The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-26
Senators Doubt Wisdom
of Building Another.
TARIFF AND TRUSTS
Watson of Georgia Charges Cleveland
With Favoring Mixed Schools
Democratic Mask TWitched
From Watson by Bartlett
of That State.
(By the Associated Press. J


Washington, d. c., April 25.-
Whether the President shall order the
construction of the battleship ropvided
for in the Naval Appropriation bill
or wait until the war in the Fast East
demonstrates the comparative utility
of the big sea fighter and the torpedo
boat or submarine craft was a ques-
ton raised in the Senate today by Mr..
Hale, of Maine, on the adoption of the
conference report. 1t was developed
that the language of the bill was per-
missive and that the President and
Secretary of the Navy could defer ac-
ton if they deem it advisable. Ms'.
Hale declared that if he were Secre-
tary of the Navy he should not dare
to go on now and commit the govern
ment to the building of an immense
battleship, for it would not surprise
him if the events of the Russian-Jap-
anese war demonstrated that the
$3.50, 100000 paid for big battleships
was bad investment for this gov
eminent. Several Senators counselled
delay until the question of the best
craft for sea fighting had been brought
to an issue.
Mr.. acon-"I desire to call attention
that when this naval bill was under
consideration l suggested that the inn
provement in submarine engines was
such that it would be comparatively a
short time before the battleship, how
ever it might be comparatively n short
time before the battleship, however,
it might be protected against the ord1 :
nary projeetiles, would be out IF late
and obsolete"
The Battleship a Death Trap.
Mr. Hale-"The Senator was wise
L:
then have advanced with such start
ling rapidity that the suggestion be-
comes more apparent. The trouble
with the lofty battleship, is that wnen
she is hurt she can fight no longer.
Other structures may be hurt. may
be splintered, may be damaged, hut
they keep on fighting.
But if an explosion takes place
through hurried firing in a turret, it
is more than likely to ignite the maga-
zine and the whole ship is blown into
the air and everybody on board kill
ed. Aside fromthe occurrences in the
East where the large Russian battle
ships have been disabled and put out
of service, we have had three explo-
sions on our own battleships within
a year And it is only the breadth
of q hand that prevented the entire
battleShip Missouri from being en-
tireIy destroyed. Just such an acci-
dent as that is likely to occur in any
turret at any time during any battle .
Bacon on the DOlliver Resolution.
Mr. Bacon spoke on the Dolliver
resolution question of the capital in
vested in trust combinations" in COM
parison with investments by irdivi'i-
uals or partnerships independent of
trusts" He took issue with Mr.. Dol
liver in the staten ent, ~ Vii. i;;t '''n
construed it, that evi lc;I:4 of 4 - 'D,l
trust was the "a t IL 1t q trust was
'still alive
In spe a,,i":g of the fat Of his 1e: y
lutions, calling on the s,ac,eIary OF
Commerce and Labor for certain
trust" or "anti-trust' information.
Mr.. Bacon said it was sufficient notice
TO him that the resolutions would not
be adopted when Mr.. Aldrich asked to
have them so to the Committee on FL
nance, he said:
For I know that the Senator from
Rhode Island is the mouc;lptere o. is
party il, the Senate on ail m!it.,yS of
tariff"
Mr. Aldrich said he hai n,ide the
motion for the purpose of putting the
resolutions in "some sort of shape"