Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-02-28
SENATOR PERKINS pEFthos
GOVERNMENT POLICY AND
PLEADS FOR MORE sHiPs.srss
PRESENTS STATISTICS.
OUR PACIFIC FLEET NEARLY AS
LARGE AS JAPAN's h7pt "
aIislO g1hAvy. ~ zLIE5I.


California Friday spoke In the Senate
In jusriiication OF expenditures for the
upbnilding OF the American navy ana
Of the policy OF sending the fleet into
the Pacific ocean.
IL. reviewed the achievements ot
the navy and declared that II was the
most popular branch OF the govern
ment service. gl .' Nt
II. gave statistics to prove that the
heavy expenditures on our navy since
1850 have resulted In gigantic CROWN
for our iron and steel industries. nee
essitating an enormous Increase IN the
number Of men employed. with a cor
responding benefit to the nation.
When the fleet now on It's way 10
San Francisco is Joined by the other
effective vessels on the Pacific. Sen
ator Perkins said. I'VE shall have u
iiect Of eighteen batticshirs. eisht
arnoicd cruisers. thirteen protected
cruisers. thirteen dcstroycrs. Ave tor
p.,io boats and two submarines. the
battle ships and cruisers alone. asErc'
gate I-...i7: tons. Will. the other naval
power ON the Pacific-Japsncsc-
only TSt. .10l tons IN all classes of yes
sells. The Pacific fleet Will be amply
able to Protect our interests In that
ocean.
Attention was called to tho un.
broken record of bravery which the
navy presents from Its earliest begin
ming. and on the Pacific Yhosc who
mnn the vessels will have III. examples
of Commodore Sloat. Admiral Kim
berry and Admiral Dewey for inspira'
lion.
Tn. senator nkctchcd the growth of
the E-~ navy from 1888 to the present
s.xt, han las.
come the second sca power In the world
surpansins France by small margin
ia the strength of our lighting force
and for outsirippins Germany. Russia
and Japan.
And this lead. he said. tho United
States is easily abi. To maintain. hy
authorizing only two more baiilcships
of the bis gun type. this nation would
still lead France by 10000 tons In nra
rshtins force.
Reference ~as made to the change
ia the character OF ba,iic&hipH which
s-nuii-d from the Lessons Of the naval
engagements during the Russojapan'
-s- wsI. which taught the Importance
ot big ships carrying bis guns. 30 that
greater weight Of metal can bc
bEunsh, within shorter battle line.
Hence all the naval powers are build
tWE sHiV% CAFtyhS hutY ~s"'"ss
rifles for offensive purposes and com
psta,iy-iy fc~ small rapid nf- guns Tor
defense against torpedo boat attacks.
THE cos, Of the vessels of the n-w
navy huii,. building or authorized is
iI.s ...:... 1870. while the total cslrndi'
tgrrs sn account of naval establish
men, since iSsJ IL 81 .:tt. ..si ."Is.~ said
Mr.. Perkins. "Bui this vast csrcndi'
iui- il not. ~ may bc claimed by
some. unproduciisc. The construction
of the ships Of our navy gave such
stimulus to- tho iron trade that more
iron mills were established. better ma.
trfiai was produced. prices wcrr low'
efcd and iron and steel cam" into gen.
cIai us.. in all kinds Of construction.
so that uow Wc arc the greatest iron
aud steel manufacturers In the world.
lin 1850 there were only ltn.pS"
wage earncfs In the iron and steel in
dustry Of the country. earning sss."oo..
oco and turning out products worth
s:os ESQ 900. In 1905 there were Ss'.-
600 wage carncrs earning sts:.oo".o 90"
and turning out products worth ~.
10000. 1000. The average wage IN
creased from $500 to $500.
THE average wage Of workmrn in
the iron and steel industry will today
morr than pay the cos, of all the yes.
sells of our new navy built. building or
authorized. and one.haif the valu- OF
the iron and steel product for a single
year will ray the entire cost of the
naval establishment since 1855"