Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-11-03

PASSED here two or three days ago.
and which Is now before the senate,
in anticipation Of the establishments
of this naval station contains an item
of $9OS. 900 Tor beginning the work
upon system OF fortihcattons 1or
that bay. So that. Mr.. Chairman. we
rot only will have 10 expend manS
millions upon this naval station, for
which the amount here and now APP
propriated is but mere starter. but
we are rashly being committed TO
/. vast and measnreless scheme Of ex-
p"nditure which no man can justify
and for which no reasonable excuse
has as yet l"en offered.
To fortify the many Seaports and
, harbors OF the Phliippine Islands Is
an undertaking OF such tupehdous
magnitude that it well might appail
the imagination of the mos, needless
impcrialist. (Applausel.
i Mr.. Chairman, this bill carries in
the aggregate the enormous sum or
s96. 900. 900 The Navy Department
estimates exceed $l02.00O.OO and 1t
is safe to predict that when 1t comes
back from the Senate II will have
gown TO 100000. 1t is as 1t now
stands larger by sl5.o0o,00O than the
aava. bill OF the FIfty-seventh Con
gress. and 1t is likely to exceed 1t by
$50. 600. 900. The army bill carried
$75,0S9.957 when 1t passed this House.
and 1t will not be less when It is re-
turned here.
The Notifications bill carried 81
1Sl192 when it left here. but no man
is wise enough to say what the
amount will be when 1t receives Exc
cutive approval. We expended last
year for all purposes the enormous
sum of $753.05S. 5O3o2. and We shall
expend duriCg the fiscal year for
which Congress is now appropriating
money sum considerably in excess
of that amount. OF which not less than
$3.50, OOO. 900 III go for military and
naval purposes. We are at peace
with all the world, and l can not be-
lieye that our naval establishment
will require the expenditure next year
.uf $9G0OO.O00 This is three times
the amount expended upon our Navy
in the year 1898. when we were en-
gagged in a war upon the sea with
Spain. We have twice as may men
T., in our navy today as we had when
actually engaged in that war.
We have now in our Ma
w and fit for service more
than $50 vessels of all descriptions
and classes. end We have expended
since 1888 and up to the present time
in developing and maintaining this
Navy the gigantic sum Of $760,000,-
600
There are now under construction.
or authorized. more than forty YES
| sells. of which thirteen are frst-class
modern battle ships. These battle
ships alone. including armor and ar
mament, will cost very nearly $1OO.-
600, 900 and it is estimated that 1t
will require S130,OOO.000 to complete
all that are being constructed. Under
i these circumstances l can not give
my assent to a measure that will ap-
propriate a larger sum than was ever
expended by the United States for
naval purposes in any single year IN
all their history. We have been re-
peatedly warned by the leaders OF the
dominant party in this House that
our expenditures may exceed the puC~
lie revenues. We have been told that
we are to have no river and harbor
bill this year: that not a dollar is 10
be expended for public buildings: that
, the National Treasury is in no condi-
| ton for Congress to enter upon 1he
policy of extending Federal aid TO
the States in order TO contribute TO-
ward the maintenance of our post
roads
These, Mr.. Chairman. a re but re"
of the internal improvements that
are loudly appealing for Compression
al aid. We can expend hundreds OF
millions in building up vast and ex
pensiye naval and military establish
ments. and in furtherance Of the UNI
American. and unwise policy OF colon
ization to which the Republican par
ty has committed the country. but not
a dollar can b. had to provide for the
needs of commerce and navigation,
not a public building can be authoriz-
ed and the appeals which have come
to us from one end of the Union TO
, the other in the shape OF tens OF
-, thousands Of petitions. asking mat
small portion OF the taxes contributed
BY the people may be returned 10
them to he used in the betterment OF
their public highways. must go un
needed.
For years Congress has been asked
', to provide pensions for, or else to re-
tire under certain just and equitaDie
conditions. those members of thei
Life-Saving Service who by reason OF
age or i'll health or disability incurred
in the line Of duty are no longer able
to endure the priva;ions CT face the
periIs of their hazardous vocation
The Revenue-Cutter Service has been
put on footing with that of the
Army and Navy and pensions and re-
tirement have been provided by Con-
grcss for those who grow old or be-
come disabled in that service. Moth
ing. comparatively speaking. has been
done for the life-savers. who lead