Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-11-01

tanning this Navy the gigantic sum
!, OF $760,0O0.000.
There are now under construction.
or authorized. more than forty ves-
sells. Of which thirteen are first.class
modern battle ships. These battle
\. ships alone. including armor and ar
I! mament, will cost very nearly $780,.
/ OOO. 900. and 1t Is estimated that It
will require $l30.OOO,e0O 70 complete
all that are being constructed. I'm
der these circumstances ! can not
| give my assent to measure that Will
appropriate larger sum than was
ever expended by the United States
for naval purposes in any single year
lin all their history. We have been
repeatedly warned by the leaders oil
the dominant party In this House
that our expenditures may exceed the
public revenues. We have been told
that we are to have no river and
harbor bill this year: that not dol
lar ID to be expended for public build
ings; that the National Treasury is
| In no condition for Congress TO enter
upon the policy of extending Federal
aid to the States in order 10 contri-
butte toward the maintenance Of our
post-roads
| These, Mr.. Chairman. are but rev
OF the internal improvements that
are loudly appealing for Consressson-
al aid. We can expend hundreds OF
Millions In building up vast and ex'
pensive naval and military establish
ments. and in furtherance Of the un-
American and unwise policy OF coloni-
zation to which the Republican party
! has committed the country. tat not
| dollar can be had to provide for the
needs OF commerce and navigation.
not a public building can be au'horiz'
| ed, and the appeals which have come
to us from one end Of the Union 70
the other In the shape OF tens OF
thousands Of petitions, asking that a
| small portion Of the taxes contributed
! By the people may be returned TO
them to be used dn the betterment or
their public highways, must go mn
needed.
For years Congress- has been asked
to provide pensions for. or else to re-
tire under certain just nntl equitable
conditions. those members Of the Lie
Saving Service who By reason OF age
or i'll health or disability incurred In
the line Of duty are no longer able
10 endure the privad )nf or face the
perils Of their hazardous vacation.
The Revenue-Cutter Service has been
put on q footing with that OF the
Army and Navy. and pensions ana
retirement have been provided BY
Congress for those who grow old or
become disabled in that service. Moth
t;,,ot
done for the life-savers. who lead
lives Of isolation and loneliness. ana
whose constant companions are priVa
ton and hardship. 10 say nothing OF
the perils which environ their very
existence. Surely grateful country
should not deny to those who imperii
and often lose their lives in the ef'
fort to save human life that which
II so freely accords to those whose
calling It is to take. rather than to
save, life.
We are appropriating $140.000.o0o
annually for pensions, whilst our to-
tai expenditure on account OF me
Life-Savins Service during the last
fiscal wear aggregated very little more
than q million and half dollars. The
cost of one Of our most modern bat-
tie ships, armor and armament In
cluded. is approximately $1,000. 600,
and to maintain one for year costs
$4,000 To provide q liberal pen
sion for every life saver who retires
from the service by reason of old age
or disability incurred in the service
and for the widows and dependent
children Of such as lose their lives
in the service would require an an
nual expenditure Of less. much less
tran 1t requires to man and Keep
afoat a modern hattie ship for Twelve
mchths. The cost Of one 16,OOO-ton
battle ship would connect the waters
CT the Chesapeake and Delaware bays
Nv a ship canal with q capacity sum
Gent to accommodate the largest
ships afioat, and the cost OF two. 1u-
d,ciously expended in river and har-
Dor improvement. would develop an
interstate commerce greater in vol
ume and in value than that which We
now enjoy with the Philippine Islands,
| TO retain which We are now expeno-
ing, directly and indirectly, certainly
seventy -five and possibly one hundred
! IT. :liion dollars annually.
Mr.. Chairman, am not one or
those who believe that our naval es-
tablishment should be increased be-
! yond the addition Of the ships already
authorized and provided for. To-
| n,aintain II at that state Of power and
efficiency which It will have reached
~hen the ships now under eonstruc-
n and authorized are completed
will entail upon the United States a.
large IN ANIMAL expenditure AZ the
needs % our domestic concerns and
commerce will iustify and the proper
development Of our resources at nome
will permit. No navy which We could
luild would afford adequate protec-
Il tim To ONT Z ono miles of coast line.