The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1912-04-05
THE GREATER'NAvY
q DOOM IS SEALED BY /.
HOUSE caucus
ALL NEW NAVAL CONSTRUC.
TON REFUSED AND MEN,
BEERS ARE SHOCKED.
ONLY HOPE LIES IN SENATE
Underwood Is Blamed for the Petty
Politics Shown in the Action of
the Majority and Statement Of
Grant Recalled.

| STdHI ncCdllSu.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Mar. So
There will be no new battleship fol
the navy # the caucus decision OF the
mouse democrats tonight is not ever
ridden by the senate.
BY a two-thirds vote the caucus re
fusel to rescind it's former action, de-
claring against battleships and new
naval construction, and a decision by
Caucus Chairman Burleson declared
this final and binding on the demo
Gratis of the house.
Under the same resolution that de-
ci1ed the fate Of the battleships all
public building construction was pro-
nibited.
1t was remarked tonight that Grant
never made truer statement than
when he said that when the republi-
can party was in distress it could al
ways depend on the democratic party
to make fool Of itself.
Petty politics and the domination
Of Leader Underwood carried the day
against the navy and sent the United
States to the fifth place among the
naval powers of the world. Because a
little postoffice could not be built in
4 little obscure town represented by
some new representative, the naval
defenses of 9O,OOO,OOO are to be orok-
en- down.
Representative Burnett, of Ala
bama told this when he said: more
than one hundred new democratic
were elected to this
congress. During their campaigns,
the republican opposents told the vot-
ers that if the democrats were e!eced
there would be no new buildings. l.
am not against battleships, but l don't
want these representatives to go
back home and have their republi-
can friends say I told you So No
public buildings, no battleships."
But leader Underwood is responsI-
BILE for defeat of the battleship pro-
gram. His speech for economy, his
demand that the democrats should
follow his leadership in holding down
along lines marked by
The democratic ways and means COM
mittee won the fight for the anti-bat-
Lleship men. Without his assistance
and rallying the petty politics OF the
pork barrel men could not have
prevailed.
One hundred and seventeen demo-
rats voted against twenty-five for an
adequate navy for this country De-
hands for roll call were denied.
The aims of the twenty-five patriots |
ire not available tonight, as the eau
us was secret 1t was Leader I'm
lerwDod who clinched victory for op-
)onents of battleships, when he NOV
ID the caucus vote be binding on all |
Chairman Padgett, of the house
committee on naval affairs asked for
/ single battleship and an armored |
;ruiser. He told Of the sentiment of
lis committee for naval construction
o keep pace with modes and enlight-
med nations. Representative Tai
'ot, of Maryland, Father of the
White Squadron" the foundation of
he American navy, asked for two
'attleships and urged that his COM
nittee be left free to do the work
which the organization of the house
brew upon it.
Burnett, the advocate of the public
the champion of the first
pomptly attached to the
'adgett resolution his amendment
or public buildings. Then the eau
Us fight opened. +