Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-11-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFrom our Regular Correspond en-

Washington. u. C, Oct. 27.-Or
the eve of his entering the NAVY De
partment Secretary Metcalf has been
credited with some remarks that would
tend to stamp him as an advocate of a
greater Navy. 1t is known that the
Secretary has been interested in Navy
matters for long time. When he was
member OF the Fifty. sixth Congress
be was on the Naval Committee of the
House, and be was known there as a
staunch supporter of larger naval ap-
preparations and extensive building
programs. One of his last acts on the
COMMITTEE was to recommend the con.
structiOn of three battleships, which in
that year the House cut down to two
in the interest of economy. The Secre-
tary has also very decided views of
Oriental questions, as has almost ev-
cry man who comes from the Pacific
Coast. He believes not only that we
need larger Navy, but that we will
have work for it to do in the Pacific in
the course of the next few years, SC bis
appointment to the Navy Department
will put him in a place where his In.
clinations will coordinate with the
work that be has to do.
1t Is known that be said only recent
ly that Great Britain had taken the
proper line in the construction of the
monster battleship "Deadnaught. - and
he was the first man in the govern.
ment to realize that Great Britain had
really stolen a march on the whole
world in creating three other battle
ships Of the same type when the
launching of the three so called great
"crulsers' of the Invincible type were
recently announced. 1t is known that
be is thoroughly in favor OF the con.
struction of the ten million dollar bat
tleship for which the Navy Depart
ment Is now preparing plans, and if be
has his way as Secretary of the NAVY.
We are likely to have whole SQUAD.
ron of these monsters before his term
of office expires.
The question OF the trouble with
Japan is occupying large part of the
governments attention just now. Am.
bassador Aoki has made a direct an
peal to the State Department against
the action of the San Francisco school
authorities in excluding Japanese stu
dents from the mixed public schools in
that city. 1t really seems that this
action, small as it may appear to an
outsider. has had more than ANYTHING
else to do with rousing the resentment
of the Japanese government. 1t hap
pens too that, being a matter of State
rights. 1t is entirely outside the iuris-
diction of the Federal government, and
the best that the President can do ia to
use bis personal influence with the San
Francisco authorities towards straight.
ening out the angle. The matter was
discussed at the Cabinet meeting this
week and it was pointed out that now
OF all times is one of the worst that
could be selected for this government
to pick a quarrel with Japan. Our far
Eastern trade, which received an i'm
mense stimulous during the Russo
} japanese war, has been growing rapid
ly ever since. The figures for the past
year are of course not quite so great |
as when japan was actually buying |
war supplies. but the lift that has been |
given to the trade is not one which |
American merchants want to lapse.
Of course the Pacific coast would be
injured much more seriously than any
other part of the country should any,
hing occur to stop our commercial de
velOpment in the Orient, but it is a
natter of enough general Importance,
especially to the cotton interests of the
South, to make us wish to keep on good
erms With the Japanese.
There - % C 'urse tcnnatan' G ,1tcst