The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-06
G0RMAN ADVISES
CABINET MEMBERS
A LITTLE LESS CRITICISM
AND LITTLE MORE WORK WOULD
MAKE THEM VALUABLE.

Naval Bill-HaIe Wanted 1t Clear
Iy known That the United States
Are Neutral in the RussO-Japanese
War - German Again Gives His
Views as to the Navy.
Washington, March 5.-There was an
interesting exchange of views in the
Senate to-day between Mr.. Nelson and
Mr.. Hale. The Minnesota senator, in
the course of a brief colloquy with
Mr.. Patterson, expressed the opinion
that there is such commonalty of in
terest on the part of the United States,
tect China against dismemberment To
this statement Mr.. Hale objected
sharply, saying that the, position of
the United States in the present war
is that of neutrality.
The naval bill again occupied prac-
tically all the time of the Senate, but
while the amendment concerning a
naval training station on the Great
Lakes was technically the pending
question, it scarcely was mentioned.
The discussion to-day was entirely on
political lines and was participated in
by Messrs. Hale, DepeW and Nelson,
on the Republican side; by Messrs.
German, Clay, Martin, Patterson and
Bacon on the Democratic side.
Mr.. Clay took issue with the conten-
tions of Messrs. Lodge and Depew as
to the necessity for a strong fight
ing sea force to keep the United States
out of war. He did not criticise the
additions so far made to the navy, nor
the carrying out of the plans of the
pending bill, but he could not agree
that there were to be no relaxations.
No country, he said, is challenging us,
or questioning our position on the Mon
roe doctrine. Our rights were secure,
he contended, if we properly preserved
the rights of other nations.
He did not believe that there was
any danger of war with Germany but
nothing was so likely to make trou-
bic with other Powers as an immense
navy composed of many ambitious
men. He claimed that ex-Secretary
Root now held the same views con-
corning the retention of the Philip
pines as were maintained by the DEM
ocrats
Clay Wants Investigations.
Mr.. Clay also contended that there
should be a congressional committee
to investigate expenditures in the de-
partmentS, saying that no business man
would let business involving millions
drift along as Congress was doing. He
criticised the policy that led to the
expenditure of $207 100000 annually for
war and refuses to erect public build
ings in Washington that would save
rents of 100000 per year.
Mr.. Martin, of Virginia, "a member
of the Committee on Naval Affairs,
defended the BILL and called attention
to the fact that no one had found fault
with the increase of the navy as pro-
posed by the bill. I'VE must have a
strong navy" he said, and he in
stanced the recent expansion of the
United States as furnishing the rea-
son for this necessity.
He referred to the possibility of
France and Great Britain being drawn
into the Oriental War BECAUSE of their
respective alliances with Russia and
Japan. While he did not believe that
the United States would become in
volved in the imbrogolio, he did not
consider it the part of wisdom to be
unprepared.
Mr.. Depew said that the Georgia
Senator could not separate the ex-
secretary from the Republican party
on the Philippine question, as would
be found when Mr.. Roots full views
we're known. The American people
are not cutters, he said, but they hold
on. He did not believe that anyone
living would see our relations with the
Filipinos diminished.
Mr.. Nelson referred to our naval in
fluence in the East, saying that with
,frxy T,;f o,,I To,
all united in support of an open door
in China, there was no danger of the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of China. ALL too, were
hostile to the absorption of Manchuria
He did not believe that there was any
formal alliance, only mutually of in
tereSt.
Hale Against suppOsitions.
Mr.. Hale protested that this debate
was eXtraneous. II don't want the
statement of the Senator from Mime
sofa to go unchallenged," he said. II
do not agree that there is to-day any
such common interest between the
United States, Great Britain and ia
pan on the one side, against Russia
France and other powers, as his state
ment implies. Our attitude is one of
neutrality and so declared by our
State Department. We are not against
Japan, nor must it be said that all our
interests are with her and against Rus
STA and other continental European
powers
He said that if Japan should be sue
cessful in her present war, the United
States would be in more danger in
commercial matters from that ambi-
tious power than any other.
Mr.. German criticised Mr.. Moody as
imprudent, in charging the Democratic
party with partisanship because of his
(Mr. Gorman's) attitude on the navy
He had spoken for himself in saying
the administration was advancing too
rapidly and. had gone too far in the
increase of the navy. Executive Off
GERS" said Mr.. German, slowly and
with deliberate emphasis, would serve
their country better if they attended
to the details of their offices and alb
stained from criticisms of senators and
members of Congress-"
Have Served to DcmOraIize.
Mr.. German then gave his attention
to the statement of Mr.. Lodge, that
large navy WAS a conservation of neace