The Washington herald., 1907-09-04

Senator James B. MeCreary. of Ken
tueky, who, by virtue of the death OF
Senator Morgan, Of Alabama, and the
retirement of Senator Clark, of Montana.
becomes the third ranking Democratic
member OF the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. does not believe the reports
that the Democratic party has any inten-
tion of opposing the sending of the Amer
lean fleet to the Pacific.
The Senator is in favor of the long
cruise. He believes it will be good prac-
tlce for the officers and men OF the
United States navy. and he cannot see
wherein Japan can take oaense.
The United States has a great navy"
said the Senator last night "Our battle
ships, excepting the Oregon, Wisconsin,
and Nebraska, have heretofore cruised
only in tae Atlantic. and it seems proper
that they should cruise also in the Pa
cifc.
am In favor Of sending. as proposed,
eighteen battle ships and eight cruisers
TO the Pacific Ocean. They viii attract
the attention Of the world. and the service
viii give our ofscers and men valuable
experience, and test their qualifications
and endurance
Worth the Cost.
Our battle ships and cruisers have TO be
somewhere. and the best place for a part
Of them for few months Of the year
1898 is in the Pacific, and the cost of
maintaining them viii not be more than
double tie cost Of maintaining them in
the Atlantie-the greatest increase OF cost
bein5 Tor coal and We will be amply re-
paid by benefits derived for the extra ex-
pense.
The massias Of our sea power on the
racine viii help 20 insure peace. although
there Is not the slightest prospect Of war.
and as the Pacific Ocean and the ma
ions Of that part OF the world VIII prob
ably In the future be the theater % great
events and enlarged commerce. our naval
force should be conspicuous. and should
be larger than that or any other power
in thar ocean.
The feet sent to the Pacific must
necessarily return 60 the Atlantic in a
Few months The day may come when
the United States VIII be tWO-ocean
sea power bat We have not Vet reached
that day. The Atlantic now has navy
yards and docks. coaling stations and
strategic bases sufficient for the main
tenance and support OF a great fleet The
Pacific must have al these things.
VIII Furaish Object Lesson.
IF sixteen battle ships and eight cruis-
ers are sent there. an important object
lesson will be furnished, and 1T viii
awaken our people 70 the needs Of the
Pacific Coast, and viii show the made
quacy Of present conditions on that coast
Sending this fleet TO the Pacific cannot
in the remotest degree be a menace to
japan, for the itinerary of the feet as
proposed is to start at Hampton Roads
then to Trinidad. then 10 Rio Janeiro. ana
TO Sandy Point. all on the Atlantic side
and from Sandy Point through the
Straits Of Magellan TO Callao. and then
10 Magdalena Bay, and then 10 San Fran
cisco, and our feet on this route would
not az any time be within five thousand
miles of any Of the ports ofJapan.
In addition to this the war experts and
wise statesmen Of japan are fully aware
that we are not making any primary
preparations, such as the construction of
docks, eoaling stations, supply stations.
&C, and the cruise of our feet will not
be misconstrued by Japan or any other
nation"
The Senator viii remain in Washington
for two or three days, and win return 10
Kentucky by Saturday. He declared that.
In his opinion, Kentucky will cast her
votes In the nominating convention IA 1905
and at the November election for William
Jennings Bryan.
Bryan Sure TO Be Nominee.
Bryan will be the nominee. because
there is no one running against him. de-
elares Senator McCreary.
The great questions Of the campaign
will be governmental regulation of rail-
road rates, revision of the tariff. destruc-
ton of trusts, and the question of the
of Federal courts with
States rights. The matter Of a Southern
man for the Vice Presidency, too. is one
that IS being much discussed by the en-
tire country.
so far as Kentucky is concerned. the
entire Democratic State ticket. from
Governor to Commissioner of Agriculture
will be elected. Both Democrats and
Republicans have opened their campaigns
and the contest promises to be a warm
one. Secretary Taft has made a speech
at Lexington for the Republicans. and
Bryan has agreed 10 make six speeches
for the Democrats. Distinguished speak
ers living in the State and out of it will
take part in the campaign and things
promise to be quite busy from now on.
Senator MeCreary will not return to
Washington again until some time in No
yember.