The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-03-27

we
the carayeis with which Columbus dis
covered America or the ship with
which Commodore Perry opened Japan
to western civilization, but they are
nothing more than floating pleasure
houses.
If President Roosevelt had done moth
ing worse than to cause 4 panic which
compelled the millionaire owners Of
steam yachts to throw them OH the
market nothing could be said against
his policies. The trouble is that the
same policy, adopted by the Republican
party which impels Mr.. Vanderbilt to
sell his yacht cuts Tom and Jim and
Jerry out of jobs. Meanwhile the
president suffers not in the slightest
degree. His salary and allowances,
which in ali exceed 100000 Il year.
continue without reduction. And one
of his two yachts the Mayhower. Is
even now on voyage from Hampton
Roads to Ticksburg. Miss. nearly 1000
miles, for the purpose of taking Mrs.
Roosevelt and Il few friends to New
Orleans, a distance of barely 200 miles.
Time was when president OF the
United States who used navy vessels
even for his own carriage up and down
the Potomac was not merely ridiculcd.
but denounced. Today when the preS
dent himself goes nothing smaller than
a battleShip with two cruisers i'll at.
tendance will serve him. The presiden-
tial yachts are ordinarily useful only
for the women and children Of the
Roosevelt family.
Expenses of War and of Peace.
Naval circles in Washington are in
tereSted in the reports that come here
concerning what seems to be an effort
of Emperor William to check the rival
ry of nations in naval expenditures
Of course every one remembers that
the first news Of Emperor Williams
entrance upon this cause came when Il
letter from him to Lord Tweedmouth
was given limited publicity i'll Eng
land. More recently it was gossip
about the Army and Navy club here
and the various legations that a like
letter had been sent by the kaiser TO
distinguished Italian statesman
Gossip has it that other letters of the
same sort are out.
OF course the professional navy man
insists that the reason for the EN-
peror's interest in limiting sea arma-
ment is due to the fact that Germany
is not we'll fitted to become Il naval
power. Her harbors are few, her peo-
pie not maritime. But all the same
her navy is either the second or the
third in the world. Her merchant
marine is easily second, and in one line
of ships, the Hamburg-Americau. she
has the greatest fleet of merchant YES
sells afloat. If Emperor William is
automatically trying to reduce eN-
penditureS for war vessels. he cannot
be charged with doing it through fear
or for personal reasons only.
Few people understand bow great
are the expenditures made by congress
either in payment for past wars or in
preparation for future and possibly
imaginary wars. Today out of the rev.
enueS Of the nation more than Go per
cent goes to pensions, to the army and
the navy and for new naval conStruc-
ton. Mr. Roosevelt has asked for four
battleShips this year. His request is
not going to be acceded to, but if it
were it would mean an appropriation
of easily S5O.000,O00. Understand that
this is merely for new construction.
for battleshipS only, eliminating cruis-
ers torpedo boats and the submarines
which are just at present the rource
of much scandal in congress. If one
tenth Of the money spent in paying the
cost of past wars and in preparing for
others, which all hope will never be
declared, could be used In developing
our waterways, in digging canals, in
preserving forests and mineral lands.
the country and its people would be so
prosperous that if foreign danger
should threaten it it would be better
3Dle 10 meet lue eLiel SeuCS.
The least estimate Of the aprropria-
tions of this session of congress is
S90O,000,000. That is the money which
will be appropriated in q six months
session just before presidential elec-
ton, q time when the politicians Of the
majority party are trying very hard to
no economical That means roughly
speaking, S12 for every man. woman
and child in the United States. Chill
dren don't pay taxes. Their parents
must pay them for them. for Of course
this money must In some way be
found. Statisticians estimate the aver
age family as being made up Of five
people. That means that this six
months congress will cost the average
man SEQ. Is there not reason why he
should interest himself in securing n
congress which will reduce taxation.
even If it reduces the spectacular fea-
lures Of the army and navy in so do
ing?
Tariff Reform In the House.
Now. this is the cheerful agreement
by which the Republicans Of the house
hope to humbug the tariff reformers of
the nation. Moreover, it is the shrewd
plan by which the stand patters in the
same party are going to try to keep
their tariff revision brethren in line.
The plan IS to authorize the commit