davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

time at another yard not many miles
away and with the same resources, at
cost Of s1,250.76? Where one yard
was able to make sos ditty boxes for
81. S9977, was It Just to the Money for
the Navy to spend s4.259.G6. at the
same time, ut another yard, In making
similar number?
Prices Vary Greatly.
The boats for the battleshipa
are built, as to kind, on the same
model and OF the same material Re.
Gently, at one yard, 1t cost $l,S906 SO, to
make a 30.foot steam cutter. while at
another. not many miles away. Il cost
32.6S462 to build exactly the same
kind Of boat, to put on board the same
kind OF battleship. A 30.foot barge
cost s67l.0S at one yard and sl,l5l at
another. Several 30-foot cutters cost.
on the average. $59S.6l at one yard
and sSiS.13 at another. A li.foot
dinghy cost Sl04.08 at one yard, while
at another the same kind of boat was
turned out for sl53.6l. A l6.foot
dinghy cost $10i.17 at one yard and
sl0G.3i at another-pretty close to
twice as much, It will be observed. A
20foot dinghy cost s217S9 ut one yard
and $362.4i at another. A 30.foot gig
whalcboat cost $509.3s at one yard,
and the same kind Of boat, for tho
same kind Of service. was turned out
at another yard for the euphonlous
sum of sSSS.S0.
Turning to furniture: A mahogany
desk for a cabin cost s1SG,76 at one
yard while at another. one made for a
sister ship cost $3.50, there being no
cents wasted on this latter price. An
oak desk cost sll207 at one yard and
slG33O at another. Toilet racks for
officers rooms, OF which there are
more than 40 made for each battle
ship, cost Sl4.60 at one yard while at
another exactly the same article was
turned out for the neat round sum
of 500.
Curious Variations In Price.
ITO make and III into battleship
six galvanized boxes. for fire clay.
3Ox24xl5 inches. cost at one yard, for
the Job, sl6701. and at another yard,
to make similar boxes and to ilt them
on board a sister battleshlp, It cost
s3Sil2 These same boxes. untitled,
cost at one yard six dollars each; Mt
another, sS47, and at still another,
s2OS4."
The pay inspector asks II a change
in the method Of appropriaung money
looking TO the increased economical
efficiency OF the shore plant would
affect the fleet. and answers his own
question In the affirmative. Yes" he
says. materially, perceptibly, abso-
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

sums which Il requires to maintain
them. The tables prepared by the
paymaster general show that while
the battleships average q little more
than 100000 a year. the armored
cruisers average moro than 100000.
The squadron Of this type, which is
under the command OF Rear Admiral
Dayton. and known as the big -Four"
is composed Of the West Virginia, the
Colorado, the Pennsylvania, and the
Maryland For the fiscal ended June
30 the West Virginia cost 1855, Isl II,
the Colorado s7OG,O57l6, the Ponnsyl-
vania s7J5.1l1.f0, and the Maryland
$685., 526.OG.
Cavalry Of the Navy.
The armored cruiser has been com.
cared to cavalry. A distinguished
naval officer says that 1t Is not com
parable TO cavalry. Moreover" he
adds, mo one has proved that a navy
needs anything comparable to the cav.
airy. 1t Is not comparable to the cav.
airy for the reason that II has not
nearly the same speed. relatively to
the other vessels OF feet, that the
cavalry has to the other branches OF
an army; and because 1t has not noa,.
~ the same power. either offensive
or defensive, relatively to the other
ships, that the cavalry has to the
other branches. And person would
have to labor hard 10 prove that a
navy needs something comparable to
cavalry; for how can one find on the
open sea, and within the restricted
space which even the largest enemys
feet can cover, any opportunity for
those quick surprises, or those sudden
attacks on exposed lines OF communl
cation, stretching away for miles.
which is one OF the principal employ
ments OF cavalry: and can one even
imagine squadron OF armored
cruisers making a charge In battle
against battleships at all comparable
to those charges OF cavalry which
again and again in history have been
hurled with Irresistible violence
against vulnerable poirt?"
This officer does not wish to be mis-.
understood rs questioning the useful
ness OF armored cruisers; he merely
questions the logicalness Of an oft're-
peated argument but at the same
time," he says. st may be well to
point out that, though We can find a
use for our armored cruisers, now that
we have them. yet nevertheless. II we
had ten battieships pstead of our ten
armored cruisers. our feet would be
much stronger"
Cost Of Embellishments.
As has been said. NO one has yet fig.
ured out Just what our ships cost
when the coat OF the establishment Is
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
JUST LIKE JUNGLE JOE" EFT AL

During the month Of March the
Taft press bureau, located at Colum.
bus. o.. sent out. according to the
Washington Herald, printed slips
bearing these headlines: business
Hope Lies on Taft" Assert Taft Is
Hest Candidate" Big Wall Street
House Calls on Financial Interests
To Assist in Nomination" Following
are extracts from the Taft circular:
Mr.. Taft's long record Is distinctly
against any conclusion that he would
continue Mr.. Roosevelt's methods. He
has displayed brains, ability, good
judgment, and, above all, sanity, In
the great and successful accomplish.
ments OF his career. We must not lose
sight OF the fact that there Is a TEN.
peramental difference In the two men
Roosevelt and Taft. BY nature and
by training, ~ lawyer and as q
Judge. Mr.. Taft has always manifested
. thoughtful attitude In his Judgment
and = great elaboration. and con
porvstism In his actions. Neither Il
Il ceueeivabls that d man OF his force
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
SECRETARY TAFT HEDGES.

Secretary Taft has already com.
menced to hedge on the tariff ques.
ton. In recent speech he declared
that the Dingley hill had brought
great prosperity, but that changed
conditions require a modification OF
schedules He then proceeded to de.
fine tariff revision by saying that
some OF the schedules should be raised
and others lowered, and concluded
with an ouloEy Of the protective prin.
ciple What Chanc" Is there Of any
real tariff reduction al the hands Of a
man who attributes the prosperity
which the country has had 10 the Ding.
ley tariff No credit is given to good
crops and no credit To an increased
volume of currency. but all to n tarin
law which places an cXurbitant tax
on S0,O00O00 Of people that "A com.
parativcly few may sell manufactured
goods at hlch prices and build up
large fortunes And now to be told
that some Of the schedules ought to
be raised and others lowcred-what
hope Of relief does this give? II is
bad enough to be told that the Repub.
leans will not give any relief now
when they have the power to do so,
but to be told that the relief to be
given by and by Is to be reduced to a
minimum by the raising Of some Of
the schedules Is even worse And yet
this is the only kind Of tariff reform
TO be expected from those who spend
mere time eXpatiatIng upon the beau.
ties Of tho protective principle than
they do upon the injustice wrought by
the application OF that principle.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
-
Bankers Liable for Advice,

The highest court In Germany has.
In several recent cases, fixed the re-
sponsbility Of bankers when advising
investments to their clients.
One of the latest decisions was rem.
dered against a bank which, upon re.
celving an order from customer TO
invest $1,000 in certain mortgage
bonds, instead of executing the order
advised its customer to buy instead
the bonds of another company, as
equally safe and possessing advan'
tages over those ordered. The Gus
toner followed the advice, and when
the company failed he sued the bank.
The court In Its decision against
the bank, held: The bank has not
done Its duty In taking care OF its
customers interests when It recon-
mended the purchased bonds TO be az
safe as those originally ordered to b.
purchased, because the bank should
have known that the latter had the
quality OF legal or trust investment
funds for widows and orphans, wards
etc, whereas the bones advised and
bought for the customer lacked thai
important qualification r
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
SPEAKING OF STUMBLING BLOCKS

The Richmond tVa) Times. Dis.
patch concludes an editorial relating
TO the "anti.Bryan movement" in these
words: IF ever there was a conven.
ton where the power of the unin-
structed delegate will be great. not
only In the choice OF the candidate,
hut in writing the platform, 1t will be
at Denver. The appreciation OF this
fact is the stumbling block in the way
of those who want no delIberation by
the representatives of the people in
convention assembled"
But the appreciation Of the fact
that certain special interests are seek.
Ing undue power through rninstructed
delegates may suggest to the rank and
file of the party the importance OF
making their instructions TO their rep
resentatives at Denver somewhat ex.
plicit.
An expression OF the desire of the
rank and file. through instructions to
delegates, may prove to be the stumb-
ling block In the way of those whs
would make the national convention
the master, rather than tho servant Of
the party and who would make the
party the plaything OF predatory inter.
ests rather than the champion Of ths
! public welfare.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

the maintenance OF British battle
ship But It is likely that he has in.
cluded In this estimate the cost OF the
establishment which maintains the
ships No mathematician has yet fig.
ured out the cost OF our ships Of war
on lines which would include the cost
of yards, docks, etc. If this were
done It would be found that under our
present very absurd system, or rather
very absurd lack Of system, In con.
Quoting naval affairs, the cost OF main
tanning British battleshlp would be
poor. cheap, and tawdry thing in com
parison with the cost OF maintaining
an American war vessel of the same
type,
Over a Billion Since Spanish War.
The new navy, which dates from the
Spanlsh war, has cost to date Sl,244,'
65l, 900 or this sum s309,0O0000 has
been expended on ships The rest has
gone to the maintenance of the naval
establishment The cost of mainten.
snce of individual types Is shown In a
series of tables prepared by the bu-
reau OF supplies and accounts and in
corporated in the annual report OF the
paymaster general Of the navy. Dur
ing the fiscal year ended June 30,
1907 the cost OF maintaining the 16
battleships which are now In the Pa
cific was as follows:
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
hull. machinery, and equlpage, 1884,.

hull. machinery, and equlpage, 1884,.
96029.
Gun Practice is Costly.
The $ll,6i5.09 expended for ord.
nance was mainly for the powder and
shell used at target practice. A CORE.
spondent who is with the feet estl.
mates that the cost of the ammunition
expended at target practice In Mngda.
lena bay alone foots up to n total cost
of $4,000. THAT expenditure" he
says, in giving the views Of the Off.
GERS, rs not expensive. On the con.
trary. 1t is the best money spent by
the United States navy. II Is the pre-.
MUM OF insurance paid annually for
efficiency, and 1t will prove its value
II these ships ever get into war.
There'll be no hit or miss or reckless
helter.skelter shooting then"
Congress and the navy itself have
long been divided over the relative
value of the battleshlp and the
armored cruiser. In spite Of much op.
position on the part of those who be.
lieve that battleships, vessels which
cost but little more to build, are In.
finitely superior to the armored
cruiser, ten vessels OF this type having
been recently added to the American
navy. The opponents Of the armored
cruiser can now point to the vast
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
JHT'zZT54IP5 OF ZlIT TYZZJ

lutely, at once. Every time a navy
yard clerk bungles or shirks his work
the feet feels it, every time a navy
yard mechanic goes to sleep In the
bowels OF the hull on which he is
working, the feet feels It; every time
supervising authority on shore ia
overcome by feeling Of lalssez faire
the fleet feels It; every time two de
partments at a navy yard waste hours
in friction, in bumptious quarreling
the fleet feels IL. The fleet IL as O
scismometer, for ineiiiciency on shore
The shock of the full-paid workman
idle at his job may not attract or
binary notice, but It is recorded there
just the same, ard its mark may be
deciphered by those who search and
weigh and measure. N. Y. Times.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
FROM pennsylvania.

The following telegram concerning
the Pennsylvania Democratic pri-
maries explains itself:
Johnstown, Pa. April Is. 1908.
Tho Commoner Lincoln, Neb
Fifty-onc Of the "a district dele
gates to national convention chosen by
popular vote at the uniform primaries
are for Bryan
The Bryan Democratic league can.
didates in James NJ. Guneys district
were successful
Outside Philadelphia nearly every
Bryan Democratic league candidate
won at the polls and even there our
candidates were defeated only by Re
publican help for the Donnelly Ryan
organization candidates. Tho latter
however, are all pledged to Bryan.
but will follow the Guffoy lead
The delegates to the state cOnvcn.
ton are almost all Bryan men. BFy.
ans friends will control convention.
will write platform. select delegates
atlarge and instruct them for Bryan
Reports spread broadcast from re-
dictionary sources to the effect that
Pennsylvania will go to Denver uuIn.
struCted are absolutely false
WARREN WORTH BAILEY,
Secretary Bryan Democratic League
OF Pennsylvania.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

OF character would be controlled.
when in the full cover OF the presi'
dency. by any outside personality"
In its issue OF March Q. the Wash
ington Herald printed an interview
with Gen. Kiefer member of con-
gress, in which he said that he was
for Taft and did not believe that II
elected he would TOO closely follow
Roosevelt's ideas" II will be remem.
bered that these reports greatly dis
turbed Mr.. Taft and his managers and
they took pains to say that the cir
cular from the Taft headquarters had
been issued by subordinate at the
Columbus Office
Now the Omaha Bee, perhaps the
ablest and most faithful OF Mr.. Tafts
western organs, quotes from the New
York Commercial.Advertiser this
paragraph:
AS 10 the me too charge It be
came dead and showed not even me.
chanical life when II appeared that
with respect to the Roosevelt policies
Gov. Hughes. Senator Knox, Speaker
Cannon, Vice-President Fairbanks and
the others were quite as much for
them as Secretary Taft
MIR. Roosevelt must be gratified In.
deed, TO learn that his preferred can
didate for the Republican nomination
is as enthusiastically in favor Of the
Roosevelt policies as Messrs. Knox.
Cannon and Fairbanks are. With this
assurance that promised hunting trip
to Alaska need not be delayed long
after March 1. 1909. The country
and the Roosevelt pollcies-are GER
tainly safe.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
FROM THE
COMWONER
MR.. BRYAN'S PAPER
IOWA'S JOKE.

1t must have been practical Joker
who wrote the platform recently
adopted by the Republicans In Iowa.
The platform says: I'VE declare un.
equivocally for protection as the
cardinal principle Of the Republican
party and we affirm our unalterable
purpose TO maintain IT." This Is the
introduction, not very encouraging to
tariff reformer, but behold what
follows: Events have confirmed the
wisdom OF the makers OF the national
platform OF 1904 wherein the party
pledged readjustment OF rates Of duty
only when conditions so changed that
the public interest demanded their al
iteration. In accordance with this
declaration Of four years ago, the Re
publican party Of Iowa Endorses the
declaration OF the Ohio Republican
platform OF this year In behalf Of re-
vision Of the tariff by n special SEES
sion of next congress etc
What sarcasm there Is In pOlnting
to The promise made in the platform Of
basis for new promise which the
party has no intention OF keeping. Or
possibly the Iowa Joker intended to
put the emphasis upon the word only
II so. the platform was not promise
To readlust the tariff when conditions
changed, but merely a promise that
there would be no reduction before
that time. The platform does not say
that the time has arrived for reduc.
ton or that there will be any reduc
ton. Referring to its promise that
there shall be no reimbursement until
conditions change, It indorses re.
vision OF the tariff maintaining the
principle OF protection, etc. Now
Secretary Taft tells us that revision
means the raising Of some schedules
and the lowering of others, without
telling us what schedules are to be
raised and what lowered.
II the Republicans who favor tariff
reform can be deceived by the jug
Cling that is going on In the writing
OF platforms. they are not as wide
awake as they have given us reason
to believe
II the Republican leaders in Iowa
had been entirely frank they would
have said: we point to the fact that
the promise Of four years ago is still
unfuhlled, and we make another
promise just like It. We have no more
thought Of keeping It than we had
then. We fooled the public before,
and we expect to do so again"
II the people want tariff reform,
they must get It from the Democratic
party.
Mexican newspapers need not worry,
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
WHENCE THE MONEY!

The powerful interests which are
now attempting TO control both ma
tlonal conventions do not ask for in
structions. for instructions imply that
the voters are in control. All that
predatory wealth asks is that the dele
cations shall be turned over to few
bosses TO be used as circumstances re-
quire These men who are so ready
to put UP money TO control cOnyen-
tons, but who would not subscribe a
dollar TO elect n real Democrat to office.
are not concerned as to the candidate.
provided he will accept their aid and
put himself under obligation TO them.
A number OF Democrats have been APP
preached and offered this support, hut
nearly all have refused. knowing that
no man. however good his past record.
can stand any chance Of winning II he
is handicapped by the support OF the
men who have made government
an asset In their business and
who seek to control legislation for
their own pecuniary advantages. There
was time when the voters could be
fooled. but they have learned by sad
experience and know that a candidate
can be judged by the company he
keeps. Whence the money is a ques-
ton which is being asked with increas.
ing emphasis and the answer to It Is
n death blow 10 everyone IN whose in
terest the money is contributed
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
Months

These figures show that It costs
considerably more than 100000 a
year TO keep a battleship in commits
sion. The Connecticut, flagship of the
feet, may be chosen as an example
of the various directions in which the
money is expended. During the nine
months VI the fiscal year the main
tenarce OF that vessel cost $410.53l.O2.
OF this amount $232. 74s.ss was for the
my of her officers and crew. Com
muted rattons amounted to .S1s.S76s0.
For pilotage and postage the sum Of
s1.el7.7i was expended. The value OF
stores expended in the various depart
ments was az follows: Ordnance.
Sl1.s46.os: construction and repair.
$3.50. 80; steam engineering. $685.
sas IS: equipment, 37.2s7.0s; supplies
and accounts. lI2,233.4s: repairs To
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08
IE[AN GARGE IND ILLIN-lj
or 1885 1929

ment that supports the feet that there
should be concern.
The paymaster thus pays his re-
spects to the bureau system of the
navy department: THE bureaus" he
says, do not represent princIpaltics
within clear, increased dividing liues
There are portions Of the personnel re-
source that, directly or indirectly are
under the influence OF more than one
bureau, and there are portions Of the
money resource that cannot be eX.
pended properly by one bureau with.
out advice or suggestion from another
This necessitates coordination In or.
der to accomplish. What an accept
able, inspiring word coordination is!
The mention OF It brings ones
thoughts to peaceful achievement, to
modern triumph over that business
demon. waste. In the navy It means
something like the general peace in
Europe, where the dusty boundary
stone is not needed to mark division
between neighboring mighty states,
the demarkation being more clearly
shown by unbroken lines OF waiting
bayonets. Such Is coordination to-day
among the bureaus.
Defects In Present System
Knowing that navy yard work,
even under businesslike admiuistra.
ton, cannot be done, with the nGces.
sary government methods to contend
with, as cheaply as similar work in
commercial shops, let us be liberal.
minded Then, also knowing that for
every boat tiller made there are thou.
sands OF pick handles and lawn now
ers, let US admit that the minimum
price of boat tillers made at the yards.
one dollar. is a just and proper value,
Does this give excuse for manufacture
ing others at three dollars each?
When 40 metal stateroom boxes, for
officers uniforms, we're made at one
yard for 1857, was II good policy TO
manufacture 40 more. At the same
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

Up to date n Republican congress
has failed to enact into law any impOr,
tant recommendation made by a Re.
publican president.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

- - vASHlNGTON-A cal.
culation of the an.
~ nual cost of main.
" W talning individual
v types Of craft In the
British navy was re-
Gently made by Admiralty Secretary
Edmund Robertson. BY this It Is
shown that 1t costs sl,157 500 to keep
British battleship in commission one
year A destroyer involves. an annual
outlay of sSS,500, a torpedo boat $780,
500.
1t was with cable brevity that these
figures were transmitted. The enor-
nous sum required to maintain n bat.
tleship for year makes one wonder
II there has not been some error In
transmission. That vessel costing.
say, s6,000,000 should In the course Of
less than six years equal Its entire
original cost in the mere matter Of
maintenance would seem inconceiv-
able at first glance. But when one
compares the figures given with our
own expenditures in this direction the
calculations do not seem to be 80
much astray The fiat cost OF main
tanning an American battleship In COM
mission In no instance equals, or near.
iy equals, the sum which the admir-
atty secretary finds is necessary for
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

Secretary Taft says our government
OF the Philippines Is purely altruistic.
And now they are using that fine old
word to cover ND schemes.
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

Tho congressional majority has
adopted some rules enabling It to con.
tinue its policy OF doing nothing in the
interests OF the people
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

Mexican newspapers need not worry
Uncle Sam never steals territory He
merely let's Providence toss It into his
lap
The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-05-08

The first step in tariff revision is
TO revise congress.