Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-04-27
cAPTAN HoRsoN's LEcTuRE
Made Interesting Talk for = Larger
Navy.


Congressman Richmond p. Hobson
delivered an address At the opera
house, Saturday evening under the
auspices Of the Occur d'Alene lecture
course. on THE American Navy.
The famous hero Of the Merrimac was
introduced to his many admirers by
Hon. Fred Burgan and was received
with hearty and enthusiastic APP
plause.
Captain Hohson's address was an
appeal for the increase OF the Ameri-
can navy; an increase 10 that extent
that it would make 1t the most power
full navy in the world, and hiG argu-
ment was along a line to show that
the hopes OF this country would lie
in a navy OF this kind. II was not
an appeal for navy for war pur
poses. but rather q navy for peace.
not only to protect the American In
terests at home and abroad. but 10
further. as he stated, that great
God-given purpose on our nation--to
insure peace to the world. 10 guaran-
tee the principles OF right and jus
tice, OF open door and free trade. and
OF a permanent international con
gress." He contended that In order
to prevent war and insure safety and
peace the United States must have a
large navy, a navy more than equal
to that OF other nations. As example
to illustrate his argument and the
weakness OF the Atlantic coast. he
showed where Germany could land
troops within 10 days on Long Island
sound and on the coast OF New Jersey
and capture the cities OF New York
and Washington, and do 50 with lit
tie difficulty. as her navy would pro-
tect her troops on the land, An at
tack OF this nature. he stated, would
imperil the lives OF about $4,000 geo
people and about $4,000, 900 .O00
worth OF property, and for the insur-
ance Of these, IL for nothing else. the
United States should have a large
navy. He then proceeded to show
that the United States In the greatest
producing country In the world; that
its products are far In excess OF its
home consumption. and that the
American people must look abroad
for a market for their products. This
market and the interest Of the Amer
lean people. he maintained. must be
protected. and could only be so by a
large navy. He then stated that on
the Atlantic coast the United States
has Ave first-class battleships; that
Great Britain has rs, France 81 and
Germany 81. This. he stated. showed
our weakness In the event OF an at
tack and a weakness that must be
remedled II the American people In
tended to hold their supremacy
among other nations in trade and
commerce and in peace.
Leaving the Atlantic coast. he took
up the Pacific. and here he showed
his audience that the nation was
practically without any defense. He
maintained that even thuogh the
United States had troops on the coast
II could not mobilize them, and that
should the Japanese make an attack
and gain a foothold they would pour
in hordes Of their soldiers all along
the coast. build defenses and occupy
them. The United States. he said.
would have TO spend years and mil
their foothoid and drive them back
when all this could be averted In the
first instance by q large navy He
then drew a vivid picture of how easy
It would be for Japan, with her 425.-
900 regulars under arms. to take the
Philippine islands, Honolulu aud the
Pacific coast. and how they. through
. out 1t all, would be well protected By
, the fast Japanese navy and success
, fully ward on any attack By the
United States upon them. The United
States. ne said. was maintaining q
regular army OF 5000. a little less
than the police force OF New YORK.
city. while Japan was maintaining one
: Of nearly half Q million. The Jap.
: anese have a navy In the Pacific nov
nearly as large As our navy. and with.
+ In year win have one double thai
! Of the United States. Japan. he said
: was driven BY an ambition 70 eoniro
! and reign supreme 81 mistress Of ths
Pacific ocean, and the United States
in order TO protect her commerce OF
that sea. its trade and It's citizens n
; the oriental countries. must have /