The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-04-02

In introducing to the Commons
Tuesday the navy estimates calling
for an expenditure Of $175,713,500
the next year, First Lord of the Ad-
mirality McKennon created a pro-
found sensation by asserting that
Germany at the present rate would
have the most powerful navy in the
world In the year 1911, when her
present program of construction is
complete. He estimated that at that
time the Germans would have thir-
teen battleships OF the Dreadnought
and Invincible type as against twelve
of those kind which England would
have ready for duty. But the worst
was that no one knew but that the
Germans were accelerating this pace
so that by 1912 they would have
seventeen of the largest fighters.
Hence he justifies the enormous ma
val expenditures proposed, on the
ground of the nations security. If
Great Britain were to maintain her
naval supremacy they must have at
least four additional Dreadnoughts
delivered by March 1912. In the de-
bate, MIR. Balfour, leader OF the OPP
position, further stirred the House
by saying that from private infor-
nation in his possession Germany
would have in 1912 twenty-one
Dreadnoughts ready for action. He
said that the program of the govern
ment was utterly insufficient. Pre-
mier Asquith assured the House that
there was no friction with Germany,
but reminded the country that re-
peated offers to limit naval expan-
sion had been rejected by Germany.
He admitted that Britain no longer
had the advantage in the speed with
which warships could be built. The
newspapers reflected these alarmist
utterances in Parliament in scare
heads and double loaded editorials,
even the radical papers admitting
the danger Of the situation. The
only opposition to the big naval pro-
gram came from the Laborites and
Nationalist. Dillon of the latter
group deprecated the ministerial
statements as containing the seeds
of war. The only outcome OF this
mad career would be a European war
or bankruptcy. America alone could
break England's back in ten years.
Macpherson, for the Laborites, de-
nounced the capitalists of both Ger
many and Britain as being RESPONSE
Bile for the war like preparations.
Upon a division the programme was
sustained by a vote Of 1922 to SO.
Deadwood banks took state war
rants away from all outsiders, and
the Chicago representatives were
amazed. South DAKOTA is mot a
suburb of any city nor an addition
to any state; 1t is q commonwealth
in its own right and Is in position
to be right Independent about it, too.
Iowa is In doubt whether to vote
on prohibition or to try to struggle
along under the mulct law that has
made good part Of the state as dry
as any part OF any prohibition state.
And after all the agitation, Iowa
voters will come back to the conclu-
sion that the saloon, like the tariff,
is largely local question.
Louis Mel, a prominent socialist
Of Aveyron, has been chosen general
secretary of the federation Of labor
unions Of France, post correspon-
Ing In Importance to that of the
American Federation OF Labor. His
aim Is the unihcation OF all workers.
and he Is opposed to militarism. Mel
was elected by The close vote OF
twenty-eight to thirty-seven. He is
D compositor.