Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-01-15
MUCHINTEREST
IN NAVY YARD
Plan to Move Brooklyn Yard
to C~ommunipaw Discussed.
fFrom tho NEWS Correspondent,

y.
tFrom the NEWS c-orrsspondsntJ
Washington, Jan. 1~6.-Asked as
to hts attitude toward the plan to
remove ths New York Navy Yard
from Brooklyn to the Eommunfpaw
section of Jersey City. AZ proposed
in a report by Captain L. S. Van
Duser, y. s. ~. Senator MARITIME
said today:
The plant TO abandon the New
York Navy Yard in Brooklyn and
establish q much larger and more
modern naval base In COMMUNICATE
section OF Jersey City naturally OBJ
tains my lively interest.
Il know nothing OF this project In
an official way. I notes however,
that q newspaper statement 10 to the
effect that the proposed new navy
yard confemplates an expenditure
OF $26,352.06O OF government funds.
1.-THE expenditure OF such a large
sum for tho establishment Of q
great navy yard in New Jersey
would undoubtedly be of immense
advantage, In d commercial way, to
the State, and particularly to Jer-
sey City.
~ am mindful of these facts and
OF the corrolary that, as the popular
idea directs. 7 should lend my pow
er as a member Of the United States
Senate to the carrying out OF the
project. At the same time / also
bear In mind the fact that the peo-
pie OF the country are now taxed
S275, 100000 per annum, or nearly
$1,000, 900 per day. for war pur-
poses, through the army and navy.
i am convinced that this e~xpendi-
ture is a s~tupendous burden upon
our people and ought to be substan-
TALLY reduced. But, Of course,
Congress is continually pressed to
Increase the outlay for wal pur-
poses.
Demand For Economy.
'HThe fact is that members OF
Congress are prone to demand econ
omy la government expense up to
the point OF where the interests OF
home folks come IN, and then If To-
cal advantages seem to Justify their
stand they are militant and un-
yielding In demanding more or less
large sums of money from the public
treasury for federal projects among
their constituents. Such q course
begets neither official honor nor
intelligent transaction OF public /
business. During my term of SER
vice In Congress I do not purpose
In 80 far as my intelligence and
conscience will guide me, to follow
such a course.
Il should be very reluctant, either
by voice or vote, to act aEasnst any
proposition IN Congress That might
he argued u OF sDecial benefit to
New rc-sey. On sts.> Other ss.S 81
such a proposition should sesm to
me to be either extraFagAnt or far
fetched, even New Jerseys special
interest would have to possess ca
E~traordfnary merit to induce nae to
alter the course / have laid out for
myself In such matters"
Senator Briggs Talks.
Senator Briggs. IN speaking~of
the contemplated transfer, said that
while he was u-nacquainted with
the details. he would favor any
movement which would bring a
great navy yard to Nsw Jersey, and
that he would be very glad to do
everything In his power to help In
this transfer.
General Elliott, cemmandaHt Of
the Marine Corps, who was a class
mate OF Senator Briggs at West
Point, recommended to the Senator
that the Marine Barracks and Drill.
Grounds, which now take up con-
siderable space. be turned over 20
the navy yard proper and that quar-
|terA FOR the Marine garrison be made
! somewheres on the northern part
Of New Jersey. No action. however,
hiss been taken ON this suggestion
to date.
Up to this time the Navy Depart-
ment has placed Itself on record as
being in favor OF establishing a
great naval base at Narragansett
should the New York yard be
abandoned. In the light of this,
| however, stands the fact that Com
|munfpaw has decided advantages
! over Narrassnsett FOR the reason
that it would not be 80 easy of &C
cess from attack and tine climate is
not so Indictment In the winter
months.
Mayor Gaynor. OF New York. has
already Expressed hts Willingness TO
purchase the site OF the present navy
Ward, should the government decide
lto abandon tt, with the-end in view
OF converting 1t into use for munich
lpal Should this. which at
present is merely an abstract otter
| dependent upon tho action OF the
city Board OF Estimates. be brought
Iabcut. the purchase price would
| cover more than half the PROPOSED
loutIav. and the chances for obtain
ling the bigger yard would be en-
haneeds