The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-03-24
By E. L. RAINEY.
Millions for Navy Department
Go Into Items of Graft. Differ
ent Prices for Same Thing.

" AS11NG O4N, L. O'--DIu GISS-
dent Taft blunder in appointing a
banker secretary of the navy? Has
he failed to take a lesson from the
horrible examples of the preceding
administration?
Of the last six secretaries of the
navy FIVE have been bankers and
LAWYERS. Under their administra-
lions millions of public money have
heen wasted. The extravaganza of
the heads of our navy has been so
colossal as to attract the attention of
practically the entire outside world.
1 Frropean military journals have re-
nearedly pointed out that much of
the money appropriated for the navy
is used to build political organiza-
ton instead of battleships.
What the Critics Say.
Critics of the system and business
methods Of our navy, in the United
States as we'll as abroad, have prac-
of the Wastefulness has been that
the man at the head of the depart
meuc has been a lawyer or banker
without the least knowledge of naval
matters. Prominent naval men
hoped President Taft would not find
the same pitfall his predecessor did,
but that he would appoint a man
with at least an average knowledge
of naval construction to take charge
of our billion dollar navy. 1t is
pointed out there are a number of
good men in the country that are ia
miliar with the navy that he could
i have selected from without entering
q the ranks of bankers and lawyers.
s. Although many prominent naval
officers have indicated their disgust
i at Mr.. Taft's action in appointing
q another civilian to run the navy
. they hesitate to speak publicly on
s. the situation, as it is not profitable
81 for a naval officer to incur the dis
i pleasure of the chief executive.
Former Postmaster General Meyer,
u the new secretary of the navy, is a
q banker. To begin with he knows
q practically nothing about a battle
8 ship or naval station. The six men
81 who preceded him as head of the
Il navy entered upon their duties in
81 similar predicament. And they did
81 not remain in their position hardly
u long enough to get acquainted with
"a the department. heads. According TO
81 Representative Dawson of Iowa, re-
81 publican. enough money was wasted
81 every year to build a modern first
VI class battleship. Dawson is a mem
q Der Of the committee on naval affairs,
81 and secured his information from the
81 inside
Present Head Knows Nothing.
The navy department spends
81 $l5IQQ0,000 annually. What be-
81 comes Of this vast sum?
Only about twelve millions go to
Il building new ships. Only about four
81 Millions according to Senator Hale,
a 90 10 charging the dry docks and
81 eQu.uping the yards where ship re-
81 pairs are made. 1t does not require
ii l-l millions for coal and ammuni-
81 ton for the ships, nor even for the
81 salaries and food of the men and
il officers
81 Pay Inspector Mudd has just made
ii a report to the secretary of the navy
81 which shows where the money goes.
s. large sum goes to yards that are
81 almost useless. With the exception
4 Of New York, Newport News and one
4 Or two others the yards have not
enough water in the harbOrs which
s. approach them to admit of the en-
s& oh y L
s The fighting strength of the navy;
d and if ships could get up to the
q yards the docks they would find
there are too small to take them.
Part of Answer Found.
What do these yards do then?
u Pay Inspector Mudd found at least
q part Of the answer. They are all
bl,l-T engaged in distributing mon
n eE -o the constituents of certain sem
s. atar5 in whose home states they are
Il maintained. The chief benefciaries
Il OF these yards are not the navy nor
q l-@ American public but the friends
" 0. Senator's Hale, Gallinger, Perkins,
@o1nery and Smith of Maryland.
All kinds of ship stores are man
81 U--elured at the yards. But the
ans" err to where the money goes IS
81 round in the cost of this manufac-
tlsa. 1t occurred to Pay Inspector
A3cd to make some comparisons be-
q l"-an the cost of articles manufac-
l1.al at the different yards. The
ri following extracts from the Mudd re-
py,s tell their own story:
Extracts From MuGd Report.
A 16-foot dingy cost 104.17 at
one Yard and $196.34 at another
.@t.y close to twice as much. it will
J- deserved. A 20-foot dingy whale
cost $217.89 at one yard and $362.44
d, another. A 30-foot gig whale
loa5 cost $509.3S at one yard, and
me same kind of boat for the same
KIND Of service was turned out at
another yard for the euphonious sum
OF $s88.80 A 30-foot whale boat
COS. $559.79 at one yard and $40 at
another. A 14-foot punt cost $685.
aL one yard and S95.12 at another