Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-04-22
FORSTRONGERNAYY
President Roosevelt Advances
Strong Argument
.fAyoRlNG FOUR BATTIESHIPS
Presidents Message Favoring an
Appropriation For -Four Battle
ships is Received by Both Houses
and Attracts Much Attention.

ApSIOp19oeaVo ~S4 '-.'--.-e
ships is Received by Both Houses
and Attracts Much Attention.
Washington, Sepcial.-The message
of The President in support OF his
plan for an appropriation for four
new hattleships was received Tuesday
by both houses of Congress and at
trected much attention.
The Presidents Message.
The message was presented in the
Senate Immediately after the conclu-
sion of Senator Foraker's speech and
while Vice President Fairbanks was
engaged in vigorous attempt to re-
store order. The secretary Of the
Senate skinned through the docu.
ment in short order and motion to
adjourn ended the dilemma. Senator's
and members we're supplied with cop.
les of the document and many read
it with avidity.
The message was brief but vigor'
Gus contention for the rapid develop
ment Of the navy. 1t was in part as
follows:
To the Senate and House of Repres-
entatiYes:
-.1et me again urge upon Congress
the need Of providing for four battle.
ships of the best and most advanced
type at this session. Prior to the
recent Hague conference it had been
my hope that an agreement could be
reached between the different. nations
to limit the increase of naval arma-
ments, and especially to limit the
size of warships. Under these eur
cumstances 1 felt that the construe-
tion of one battleship q year would
keep our navy up TO its then positive
and relative strength. But actual ex-
perience showed not merely that ii
was impossible to obtain such an
agreement for the limitation of ar
maments among the various leading
powers, bat that there was no likeli-
hood whatever. of obtaining it in the
future within any reasonable time,
Coincidentally with this discovery oc.
cured a radical change in the build
ing OF battleships among The great
military nations-a change in accord
ance with which the most modern bat
sleships have been OF are being con.
slructed. Of size and armament
which doubles or more probably
trebles, .heir effectiveness. Every
other great naval nation has or is
building n number of ships of this
kind; We have provided for but two,
and therefore the balance of power is
now inclining against us. Under
,nese conditions, to provide for but
one or two battleships year is to
provide that this nation, instead Of
advancing, shall go backwards in
naval rank and relative power among
the great nations. Such course
would be dnwise fol us if we fronted
merely on one ocean, and it is doubly
unwise for us if we front on two
oceans.
-Four Ships Necessary.
As Chief Executive of the nation,
and as. commander-in-chief of The
navy, there Is imposed upon me the
solemn responsibility OF advising the
Congress Of the measures vitally ne
I,cessary to secure the peace and vel.
fare Of the republic in the event of.
international complications which are
even remotely possible. Having in
view this solemn responsibility, ]
earnestly advise that the Congress
now provide four battleships of the
most advanced type. cannot too
enphatically say that this is meas
ure of peace and not Of war. I can
conceive of no circumstances under
which this republic would enter into
ar aggressive war; most certainly,
ander no circumstances would it en-
ter into an aggressive war to extend
is territory or in any otter manner
seek material ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. ] adj
sooate that the United States build a
navy commensurate with its powers
and its needs, because / Scol tina,
such navy will be the surest guar
antee and safeguard of peace. We
are not a military nation. Our army
Is so small as to present. an almost
absurd contrast to our size. 1t is
properly treated as little more than a
nucleus for organization in case of Sc.
ious war. Yet we are rich nation.
and undefended wealth invites ag-
gression. The very liberty Of indivi
dual speech and action,. which we SO
prize and guard, renders it possible
that at times unexpected causes of
friction with foreign powers may sud-
denly develop At this moment we
are negotiating arbitration treaties
with ali the other great powers that
are wiling to enter into them. .
Yet it is idle to assume,
that this world has vet reached the
stage, or has come Within measurable
distance of the stage, when a proud
nation, jealous of its honor and con.
ncIoltS Vi I'D Sieat luiSSlou III Tue
world, can be. content to relv fo;
peace upon the forebearance of othcl
powers. 1t would be equally foolist
to rely upon each of them possessing
at all times and under all circumstan-
ces and provocations an altruistic re-
gard for the rights Of others.
China an Example.
Those who hold this view are blind
indeed to all that has. gone at large
their eyes in the world at large.
They are blind to what has happened
in China, in Turkey, in the Spanish
possessions, in Central and South
Africa, during the last dozen years
For centuries China has cultivate