The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-04-14

WASdINGTON, ID. C.-Special.-
II is very gravely TO be doubted
country as strongly military as the
appropriation made by Congress to
the support of the army and navy
would indicate.
Representative LemueI p. Padgett.
OF the Seventh Tennessee District
senior Democratic member OF the
Committee on Naval affairs made a
speech the other day, in which he
opposed the recommendation OF the
committee for the authorization of
two dreadnoughts at this session. He
advocated but one, and does not
hesitate to say that he does not be-
lieve any should be provided for this
year.
AIr. Padgetts speech dealt largely
in figures, going to show the tremend-
Gus sums being spent by this Govern
ment every year for the construction
of battleships which become obsolete
IN few years and have to be con
signed to the junk heap. He showed
the comparatively small aggregate of
appropriations spent for agriculture
and Tor the Improvement of water
ways since 1888, the year upon which
we entered on the construction of a
new navy. This feature of the speech
appears to have attracted the atten-
ton OF the country, although many
correspondents approve the position
I III.
which country, he says, has acted in
the utmost good faith towards the
United States, and is building a navy
much more slowly than we are We
complete battleship, from the time
the keel is laid, in three years or less
which is considerably less than half
the time in which Japan completes
one from the time it is laid down.
The letters which have come in to
Mr.. Padgett commencing his speech.
! indicate a strength of sentiment
against our participation in the race
for the biggest navy, which cannot be
regarded as anything else than sur
prising. They have come from many
different States, and still are coming.
The secretary of the National
Peace Society, of New York, wrote
Mr.. Padgett that the society com
mended his speech most unreservedly,
and said that if copies could be OBJ
| tanned in pamphlet form the organi-
cation would purchase and distribute
practically an unlimited number Of
copies
Senator Hale. of Maine, the veteran
chairman OF the Senate Committee
on Naval Affairs. wrote Mr. Padgett
commencing the speech. and saying
orally through his State.
Correspondents from other New
England States, from New York, from
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan,
are writing in approval OF the speech.
The writers must represent a senti-
ment in the country and there would
appear to be reason to believe the
sentiment against militarism stronger
than Congress believes. 1t long has
been known that there was a strong
sentiment in the Middle West against
extraordinary increases in the army
and navy The sentiment for a larger
navy. especially, is strongest along the
Pacific and the Atlantic and Gulf.
\ Pretty Stiff Pace.
We are going a pretty stiff pace
in the matter of armament Chair
man Tawney, OF the Committee on
Appropriations. himself from one of
the States OF the great Middle West.
called attention during the last session
20 the fact that 10 per cent. OF the
moneys collected by the United States
Government, is expended for military
and kindred purposes. The total in
come of the United States last year.
from all sources, was $6O4.000.0O0. OF
this sum we expended S423, 100000
on the army, navy, Notifications, pen
sions and other kindred objects. This
LEFT for all other purposes. such as
river and harbOr Improvement, agri
culture, postal deficit and so on only
100000.
The cost of the army and navy has
increased SO rapidly i'm the course of
T
which we entered upon our course as
a. world power. From 1890 to 1895
! the year of the war with Spain-the
annual cost OF the army ana navy ave-
ragged $51, 100000. For the eight
years since the war, or, rather. for
| the eight years from 1902 TO and in
Guiding 1910, the average agcre safe
appropriation for the army ana navy
| has been 1S5.400,OOO. The average
| yearly increase ia the pass eight years.
! comparing the two periods, has been
! S1S5, 100000. In different language,
| the total increase ina military cXpendi-
lures in eight years has been $1,O72,-
! O00 900.
This is an increase of $3.50 per cent
| The army tOd&l nra ly precisely
: three times the size Is l.os al the out
1 break OF the Spanish Wan. We are
| going some.
The heavy appropriations for the
! army and navy may be approved by
! the majority of the people, and may be
! OF the fact that the disarmament of the
nations is very far from fact accom-
pushed. But one cannot help bat real
I lie that the cost of one dreadnOught
| New York to Chica go; the cost of two
would construct the Lakes the Gulf
channel so ardently wished for by the
people Of the Mississippi Valley, and
| win eNpend on our military csta blish-
ment in the next ten years would i'm
! prove every river and harbor in the
country TO point satisfactory 10 the
most ardent advocate of such internal
development. The military eXpendi-
! lures Congress viii authorize at this
session will aggregate 23,OOO,OO0; the
| bill for the Improvement Of rivers and
| harbors, about to be reported to the
senate, viii carry about $4,000, 900.