The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-05-02
PILES PLEADS FOR
FLEET ON PACIFIC
Senator From Washington Urges
Presidents Plan For Four
Battleships.
PRESENTATION OF PETITION.
The One Honolulu Signed To Be
Presented To Metcalf
AT Breakfast,

WASHINGTON, April 24.-Argu-
ments in favor of the presidents pro-
gram for four battleships consumed
most of the session of the senate to-
day. Piles of Washington opened the
debate, declaring that the Asiatic sit
uation affecting the Pacific Coast was
a menace to that section, as war clouds
might quickly rise there over some
clash between Americans and the Jap
anese. He wanted a fleet kept in the
Pacific
Hale laid before the senate state
ment of battleships and other features
of the American naval program, which
he said showed that as large a fleet
as is now in the Pacific can be kept
there and at the same time there would
be ships for a still larger fleet for the
Atlantic.
Beveridge concluded the debate for
the day with a strong appeal for four
battleships. He was constantly en-
gagged in exchanges of words with 9TH
er senator's, but he insisted that peace
and not war would be promoted by
building up the navy
During the latter part of the session
kilograms were delivered to all sena-
tors from a magazine appealing to
them for four battleships.
eff the four battleships appropria-
ton be not granted" the telegram
stated, I'VE shall urge the president to
veto the naval bill"
SAN FRANCISCO, April 24.-Gov-
ernors of several Pacific coast states
will meet with Secretary of the Navy
Victor H. Metcalf at a breakfast in his
honor at the st. Francis the morning
of Wednesday, May 6, just before the
arrival of the fleet, when they will at
tempt to impress upon him the endur-
ing necessity for keeping a powerful
squadron in Pacific waters.
At tn same time there will be pre-
scented to the secretary a huge petition,
signed by representatives of at least
500 commercial and civic organizations
on the coast, declaring plainly for the
retention here of the fleet
Details of the breakfast which will
be an informal business affair, were
given out yesterday by the California
Promotion committee under whose
auspices it will be held. In addition to
the secretary and the governors, mem
bers of the reception and executive
committees of the promotion commit
tee will attend.
That the breakfast will be held is
certain, for Metcalf wired yesterday
his acceptance to the invitation sent
him the day before by Chairman Ru-
fus Jennings Two weeks ago many
copies of the petition were prepared
and sent to all parts of Oregon, Cali
fornia, Washington, Utah, Alaska, Ida
no, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and the
Philippine islands Many have already
been returned with scores of sigma
lures, The complete memorial surely
will have weight on the secretary, for
the 500 commercial and civic Indies
are said to represent the attitude of
nearly 100000 persons
Those governors who have been in
vited to attend, and from most of
whom acceptances have been received,
are: James N. Gillett of California,
George E. CHAMBERLAIN of Oregon, AL
bert E. Mead of Washington, John
Sparks of Nevada, Frank r. Gooding
of Idaho, John c. Cutler of Utah JOS
eph H. Kibbey of Arizona and George
L. Sheldon of Nebraska, who will be
in San Francisco at the time with a
party of 100 Nebraskans to greet the
fleet and to present to the battleship
Nebraska a handsome silver service,