The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-07
KANSAS COMMENT

POSITION OF THE ENGLISH NAVY
=. ihere seems to be little doubt that
me Engnsh people are really excited
over their navy. For many years
England was mistress of the seas
because her policy of keeping her navy
equal to that of the next two most
powerful nations. The English people
are having it forced on their minds
tnat tney cannot maintain this posi-
ton.
The Japanese in their war with
russia demonstrated that the big bat
.ieSnlps did the real work. Then Eng
iano practically wiped out all the lit
tie lighting craft by the building of
the Dreadnaught. 1t was such a
large and powerful fighting machine
that its big guns could sink ali the
smaller ships before they could get
IN range of the monster.
Then the United States. Germany,
france and Japan began to build bat
tlesnips OF the Dreadnaught class, and
England this year would have to start
1uli half dozen Dreadnaughts to
maintain her desired position. That is
what England is hardly able to dc.
That country has not the facilities to
construct as many battleshfps as the
united States and Germany. Speaking
of the position of the mother country
the Toronto World says:
Not long ago a distinguished Ger
man authority pointed out that the
appearance of the first Dreadnaught
had entirely changed the naval situa-
ton. Once the feasibility and effec-
tiveness of the new type had been es-
tablished all nations started practically
on an equality since the older types
were at once made negligible quanti-
ties. This view has evidently been
endorsed by the liberal government,
which thus lays itself open to the
charge of landing the country in a
crisis, to use Mr.. Balfour's words, so
new and dangerous that it was diff
cult to realize all it implied What
the effect of the disclosure will be on
the people remains to be seen, but
when country is told that its first
and vital line of defense is reduced to
a possible superiority of only three
battleships and cruisers of first class
power in 1912, the outlook is grave
enough to create a panic before which
the strongest of majorfties will have
to bow. Certainly the lines of Premier
Asquith's administration have not fall
len in pleasant places, and the result
of this debate in the house of COM
mons must still further discredit the
advanced radicals with the general
public."-Wichita Eagle.
A PATRIOTIC DUTY.
Should you attend church services
Sunday or should you remain at home,
it is clearly your patriotic duty to
spend the greater part or the day
praying to Almighty God to save the
people of this country from the trust
owned congress and the corporation
controlled courts The prayers of the
righteous availeth much; and if the
Supreme Ruler can be induced to take
the side of the people against politi-
cal graft and corruption in high
places, the country may be saved The
congress is owned body and soul by
the money interests of the country and
under it's dictation is seeking to pass
tariff law that will make it almost
impossible for ordinary people to live.
It means protection to the rich and
destruction to the poor; so then 1t will
be highly proper for you to spend Sun
day in fasting, and prayer and suppli-
cation to Almighty God to wake the
people up in order that they may de-
story the oligarchy that is destroy
ing the country.-E Dorado Republic