The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1910-11-11
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mltted object ~ the cfgatiun snd
constfuctlon ~ this prop sed base !.
70 be prepared 10 defend the Panama
canal AMI W. xjos ~ Influence, tbe
lighting ships of the poser at ssr
with this nation will aock ~ the sul,
waters, The great naval battles o,
The var, be Ii prolonged " af short
duration, will nnd tbeif settings In
the waters on the gulf, and the
American naval base, located on
foreign soil, will be at the absolute
mercy Of the watfing foreign power
aud her allies. Transports NJ Amefl
can seamen or with raw material
from native ports will be the legiti.
mate prey OF these foreign Invaders
This situation naturally brings
about the ridiculous feature OF tho
United States being forced TO defend
her own native shores, the canal and
It's legitimate zone and the American
naval station located 10 a foreign
land, the attitude OF which govern
ment In time III war Is under no cir.
cumstances or conditions an assured
friendless TO this government. Twice
has thls government been forced TO
Invade Cuban territory, and the hope
OF the jingoes Is that the third time
may be forced In the not far distant
future aud permanent requirement
Of the island make 1t American
property. At present, however, Cuba
~ foreign country, and the Cubans
have no deep and lasting love for the
American government.
A PORT ON THE GULF.
The natural location for the pro-
posed naval base Is on the gulf coast
OF the United States. This coast ex.
tends many, many hundreds OF miles
from the Florida keys to the banks OF
Rio Grande river, and within this
distance are numerous ports. Secre.
tary Meyer is credited with having
turned down port after port on
American soil. The people OF Pasca.
youla can readily appreciate the fact
that the secretary may have been
fully justified 10 this action regarding
the ports he examined or had reported
to him, for 1t Is hardly reasonable to
believe that he had an opportunity to
adequately Inspect the advantages
and disadvantages OF many OF the
ports from the banquet tables at
which he was continuously seated
while en- tour. No definite informa.
tion has been v0uchsafed SO far that
the secretary inspected the Mississ-
lppi gulf ports, and IL is known that
he did not tarry at Pascagoula nor
seek direct and personal information
relative to this magnificent land
locked harbor that affords natural
defense as well as easy fortircation,
and all upon native American soil
Because OF the fact that, whatever
may be the personal desire and de.
cision Of Secretary Meyer, the fnal
word rests with congress, this paper
respectfully calls the attention or
all Mississippi congressman, and
through them the members OF
congress from all over the South
and the nation at large, to the
salient facts here briefly presented.
These gentlemen Of congress are re.
quested to ascertain for themselves
(f0r such information is better by far
than the mere reiteration OF the fact
that such Information has been oh.
tained) the reports Of the govern nent
engineers for the past fifteen or twenty
years relative to the ACCESSIBILITY 0l
constructing deep water harbors
along the gulf coast. 1t Is stated
here with the utmost confidence ol
substantiation from oflcial sources
that these government reports have
year after year for nearly q sc0re ol
years, presented the one true ant
incontrovertible fact that the Port o.
Pascagoula is the one and only port OF
the gulf that is free from shIftiDt
sands, free Of Q t0rtu0us channel
within easy access Of the gulf, abso
lutely laOdl0cked and safe from
storms, and easily defended from at
tack from an enemy.
PASCAGOULA IS THE PORT.
il Bas!ng all claims solely on the re
ports Of the unbiased government
engineers, the logical poiot on th
gulf coast for the proposed naval sts
tion ls the Port OF PascagouIa. Th
series Of islands make q perfect Iaod
licked harbor. During al the year
of recurring gulf storms, when ever,
other port along the coast va
\ wrecked or damaged. not { vessel ha
sver been destroyed within her hal
Ibor. IN the memorable storm OF 100
Itbls port uas 10 the direct centre q