Middletown transcript., 1910-03-05
WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHINGTON, D. O., February 26, 1910.
hJHAT lie everybody's business is nc
w body's business, ard everybody's
business is the government OF the United
States. Most men have enough to do
with the government of their families,
sometimes assisted by recalcitrant wives
and children, but if they are public spirit
ed, they may turn their attention to viii
Iage or county affairs, and even know
something about the affairs of their state,
whether it be Texas or Rhode Island.
But when it comes to national and inter-
national affairs, not one voter in ten is
or tries to be we'll informed. Neverthe-
less, this voter has his say in the delicate,
multifarious and momentous of national
and international affairs. Il is a wonder
full system, without having much system
about it, aud one wonders how long it
will last, or what will be the result Of she
evolution in popular government.
~
There is q continuous discussion in
Congress with reference to ship subsidies.
The American carrying trade sixty years
ago covered alt seas, and the Stars and
Stripes could be seen in every port in the
world. The flag at present is confined
exclusively to our interior aud coast trade.
Two years ago when our battle-ships cir.
cumnavigated the globe, they were sup
piled with provisions and coal by foreign
vessels. Ex-Secretary of the Treasury
Leslie Shaw has recently made the start.
ling announcement that Japan is deter
mined to rule the Pacific or tinge its waves
with blood, and be has added to this
statement details as to how Japan can do
it. He Gays that we hired twenty-seven
foreign ships to carry supplies for our
around the world battle-ships, and that
one hostile shot from any country that
owns cannon would under international
law have sent every one Of these twenty
seven ships home, for no country can
afford to have it's flag involved in orr
quarrels. He further stated that in 1909
the War Department hired over forty
foreign ships to do its work, and that we
are sending food to the soldiers in the
Philippine Islands in Japanese ships. He
stated further that Japan can put two
hundred thousand soldiers in Hawaii in
thirty days without firing q shot, and
that it would take Us two years to put
one hundred thousand there. The Ex-
Secretary Of the Treasury has a happy
faculty of graphic statement and illustra-
ton, and his combination Of arithmetic
and rhetoric produce vivid, impressive
and true picture. For better or worse we
have become a frst-class power and
part OF the international system. This
has been brought about through our
Hawaii and our Philippines. The secure
insularity once afforded Us by the two
great oceans is no longer ours. We must
be able to defend our frontiers, Hawaii
in mid Pacific and the Philippines in
Asiatic waters. We cannot do this with
out soldiers and ships, not only wsr-ships,
but GOLFERS and commispary ships. How
are we to get sailors and ships when, ow-
ing to our tariff, other nations can build
ships and employ sailors for half the
price that we must pay, or in the case of
Japan, for less than one-tifth the price we
must pay. As Mr.. Shaw says, "TheTs
are not state secrets. Everybody knows
then except our voters. We are build
ing battle-ships, and this is well, but
battle-ships without colliers and trams-
ports are absolutely worthless. In case of
war we could not get our Atlantic feet to
San Francisco. No vessel in the feet can
carry enough coal to take it there. We
have no colliers, and could then hire
none" Ex-Secretary Shaw further stated
that if every powder.miIl in the United
States was to make powder twenty.four
hours per day for thirty days, the pro,
duct would last our present Navy only
two hours.