The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-12-06
Ieet WIN Sail
In Tel, Day

i
fI5INeTcN Dee. d 4Ten day3l
she Atlantic blttieship fleet will
out Of Hampt9n Roads and .snoEs
way sohtHWafd and AROUND ths
WIN cutter the broad expanse of
ael6c.
. the Alate SET for the egihnlpS
long cruise approaches, otlicisl
: unofficial igashiagto Il manifest
aferaWed interest III the project.
bethet Fighting BOB Evans IS sol
,ins to the Pacific with a chip on hisI
'Abcqiass feady 10 maintain his repu.
rs a doughty warrior az the
lpl Il hit, or whether his mission
BE of,peaee and anti these are
biens that are being discussed BIZ
ousands ID the Hobbies and smolss
Ing rooms 81 washington hotels anil
in Other pabiic places. Alreaa X much
bitterness Of spirit Is being given eS-
preston BY those who affirm Or DEM
the wigdSlp OF The prospective cruise,
and tho determination Of President
Roosevelt 70 send the fleet TO the Pa.
citic may YET become n political issue
Of considerable magnitude. (
Although none oi the naval officers
who viii take part I'm the cruise will
discuss the mater for publication, 1t
Us known that not few consider The
lected rips nilstake Laynen who
authorities olr-aali lGsl mat tiers dis
e ms 10 the wigdonI Of The Presi:
order some d them declaring
Neruise win be Immensely val:
hn edhca alive measured for tho
and men, while others are OF
jtniSn that the time and money
be better expended in prasic.
tactics In Atlantic waterss The lat
aiiege that The mere steaming
aund the Horn viii be OF no practi:
value, and that hnnlreds Of tramp
eamefs can do as much. To quote
Ssse critics, the bat tleships will only
what the Ordinary South American
eamer does eyery month steam anil
hrn coal 10 or5er to reach the next
ters ca sdheditis time 1
5isat pafticnIar thing 1t WA
caused president Roosevelt to-
his order Tor the cruise Is stIff
tier Of much discussion. Whils
easoniis plain enough on the face
uie Presll enes critics continue,
ing Tor hidden and esoterio mean.
eofdlag TO one story now In CHI
ltion the Presidents determine.
y regard to The transfer of tho
best was mainly the outcome Of q be-
Ilei on his part that Japan had come
10 believe that The United States gov.
eynuent was afraid Of ;Noppon and
That Il would 30 TO any extreme OF
speace at any price, rather than war
with the niikaao's empire. Japan. 1t
alleged. had come to believe. In the
iss ot President Rooseseit and
lssts through a false construc.
q the Preside special mes.
b eobsfess on The san Francisco
bltroables. THIS idea that q, CON
d 81 blue fuHF prevailed in Wash.
pn was, OF course. decidedly dis
stul to the President, and It is
ssihis that the consequent resent.
lent ut lie arrogance Of Japan may
fave had something to do6wIth the
sfeslaent's decision. s
I; That, ilio%es IS more theory. Pres.
dent Roosey I sfoitnl ia more logical
seasoa set issalag The order to the
feet in The report Of the general board.
the sttategtcal board Of the navy. de.
partment Recommending That the
rsIeet be transferred to3the Pacific. The
Tofis mon which the general board
led III ecommepaations have new;
leen made spubl ic,s. but 1t Is known
they came from d multiplicity Of
dental sources, all tending to
That the japanese government
Prepafiag for war with the United
tes Willie perhaps q majority of
I'm in oliieial and naval circles be.
sieye that there was no great basis OF
Fact in this swar scare those who
'pphold- the President In his fleet re-,
eintaln. that At is best
presence Of
eaters may
lr tide or.
lanese hot.
- brent reason
EelI States anil
wise and So
ttt.l L. ~ VT,