The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-01-08
The Battleship Utah

season for eIultatiou for the launch
ing Of the great battleship Utah, which
occurred the other day, in the pres.
ence Of Senator Reed Smoot, Gov.
ernor Spry aud his daughter, and 4
lot of other delegates from the Nor.
mon Kingdom. | have no particular
Crouch over the fact that a bottle of
good wine was spoiled by the young
lady when she christened the ship, a
good while after congress had done
the same thing. II was 4 shame to
waste a bottle of the real shampagonny
water that way, but since IL was in the
game 1t Is all right. IL would have
been wasted II It had boen used ans
other way, anyhow. The real shame
comes Ia the matter Of cost, and what
II means to the American people aud
civilization. While We are preaching
the doctrine OF universal peace and a
common brotherhood, the United
States is piling up u burden OF army
aud navy that IN time will reach A.
great a figure as makes the nations Of
the old world grunt. The Utah cos,
or will cost when complete, the enor
nous sum Of s2~,ll5,OOO, by the time 1t
IL ready to sail the expense Of 1t will
reach " aud n half millions. II IL
too much even Ito give the United
states a place among world powers, -
to use the sounding phrases Of the mil.
itaists. The money could be used in
other ways that would infinitely more
benefit society, would DO better from
every standpoint Of humanity, and
would establish this a. the Creates,
nation ia the history of the world, IL
tho same principle we're carried out all
through and the warship industry shut
on, For every battleship Of the Utah
class, many things could be had. Its
cost would buy 705 homes for people
who need them at a cost Of three
thousand each, about what il, costs 10
build a modern roost. II the average
home cost, which according to the
census Is $500, were adhered to, il
would provide l4l0 such homes, a
dwelling place for 1850 people, enough
for u pretty good sized city, Il would
give 100000 men a days work at three
plunks apiece and the money would 20
where It would really do some good
Just one more illustration OF what il
would do will reach all Of you be
loved. IL Is conceded in these parts
that II costs on an average twenty dol,
lars an acre to perfect title and water
on government land. On this basis
the cost Of tho Utah would develop
and bring to patent lO5,75O acres of
land, " much as all Of New Mexico
had at the last census. This would
support n population of more than So.
900 people, and nj the established pro
duetive figure of s27 per capita, this
would mean in New Mexico an annual
valuation 10 the state Of Al, $4,000. Tn.
comparisons might be carried on AZ
great length, but this is about enough
to Justify the conclusion that the "a.
penditure Of so much money for such
a purpose is a cardinal sin. While we
are building such floating castles OF
murder, our pleas IA a nation for the
gospel Of peace has a brassy sound TO
Il. II hash Z even the recommendation
Of permanence, either, for the lesson
Of the ram Kathadin, used as a tar.
get after ten years, gives but a hint
Of what will become Of all present
warships when the progress Of aerial
navigation proceeds a little further.
No sensible person doubts that II will
be able to put the filings on every
Dreadnaught afloat. Taking IL oil
around, there is no reason for pride
or rational eongrstnlAtion in the Utah
launching. Rather it Ia 4 proof Of ma.
tionsl ja~ssackery.