He adj
vanced as the three great fundamen-
tai characteristics of the nation as
liberality, peace and altruism. In the
first instance the nation to live true
to itself must ever be ready to help
those overburdened in the exercise
of their faiths and beliefs. In the see
ond it must be ready, as the great
peace nation, to preserve the peace
of the world, and thirdly, III that still
greater sense which makes every man
his brothers keeper, the American is
far in advance of the rest of the
world. To keep faith with these quail
tiles which determine the nations flu
ture a great navy, is an absolute ne
cessity.
Committed to MOnrOeIsm.
Capt. Hobson says the country is
absolutely committed to the Monroe
doctrine. Unless the navy is increas-
cd to overpowcring size this country
is doomed, he says, TO a long, disas-
trous, bloody war through the Monroe
doctrine. Militarism is the domino
ting characteristic Ct the world pow
crs of the day, and wherever there is
the possibility of conquest their greed
will force them. If the United States |
is not able to enforce her attitude of
Monroeism in the Americas and the |
archipelago and back it up !
with a great and oNerpowering navy, |
war is inevitable. The captain drew
numerous illustrations to show the
weakness of the navy compared with |