The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-03-04
VOTERS ARE
UNIFORMED
Nevertheless They Are
Called to Settle Questions.
Shipsubsidies Continue to 0ccu-
py Attention in Congress
Will Build Great Battleship.


Is everybody's business is nobody:
business, and everybody's business i:
the government of the United States
Most men have enough to do with the
government of their families, some.
times assisted by recalc:trant wives
and children, but If they are pub
lic-spirited, they may turn their at
tention to village or county affairs
and even know something about the
affairs of their state, whether it be
Texas or Rhode Island. But when II
comes to national and international
affairs, not one voter in ten is or
tries to be we'll informed. Neverthe-
less this voter has his say in the
most delicate, mul.ifarious and mo-
mentous of national and internation-
al affairs. 1t Is wonderful system,
without having much system about
1T, and one wonders how long DIT will
last, or what will be the Jesuit Of
the evolution in popular government.
There is a continuous discussion in
Congress with reference to ship sub
sides. The American carrying trade
sixty years ago covered all seas, and
the Stars and Stripes could be seen
In every pert in the world. The flag
at present is confined exclusively to
our interior and coast trade. Two
years ago when our battle-ships cir
COMMUNICATED the globe, they We're
supplied with provisions and coal by
foreign vessels. Ex-SecretaTy of the
Treasury Leslie Shaw has recently
made the startling announceemnt
that Japan is determinhd TO rule the
Pacific or tinge its waves with blood
and he has added to this statement
details as to how japan can do it. He
says that We hired twenty-seven
foreign ships to carry supplies for
around the world ships, and
that one hostile shot from any coun-
try that owns a cannon would under
International law have sent every one
OF these twenty-sevem ships home, for
no country can afford no have its
flag involved in opr qua1rels. He fur
ther STATED that in 1909 the War De-
parmtent hired over forty forsign
ships to do its work, and that we aIe
sending food to the soldiers In the
Philippine Islands in Japenese ships
He stated further that Japan can put
two hundred Thousand soldiers In Ha-
wadi in thirty days without firing
shct, and that It would take US two
years to put one hundred thousand
there. The ex-SecreT.iary of the Trcas-
ury has happy faculty of graphic state
ment and illustration, and his combina-
ton Of arithmetic and rhetoric a
vivid, impressive and TRUE picture
For better or worse, We have become
a first-class power and a part of the
International system. This has been
brought about through our Hawaii
and our Philippines. The secure insu-
larity once afforded us by the two
great oceans is no longer ours We
must be able to defend our frontiers,
Hawaii in mid-Paclfic and the Phil
ippines in Asiatic waters. We can
not do this without soldiers and ships,
not only war-ships, but colliers and
ships. How are We to
get sailors and ships when, owing to
our tariff, other nations can build
ships and employ sailors for half
the price that we must pay. AS Mr..
Shaw says, These are not state Sc
crets. Everybody knows them ex-
cept voters. We are building battle
ships, and this Is well, but battle-
ships without GOLFERS and trans
ports are absolutely worthless. |
In case OF war we could not get our
fleet to Sanfrancisco. No YES
sci in the fleet can carry enough |
coal to take it there. We have no col
1ers, and could then hire none"
Elk Secretary Shaw further stated that
Il every powder-min On the United
States was to make powder twenty
Bour hours per day for thirty Gays,
The product would last our Present
Navy only two hours.
President Taft Is advocating a ma
vaa program calling for the building
of two immense battleshiips OF che rs
thousand Ton class each year until