The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-01-13


the records and to study them as a
Judge and then to make known his
decision. The president acceded TO
Mr.. Ballinger's request and went over
all the papers in the case and then,
not satisfied to give his own judg'
ment on the matter without having IL
either strengthened or weakened by
the opinion of another. he gave the
papers to his attorney general, Mr.
Wickersham, who likewise went ovef
them and then made a report to Mr..
Taft.
When the president had completed
his work Of scrutiny and study of the
legal points involved he gave his sec.
retary of the interior a clean bill OF
moral health and thus with the back
ing of the administration, made plain
in written form, the secretary can GO
before the congressional investigating
committee and say. mo less lawyer
than William Howard Taft has passed
upon my case and has declared me
| innocent"
5aIIinger's Skirts Clean.
Now, as far as the secretary of the
interior is concerned, no one as yet
has charged that he has done any
thing that could be called corrupt.
The charges against him principally
have been to the effect that he pre-.
ferred to have a free hand given to
corporations in the requirement OF
water power sites and that the people
should get their benefits from the
service which the corporations gave
them. In other words, the charge
has been that Ballinger is one Of the
old-time conservatives who cannot
see that there is anything wrong in
the concentration of commercial
power in the hands of few.
This is the main charge of which
he will try to clear himself, but even
if he does not succeed in entirely
clearing himself the investigating
committee cannot take cognizance OF
mans views of economics.
Divide Over Warship Question.
The house committee on naval af.
fairs, of which Representative George
E. Foss of Illinois is the chair.
man, is holding daily meetings in
an attempt to report to the floor
of the house early its recommenda-
tions for increasing the battle
ship force and for the maintenance of
the navy upon at least its present
plane of efficiency.
Nearly all the Democrats in the
house are opposed to the great battle
ship-building program. The Demo
Gratis in the main hold that the United
States has a navy at present sufficient
ly large to keep up it's dignity as a
nation. There are some few Demo
Gratis, however, who are ardent sup
ports of the plan to increase the navy
little by little until it is large enough
to make certain that this country can
defend the Philippines, Hawaii ard
the two main coast lines of the United
States.
Probable Naval Construction.
In all probability two great war
ships and one repair vessel will be au-
thorized for construction at this ses'
sion of congress. 1t is thought by the
naval experts that if two great fight
ing machines be added to the battle
ship fleet yearly the navy will be kept
upon the plane of efficiency where it
now stands, that there will be no
weakening strength and yet no such
addition of fighting power as to make
either the people of this country or
United States is bent on conquest.
Battleships deteriorate, and so it is
that two new ships a year will just
about keep up the navy's strength.
Vessels of the type Of the Oregon,
, which made the famous rapid tran
sit" around Cape Horn just before the
opening of the Spanish war, are now
on what may be called the retired
list, although the old ship is still fit
for some hard service.
Committee to Be Opposed.
There will be a great deal of oppo-
sition both from Democrats and Re
publicans to the program of the naval
committee which Contemplates the
construction of two battIeships. There
are Republicans who think that the
money which is spent to build Dread
noughts ought to be spent to put up
public buildings throughout the coun-
try or for the improvement of rivers
and harbors. Then there is a small
group of members in the house, with
a still smaller group in the senate,
who think that the United States
ought to lead the way in preparations
for permanent peace, and should let
warlike demonstrations gu by the
board.
Representative Richard Bartholdt of
st. Louis is one Of the most ardent Of
the advocates of peace among the ma
tions that the house contains. He
frequently makes speeches ON behalf
of peace and he is a consistent oppo-
nent of any appropriations which are
intended to increase, beyond what he
thinks is simple defensive limit, the
navy of the United States.
President Taft wants two battle.
ships built this year, and the naval
committees of both houses have prac-
tically made up their minds to give
him what he wants. There is little
doubt that house and senate will sane
tion the battleship-building program
which the committees present to
| them. GEORGE CLINTON.
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