The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-02-21

washington, Feb. 19.-That our
present system of naval construc-
Gon is the best possible Is the yer-
die of Senator Hale, chairman OF
Che senate committee on naval al
fairs. The opinion was announced
in the course OF speech in the SEN
ate today and was given, as he said,
as the result of thirty years expert
ence tn naval legislation. The speech
was made in connection with re-
qaest that the senate print the re-
ports OF Admiral Converse and Capps
M reply to recent magazine
attacks on the methods of construct
bag and maintaining the navy of the
present day The reports are both
elaborate and are to be used in con-
nection with the inquiry into ma
val matters which the committee is
entering upon in connection with Mr..
Haies bill In the coura2 of his
remarks he said that the new navy
as it exists today had cost $780,
060, 900. Announcing that lis bill
waa inteIued to traverse the ground
covered by the Admiral BrOWnson in
eidout he repeated that it was the de-
sign Of the naval committee to go in
to ell the questions raised by that
occurrence and by the magazine critl-
cis;n, because if the charges that had
been made were true then the ma
Wy that had cost so much money and
time would be useless. AS for HIM
self he believed the navy to be a
magnificent institution, the second
most effective in the world That it
was perfect either in construction or
maintenance he would not contend,
but it was his opinion that taking
eur ships as they cone forth armed,
equipped and manned, they compare
favorably with corresponding vessels
i'm other navies | am satisfied" he
added, that an investigation will
show hat tn department has done
it's work we'll. The present system
has carried us through three wars and
believe it to be the best possible to-
day"
The printing of the Converse and
Casps reports was authorized by the
senate.
Senator Johnson spoke on the Aid
rici, currency bill. He agreed with
Senator Aldrich on the subject of re-
serves of national banks and said
that such reserves should be held un-
touched except when a depOsitor
presents a check and demands pay
naent.
Then" he said, the emergency
should be recognized as full grown"
alr Johnson said he believed
bank reserve of Is per cent was suf-
Gcient, but it should be kept largely
fn the vaults of the separate banks,
and not in reserve banks l 900 miles
away.
'tIt would be far BETTER he said,
"for the banks to lay up their treas
ures in heaven than to have them
In reserve agencies in time of finan-
cial panics." Speaking of his pro-
posed amendment to the Aldrich bill
Mr.. Johnson read from the presi-
depJs recent message on stock gam
bling and said his amendment to re-
quire two-thirds of a banks reserve
to be kept in their own vaults would
do much to lessen stock gambling.
Such an amendment, he declared,
would keep S100,000,000 more mon
ay in the country banks and away
from the cities in which the stock
gambling exists.
Mr. Johnson quoted largely from
bank statistics and made a very COM
prehensiye argument in favor Of his
plan for the care of bank reserves.
THE HOUSE.
J The bill providing for the taking
of the thirteenth census occupied
most of the time of the session of the
house Of representatives today. Pro-
gress with it was slow because of
numerous amendments offered but
which in the main were rejected.
The bill was amended in one i'm
portant particular, however, and that
was limiting the census to the main
land of the United States, Alaska,
Hawaii and Porto Rico. The meas
ure will be further debated tomor-
row.
AS the result of Mr.. Boutell's lau-
idatory remarks of Speaker Cannon
I'm the house yesterday, Mr.. Henry.
Of Texas, socn after the house met
today, said that III Mr.. Boutell's state
mems we're sincere and truly repre-
sented the speakers attitude toward
Che toi1ers of the country, the speaker
would give the weight OF his influ-
ence to much needed legislation. Mr..
Henry disavoWed any intention to de-
tract from the praise which had been
accorded Mr.. Cannon, but he said