The National tribune., 1909-09-02
THE SUMMER CAPITAL.
Continued from page one.)

Continued from page one.)
which are scheduled to be in Honolulu
Sept. IL, might just as well be styled
eight first-class battleships. The term
armored cruiser is not quite so terrify-
ing as battlaship, but 1t has long been
recognized at the Navy Department that
In time of war the new armored cruis-
ers would be to all intents and pur-
poses as good as battleships. The Ten
nessee and Washington have displace-
ment of 14,500 tons, the others of 49,
$50 tons, which is something more than
some of the ships of the Atlantic battle
fleet. In dimensions they are larger
than any of the ships of the battle fleet.
They are each 502 feet long, which is
so feet longer than the biggest and
newest of the battleships, such as the
16, ,000-ton New Hampshire, Connecti-
cut, Louisiana, Minnesota and Kansas.
The Tennessee and the Washington are
almost 73 feet beam, about as much as
the heaviest of the battleships. Their
draft is "a feet, about the same as the
battleships. Their guns and armament
are not as formidable as in the newer
.battleships but, all in all, the eight
armored cruisers comprise a very pow
erful battle fleet. They have a speed
of % knots and as fleet are about five
knots faster than the Atlantic battle
fleet.
No one questions that the Pacific bat
tie feet is going on a peaceful mission
and for nothing else. 1t is virtually a
practice cruise, for the ships will be
engaged in manuvers much Of the way
across the Pacific, will have month
of hard work off Manila, then disperse
by twos for brief visits at Chinese
ports, reassembling again for the voy-
age home at Yokahoma Jan. 19. Their
voyage in a way duplicates the around
the-world voyage of the battle fleet dur
ing the closing months of the Roose-
welt Administration. The armored
cruisers will sail quite as Ear, the prac-
tice will be quite as rigorous, and in all
probability the Pacific fleet will return
under a discipline that approximates
the fighting edge. Because of the great
er distances on the Pacific Ocean the
armored cruisers are much better suit
ed for a Pacific feet than for an Allan
tic fleet. There is little doubt in the
minds of those who keep informed
about Navy plans that the armored
cruisers are to remain in the Pacific
Ocean and that the Pacific fleet is now
a permanent affair. There are two more
armored cruisers of the 14,500-ton
class fit for service-the Montana and
the North Carolina. 1t is not unlikely
that they will ultimately be transferred
feet.
The Visit of Senator Aldrich.
The coming of Senator Aldrich, of
Rhode Island, to the Summer Capital
just before he sailed for Europe, was
rated as one of the most noteworthy
visits of the vacation period. The Pres.
ident had two reasons for inviting the
Senator here. One was to find out how
the Monetary Commission, which re-
Gently met in New York City, is pro-
crossing in the preparation of recon-
mendations for comprehensive finan-
cial system. Senator Aldrich informed
him that the Monetary Commission
composed of Senators of the Finance
Committee and Representatives of the
Banking and Currency Committee, and
certain ex-members of those commit
tees, could not report before a year
from this Autumn. The President also
wanted to consult with Senator Aldrich
about administrative features of the
Payne tariff law, which Senator Aldrich
himself drew and which the Treasury
Department is now putting into opera
ton. These include the maximum and
minimum provisions that become opera
tive in March, and the Foreign Tariff
Board, as the so-called Tariff Commits
sion will probably be called. whose
members President Taft will soon ap-
II,
of the Treasury Department, came down
from Dublin, N. H., to be present al
the conference.
Senator AIdrich wants to avoid an
extra session of Congress for the finan.
cial legislation, which adds to the pros
poets that there will be no financial
| legislation prior to the next Administra-
ton. If the Monetary Commission is
able to report in the Autumn of 1910
that Will be just prior to the short ses
| sion, which will be the last session OF
| the present or 61st Congress. It is
automatic that practically nothing out
side of appropriation bills can be passed
at short session. But in 1911, wher
| the new Congress has been chosen the
country will be approaching another
Presidential election, and it is question
| able whether the Republicans would
| care to precipitate an issue over theil
| new financial system right on the eve
of the quadrennial contest. Hence the
belief that the interval will be devoted
to discussion and to education of the
people up to the new ideas, and thai
the legislation will come after the next
Presidential election.
The Presidents Southern and Western
| Tour.
| If ever a Presidential: itinerary wa.
built to be proof against political anG
| local factionists, it ought to be the one
Secretary Carpenter is just completing
in the Executive Offices at Beverly. The
President plans that his long trip thr,
the West and South shall comport with
the dignity of his office. He will not hesi
tate to emphasize his convictions upoI
issues that rightly concern the country
but he travels virtually as the guest oi
all the people for mis- journey will be
at Government expense, and he doe:
lY1f nF1t l. IL ~
| groups of leaders striving for party
mastery.
Some are saying that his caution /.
due to ambition for second term. THAI
| may be in some part. All Presidents
| of recent years at least, have sought
|