The Washington times., 1906-02-06
GREAT NAVY LOSES
FAVOR Of HOUSE
Tide Turns in Expenditure
Upon Warships.
MAY CUT OFF BATTLESHIPS
Congress Now United in Feeling That
Country Has Been ExtTavagant
With Naval Service.
MAY CUT OFF BATTLESHIPS

President Roosevelt viii have a hard
time of it this year in getting Congress
to do much for the increase of the
navy. Aside from the fact thar the
Senate is not on the best of terms with
the President and is not anxious 10 do
more than IL can help toward carrying
out Administration policies. there is
strong feeling in the House that the
cost OF the naval establishment is
mounting to exOrbitant heights and
that the time has come to take steps
10 prevent the figures becoming any
higher.
1t has cost the country more than
Sl,G00 o00.9o0 in the las twenty-three
years to build up and maintain the
navy Two decades ago the naval ex-
pense was insignificant 1t ran along
at about S1500O, coo a year. The Span
ism war gave great impetus 10 naval
construction and naval cost, and ad-
Vocates OF naval expansion since that
time have had their way in a large
measure Since 1900 the increase of ap-
preparations has been remarkable.
Doubled in Five Years.
In 1900 the total appropriations for the
navy, annual and additional. were about
SIS, coo, ,0C1 The last Congress more than
doubled that amount II set apart an
annual appropriation Of SIO0 335, ,679. and
also save additional appropriations on
deficiency allowances Of S150S4, ,317.
More than this. contracts were author
ized TO be entered into, subject to fu-
ture appropriations by Congress, aggre-
eating $500, 600.
In 1898 when Congress was excited
by the breaking out of the war with
Spain, it save the navy an annual ap-
pTopriatiOn of little over $4,000 600
but made large additional appropria-
lions, bringing the total up to sl25. .9O1. -
so The naval appropriation last year
ran up to about the same figure Il
reached when actual war was in prog
ress-
1t is noticeable that Congress Is less
enthusiastic in both bodies than usual
TINS year ahout the big navy. But the
c0olnesS is most pronounced in the
House. In the first place, there is q
very general feeling that economy
must be practfCed in all Government ex-
1endi.uIes IN order to avoid increasing
ihe revenues Then. too. members of
The House do not like the idea of hav-
ing their pet bills on public buildings
and rivers and haI 0ors quietly Digaon-
holed on the plea OF need for economy
While liberal allowance is made for the
Ia val esta blishment. Besides, there is
Mot utue resentment in the House
over the alleged extravaganza in the
navy.
Change OF Heads Ruinous.
Talk iS common that the Adminis9ra-
tiOn of the Navy Department has been
Unduly lax. This trouble is ascribed to
the system. 1t has been the misfortune
OF this department In recent years to
have secretary hardly IN office and
familiar with his sphere o. duty when
a change is made. This it is argued
prevents p H%ed policy in tho naval ad-
lninistratton and tends TO the disorgan-
IzatiOn OF the department.
Sign of Economy.
The recent orders Of the Bureau of
Steam Engineering for a reduction of
10 per cent in the force employed in
ten navy yards is an indication OF the
feeling IN Congress On the subject of
naval extravagance,
The estimates for the annual apuro-
TFiatton for the naval establishment sub
mitted TO Congress at its last session
amounted to little over SlI45O6 660
The estimates submitted to this Con-
Eress exceeded this sum by about sl1,-
S09,000.