The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-06
Men-of-War in Pacific Waters

We can, as has been proposed, send a powerful fleet to the Pacific, but the best judges, including Captain Hob son, say we can not send enough ships there to safeguard the Philippines In case of war with Japan. We might in that contingency find it difficult to hold Hawaii, but we no doubt could in that way render our own Pacific coast more than secure.
 But what folly it would be to irritate the Japanese people, some of whom have been sadly mistreated by the hoodlums of San Francisco. What idiocy, too, 1t would be to invite in that way Japanese boycott of our prod ucts!
 Still, we have right to send battle ships to the Pacific. We have not single battleship there at present. The Pacific is the biggest sea in the world, and it is not Japanese sea. Nor yet is it an American sea. Japan lies in the Pacific, however. She is washed on all sides by it, and it is natural that she should display naval activity in that one sea. In her own yards she is today constructing vessels, as follows; Aki, frst-class battleship A.... ......1s,o6O
 Tons Satsuma, first-class battleship ....1s,O6o Kurama, first-class armored cruiser .l4,6OO rsukuba. first-class armored cruiser IS, 75O Ikoma first-class armored cruiser. .l3,OO0 Mogami, small cruiser ................ z,ooo Yodo, small cruiser ..,...,....... z,ooV Tone, small cruiser '''''.'. z'o"
 In English yards two battleships are being built for her, and there will soon be ready for sea these ships captured from Russia: Six battleships, four cruisers, four coast defense ships, three destroyers and two gunboats Al this is pardonable in a country that lies in a big sea. Security and peace to and for her alike depend upon her naval activity.
 Captain Hobson and many other eS- perts say we can not go to the Far East, so many thousands of miles away from home, and successfully defend the Philippines against Japan. Neither co1ld Japan come here and assail our coasts with success. The distance IS too great Common sense, therefore, seems to dictate that we unload our source of weakness in the Far East, and in the course of the act We can, rerhaps, induce Japan to keep out of this country her unskilled workmen. An administration that simultaneously unloads the Philippine goldbrick and keeps out for all time Japanese coolies would render the country a service of great weight and lasting value.
 Secretary of the Navy Metcalf prae- tically says our battleships are not to seek a base in Cavite bay, but that they are to stay in or near San Fran cisco bay, which is nineteen days steaming distance from the real seat of danger in Cavite bay. The Japan csc are shrewd and they are good sail CTS. and there is no danger they will ever assail our mainland Pacific coast line The reports to the contrary are merely and solely part of a piece of midsummer madness. When the entire incident nas passed away and been for gotten, then should arise the question as to low and when we can unload the Philippines, which we do not need any more than a dog needs two tails. The Philippines are, however, worse than valueless-they invite national de- feat that would be exceedingly galling.
 Bank Resources
 Alabama should do all in it's power