Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-23
Ten Million Dollars Cut from Esti-
mates for 1911 by Order Of
President.
WILL NOT AFFECT PROGRAM
Intention to Build Two Battleships
is Not Changed.
CANNON ON GOOD ROADS
Speaker Addresses Meeting of Ma
tional Congress at Washington.
NOT A FEDERAL FUNCTION
OF A FEDERAL FUNCTION
He FhVors Agitation for Better
Highways, but Says Expense
should he Borne by states
ard Counties.

WASHINGTON May 22--The reductions
in the estimates for the naval appropra
tlons for 1911, as ordered by President
Taft. will not affect the battleship build
ing program Of the navy, according 10
an announcement made today by Secre-
tary Meyer
He declared that 1t was the intention
of the administration to provide appropris-
tions in that year for the building of two
battleships. Some reduction has had to
he made in the minor recommendations in
the building program Of the general board.
but the main features Of the plan of build
ing will remain unchanged.
An appropriation sufficient for building
five torpedo boat destroyers or one re-
pair ship for the fleet which ever is deemed
to the secretary.
Congress having cut down the 1910 pro-
gram to about one-half and contemplating
like cut in the next estimates to be sub
mitted Secretary Meyer and the board
have included only about one-half of the
estimates of the originally planned pro-
gram for 1911.
The impression prevails in some quarters,
according to Secretary Meyer. that $4,000
600 decrease in the 1911 estimates for the
navy contemplated reduction of the ium-
Der of battleshps to be provided for from
two ships to one. This the secretary de-
cared was erroneous
The reduction has been effected only aftr
the most careful consideration in consulta-
tions with the general board, the chiefs of
all the bureaus collectively and indvldu-
ally, and the commandants of the Atlantic
navy yards. They co ne principally from
the estimates for appropriations for the
various bureaus and navy yards, but they
have been made so as to In no way affect
the efficiency o fthe ships of the yards
The two battleships fer 1911 are to be of
the heavy single calbcr, all big gun type,
of which six already are provided for
the North Dakota, Delaware Florida Utah,
Arkansas and Wyoming. These two ships
will complete the plan of the general board
to have a squadron of eight ships of this
type, all having the same tactical quail
ties. The details of the new vessels have
not been made public.
Cannon on Good Roads.
! Representative Pickett of Iowa addressed
| todays session of the National Good Roads
| association, which was transferred from
| Baltimore to this city today
! Speaker Cannon addressed the afternoon
| session. Mr.. Cannon said that in railway
and water transportation the government
| must KEEP in touch with the people and the
! people must also keep in touch with the
! government To do this, he said, everyone
| must know what the government costs and
| that the efforts to secure appropriations
for good roads was an everlasting per-
/ formance. The speaker said 1t was the
| province of the state governments to con-
| duct experiments for good roads and that
| It was necessary to arouse public senti-
| ment in favor of their construction. The
people should be educated In the cost of
! building better roads. added the speaker.
| Il hope youl keep on in your good work
| and in the fullness of time at the expense
of counties and states wen construct good
roads" said Mr.. Cannon.
! Arthur G. Jackson OF Chicago, president
of the Good Roads congress differed from
the Views of the speaker, maintaining that
economy ought TO be practiced in the con-
| struction OF battleships and that money
spent by the national government on good
roads 1t is impossible that an apostle of
| epublicansm should oppose this" said Mr..
| Jackson.
| Former Senator Dodge OF Ohio and sew
| eral others addressed the meeting.