The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-03

- ArsHAa'nx Exravasa1ce That
aAssHcs<~tscs tho Management OF
80 Ussases ssatcs Navy.

cent TAFT biunder I'm appointing
oApker secretary OF the navy? Has
- fahea % take lesson from the hor-
Tfble essmpies Of the proceeding ad-
nlnistrstse~r
o. the East SIX secrets ries of the
~ ~. ave have been b,:nkers and
nwyes& Under their administra-
Glenz millions OF dollars OF public
rnooex have been wasted. The ex-
1E0va6anct' OF the heads OF our navy
1ns been so colossal as to attract the
An1sof1on "a practically the entire out
- wcrsa European military Jour-
NAH have repeatedly pointetd out
tha< much OF the money appropriated
far ths navy u used to build political
~ruNNlsassors insead Of battieships.
Cvitics % the system and business
uDe<hods pf our navy. In the United
Ueae~s ~ we'll m abroad. have prac-
t1pa1ly agreed that the cause Of much
- the wAtesuiness has been that the
nD>a a. the head OF the department
0m been q lawyer or banker without
90 lsest knowledge OF naval matters.
, treatment naval men hoped Presi-
1onk TAFT would not find the same
Uoefail hts predecessor did. but that
- wowld appoint man with least
- average knowledge OF naval con-
Glruetlen " take charge OF our billion
6oo>ar navy. II In pointed out there
Dse = number Of good men In the
+ country that are familiar with the
nnvy thst ne could have selected from
WecAout entering the ranks of bankers
nna I>wycrA Although many promi-
rpRe Navsi ofhcers have indicated
thsf 0Iss'sst at Mr.. Taft's action in
aDpoastin. another civilian to run the
uevy. they hesitate to speak publicly
- a. situation a. Il IL not profitable
nor . naval otsccr to incur the dis
Doensure uf the chief execuiveS
vnrmer Postmaster General Meyer.
~ nsv secretary OF the navy Il
1nnkef. 10 begin with ne knows prac-
sonnny aothiag about q battIeship or
rnovpa station. The SIX men who pre-
-eoeded him a. head OF the navy en-
~ooro1 up<'n thsir duties In similar
'Ugooosasn,,nt And they did not re-
>ma1n IN their position hardly tong
~neu&h ~ ses acquainted with the de-
Dns4nent heads According to Repre-
oDutaelve Dawson. OF Iowa. Repub-
upnp--<nough money was wasted ev-
~ veer TO build . modern nrst class
eu2t,e~htp, Dawson - . member Of
ene cosssntttee on naval anairs. and
Dcrrsd his snsormstion from the In
1As nsv department spends s1s7.-
Vooees Aaausily. what becomes of
- Wa gum,
Qa1y &bout twelve millions 90 to
uulSolag new ships Only about four
unoueas accovding TO Senator Hale.
- q essassins the dry docks and
eRutpp,as tho yards where ship re-
Dalrs are susdc. II does not require
11a sinsc~s sor coal and ammunl-
~ sw ne shlps. nor even for the
rnnnrsss and food oe the men and ON
&Dss
X ~ Isspectof Msdd has just
nHee rceoet to the secretary of the
uaW whsch SHOWS whore the money
80 A large ssm goes to yards that
are s<ssost sseiesA With the sxcep-
&lee - New vork. Newport News and
90 "s two others. the yards have not
>nesss water ia the harbort which
aeS~ssch them to admit Of the en-
~ - uhe bis ships now making up
shs. axAting strength OF the navy; and
= s>sss e9vid set up to the yards. the
sec*s th4s youid md there are too
ansa to ,ik1 them.
Whst do these yards do then! Pay
1naeectes Mudd found st least part
- Ne snswer. They are all busily
sngssed Ia Distributing money to the
oe~sutSsats oe certain senators In
0 n"Wc Wates tney are maintain
- the cAsef bensnciaries OF these
ynrdz sse not the navy nor the Amer
seas psbsic. bat the friends OF sena-
eer~ Hale. Gsiiinger. Perkins. Me-
Eseev ssd smith Of Maryland.
~ kinds NJ ship stores are manu-
fAcured al the yards. But the ans
ve~ ss Where he money goes Is found
m rhe cest Of this manufacture. 1t
occurred 10 Pay Inspector Mudd to
mapf sowe comparisons between the
co~s 'cf articles manufactured at the
difcse~t yards The following ex-
tracts from the Mudd report tell
thcir ova story