Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-01-13


decision. The president acceded to
Mr.. Balllnger's request and went over
all the papers In the case and then,
not satisfied to give his W judy
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 over
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
rotary 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 a go
before the congressional investigating
committee and say. mo less a lawyer
than William Howard Taft has passed
upon my case and has declared me
innocent"
%BaiIinger's Skirts Clean.
Now, as far as the secretary Of the
Interior is concerned, no n 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
fhar, To- @tko. ,,~rl, NLA Dhnr0n
has been hat Ballinger is one Of the
old.time conservatives who cannot
see that there is anything wrong In
he concentration of commercial
power In the hands Of a few.
This is the main charge of which
he will try to clear himself, but wen
II he does not succeed In entirely
committee cannot take ~cognizance Of
a mans views of economies.
Divide Over Warship Question.
The house committee on naval af-
fairs. of which Representative George
l.. Foss of Illinois Is the chair.
man, Is holding daily meetings In
an attempt to report to the floor
Of the house early its recommended
tons 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 its dignity as q
nation. There are some few Demo
Gratis, however, who are ardent sup
ports of the plan to increase the navy
little by little until 1t Is large enough
to make certain that this country can
defend the Philippines. Hawaii and
the two main coast lines of the United
States.
Probable Naval Construction.
In all probability W great war.
ships and n repair vessel will be au-
thorized for construction at this ses.
sion of congress. It Is thought by the
naval experts that II two great fight
ing machines be added to the battle.
ship feet yearly the navy will be kept
upon the plane OF efficiency where 1t
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
OF the world at large think that the
United States Is bent on conquest.
Battleships deteriorate, and so 1t 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 O
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 battleships. 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
q 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 go by the
board.