The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-02-23

Washington, FEBRUARY 1S.-l1
House today began consideration Of
IA naval appropriation bill, ten houB
being allowed for general debate.
During the general discussion, Mr..
Fitzgerald. Democrat, of New York,
declared that our naval programme
was to procure a naval force greater
h that OF Germany. He further
said:
"In all sections of the country the
conviction, rightly Or wrongly. is
firm tha the present occupant OF the
White House is apt to involve US in
war with other nations adding that
the same belief has been had with
respect to the head OF another great
nation which may account" he went
on, for the fact that at a dinner on
Lincoln's birthday at Grand Rapids.
Mich, the highest compliment that
Baron Won Sternberg thought he could
pay to President Roosevelt was to de-
clare that he very greatly resembled
the Emperor OF
Mr.. Fitzgerald said further that IF
the prevailing belief is justified, and
il the President is to be given four
years of power in his own right, now
that the great representative Of the
conservative force of the Republican
party, the late Senator from ohio.
Mr.. Hanna Is gone to his reward, it
may be wise for us to Guido ever
3d. Great Britain in our naval program
me. Should he (the Presidency not
be made to feel that the sentiment
OF the country is for peace and not
for war;
"Since the Spanish-American wal,
it is true. the people seem to have
been carried away with the glamour
OF military achievements. The spirit
of the man-onIhorseback, for so many
years so sore an affection to the peO-
pie of France, apparently stalks I'M
restrained throughout the land A
shrewdly conducted movement was
initiated about two ear ago, to Gull
tivate a public sentiment in favor OF
a mighty navy Many prominent men
whose business interests were closely
identified with the shipbuilding in
dutries. then banded together for the
purpose of popularizing vast expen-
ditures for the naval service. So stu
pendous have the expenditures for
the naval and military establishments
become that important needed public
improvements have been indefinitely
deferred"
Referring TO the statement OF Ad-
miral Dewey hat h sea force should
consist of f~orty-eight battleships, Mr..
Fitzgerald said that confirmed his
assertion that the naval programme Is
based upon the theory that our nav
should be larger than that of Ger
manY.
TT is time to call a halt upon
much talk of an inflammatory char
acter that is heard throughout this
land" declared Mr.. Fitzgerald, Id
ing:
Public affairs are the chief Of
tenders, by loose. indefinite and bonn
bastic statements. The naval commit
tee in it's report is not entirely free
from the disease"
In conclusion he asked:
Are we to have a great navy
merely to furnish summer holidays
that high officials may play at WARP"
M. Fitzgerald quoted the following
from the report of the naval commit
tee: 1.-The rapidly developing compi-
cations Of the whole eastern situation
demand that our nav shall be as eff
fective as possible"
Why? What have we to fear ex-
cept the i~mpetuosity of our present
chief executive? p" he asked.
Mr.. FoSs made an urgent appeal
for the upbuilding of the navy. en-
phasizing the necessity of ship con-
~struction in times of a with the
query:
What would Russia give today if
she could call back some of her sun
ken shipS?" He said in conclusion
that when it became necessary for
this government to strike it should be
prepared TO strike a blow like that
struck by Dewey at Manila
Mr.. Foss was strongly seconded by
Mr.. Meyer. of Louisiana, h ranking
Democratic membe on the commit
tees who combated the statement that
the navy was top-heayy, as charged,
n declared it indispensable that we
should have a strong navy. Refer
ring to the Panama canal he said ne
was for the canal and also for a nav
to safeguard it
Mr.. Gaines. of Tennessee. made an
appeal for the tobacco grower. con-
tending for the removal of the tax
imposed on stemmed leaf tobacco
when stemmed by the farmer. which
ne asserted IS a burden 10 h %
er.
Mr. Gaines said it evidently had been