Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1910-04-22
Senate Is Fully Expected to
Sanction the Naval Pro-
gram.
PARTY LINES MAY BE SPLIT
Plan to Put PostoffIce Employees on
Civil Service Basis Means a
Great Change-Perslstent
Rumors About Roose-
welt and 1912.

representatives 01d the expected thing
and sanctioned the appropriation to
build two big battleships during the
next fiscal year 1t put itself on rec
ord as being In favor of maintaining
the present position of the United
states as naval power and on record
In measure as believing that this
country should surpass certain other
countries In naval strength.
1t is fully expected that the senate
Will sanction the two-battleship propo-
sition, notwithstanding that Senator
Hale, one Of the most influential mem
bers of the upper house, probably Will
oppose the Increase. Senator Hale no
longer is chairman Of the senate COM
mittee on naval affairs, for recently
he was promoted to the chairmanship
OF the committee on appropriations.
The change did not deprive him of a
seat in the naval affairs committee,
but 1t gave the Craftsmanship to Sena-
tor Perkins of California. who, because
or certain troubles which at one time
were threatening in the far east, has
undergone change of heart and now
is one of the strongest advocates of
upbuilding navy which at one time
he thought needed little additional
strength.
When the battleship-building para
graph in the naval bill passed the
house the party lines were split, many
democrats voting for the appropria-
ton and some Republicans voting
against it. 1t is probable that the
same thing will happen in the senate
and that several of the seacoast state
Democrats will vote for the Taft recon-
mendation for two ships and the in
terror state Democrats will vote
against it.
Comparison Not Liked.
In the lower house one of the mem
bers in speaking of the proposed bat
tleship Increase made a comparison
between the strength of the United
states navy and that of Japan, d sort
of comparison which some of the
members deprecated because recently
there has been revival of the talk
that this country might possibly be-
come embroiled with Japan. "a
Representative Padgett, Democrat,
of Tennessee, had this to say about
Japan and the United States in the
matter of naval strength:
Il want to call attention to another
fact. Speaking of big guns, the United
States has $50 of these big guns of
the caliber of II and 13 inches. Japan
has lis big guns of IL and IL inches.
Now as to the tonnage of the vessels.
4 fn nft ~.
tonnage of the fighting shipszthat is
of the battleships and armored cruis.
ers-and / shall first call your atten.
tion to the ships that are completed
and afterward to the ships which are
completed and provided for.
"Of the number OF battleships and
armored cruisers-that is the fighting
implements of the navy-the United
States has A such vessels, with a ton
mage of 592.691. Japan has 25 such
vessels with tonnage of 209,255.
Taking the completed and provided
for vessels, the United States has As
such vessels, with an aggregate ton
mage Of 6SS,3+1. Japan has 80 sucf
vessels, with an aggregate tonnage o
40S,406 tons.
J Sees Advantage Over Japan.
$50 that in every phase of the ques
tion that looks to the fighting efici
"ency in the guns and in the size O
the ships-because we have two o
$4,000 tons, and the largest that JapaI
is building is $1,000 tops-so that il
'any aspect of the case in which yo,
may consider It you can divide tn,
American feet by two, and either hal
of 1t is larger and more efficient IL
lighting capacity that the Japanes,
navy"
The opponents of Mr. Padgett'
views say that the United States mus
have a much larger navy than Japal
If It intends adequately to protect tn
Philippines and Hawaii The Philip
pines. it is said by the advocates @
two ships. lie near the doorway O
Japan, and IL We should put fleet O
sufficient strength to meet Japan Il
the far eastern waters we would O
necessity leave our own coast lines
the Atlantic and Pacific-practicall
Mnguardcd, and If we got into troubl
with Japan thare Is no telling wha
might happen, for Japan has some Ell
ropean alliances which might give thi
country cause for concern in case hoi
rtilities break out in the east. The at
ministration is bringing its infiuenc
TO bear to receive the sanction of tn
senate for the two additional dreat
naughts.
Civil Service In Postoffices.
1t has become known that Presider
Taft and Postmaster General Hitcl
cock have in view a change in pos
Office department procedure whic
will be of the utmost interest to pos
masters and in fact to all postofiic
employees all over the United State
1t Is believed that before Presider
Taft's term ends all postmasters I
the second and third class will be p,
..xo, N niufl carviQa hacig In cOne