Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-02-25
FOR A LARGE NAVY.
Secretary Moody Shows the Impor-
lance Of Power Upon the Sea.
CLEyELAyDS MESSAGE 1ODEMOCRATS
The Ex-Prssident Urges the Democratic
Party to Unite and Take Advantage OF
the Opportunities Next November
shonId Abandon Obsolete Issues.

H.
Boston. Feb. 1S.-Secretary Of the
Navy Moody, speaking at the annual
dinner of the New England Rubber
club. at Hotel Somerset last night,
strongly advocated a large navy and
declared that If the United States de-
sired to maintain peace 1t must be
known that at all times 1t was ready
for war. He declared that there was
never a time when the importance OF
power upon the sea was more mani
fest than 1t was to-day. He referred to
the Russo Japanese war and pointed
out that, although one Of the nations
was superior in many ways TO the
other, yet the weaker nation, by her
success on sea, had rendered every
part of her territory secure from in
vasion.
He said in part: 1.-THE United States
is weaker than the other powers so far
as submarine and surface torpedo
boats and, other boats under 1000 tons
displacement are concerned, but still
is fifth in relative naval strength and
has under construction a greater
amount of tonnage in ships than any
other country except Great Britain and
almost as much as that country. This
Is a great country and can afford a
great navy and the world must know
that we are at all times ready for war.
I'VE are at peace with all countries;
we wish to continue and will continue
in that happy relation If honest d.
plomacy and just regard for the rights
of every nation will maintain peace,
but we must provide navy so as to
provide for war II we are strong
enough to enforce the Monroe doc
trine we shall never have to do it.
Let us then be backed with God and
with the sea which He hath given us
for. defense. In them and ourselves
our safety lies.
ITO bring about sea strength l be-
lieve national honesty at home is most
important We must fight public dis
honesty as If 1t were loathsonle dis
ease If money that is appropriated
to the building of ships is directed to
improper uses then the United States
ships will be as If they were painted
collins"
CIeveland's Message to Democrats.
Philadelphia, Feb. 18,-In an article
written for this weeks Saturday Even
ing Post former President Cleveland
urges his rank and file associates of
the democratic party to unite and take
advantage of the opportunities OF next
November. II am one OF those" he
writes, "who believe that there is an
opportunity for democratic success in
the coming presidential election"
Referring to his faith in his demo-
cratic associates he continues: This
trust will not permit me to overlook
| the meaning Of the daily increasing
unrest among our people, growing out
Of the startling and fippant abandon
ment by the party in power Of our
national traditions and maxims, its
disregard of our national restraints,
its inconsiderate tendency to set aside
national good faith. its Willingness to
break away from safe and accustomed
mornings and its contemptuous neg
lect Of our national mission. Surely
these conditions, together with the
broken pledges and forgotten promises
of reform that vex the sight on every
side not only abundantly explains the
popular distrust and fear prevailing
everywhere in the land, but suggest
that, in such stress of political weather,
those of our fellow-citizens who
thoughtfully and constantly love our
free institutions will not be unmindful
of such safety and quiet as may be
offered them by patriotic and con-
sentative democracy"
Mr.. Cleveland thinks these cmdi-
lions justify the assertion of democ-
racys opportunity. He says; "The
democratic party has message to send
to its followers and to the masses Of
the American people. Let that mes
sage be expressed In language easily
understood, unconfused by evasion and
untouched by the faint Of jugglery.
Obsolete issues and questions no long
er challenging popular interest should
De manfully abandoned"
Mr.. Cleveland urges tariff reform
and pleads for economy In the ex-
pendIture of public money. He ar
raigns the administrator Philippine
policy and refers to the isthmian ca
| nal in these words; "The democratic
party has been consistent and unremit-
ting in its advocacy of an interoceanic
canal and has with the Hyeliest salts
faction looked forward to the day when
such a highway Of commerce, built
under the auspices Of our government
would be contributed by America to
the worlds progress and civilization
It is, nevertheless, not within the man
date Of the democratic creed that, In
concentrating so noble an enterprise
as this, the territorial rights OF any
other nation should be disregarded, OF
that our own national good faith should
be subjected to reasonable suspicion
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