The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-02-21
ON A WAR FOOTING
OUR OUTLYING DEFENSES ARE
BEING PUSHED RAPIDLY TO
COMPLETION.
DUE TO JAPANESE RUMORSt
Biggest Gun Ever Built Will Guard
Pacific End Of Canal-Correqidor
Notifications to Protect Ma
Mia From Attack.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-There have been
stories In plenty, scare stories at that,
of the immlnence of trouble with
Japan. One tale after another has
been forthcoming, only to be denied
the following day. State department
officials say there is no danger of trou-
Bile with Japan. and probably there is
no such danger. The only real Jap
anese scare story which has not met
with either denial or evasion is the
one which is connected with the work
OF the United States in pushing to
completion its Notifications in the
philippines, in Hawaii and on the Pa
enc coas, of the Panama Canal Zone.
is 1t significant of fear? Yes and
no. These Notifications were plan
ned prior to the first word of sugges-
uon that Japan soon might make up
lts mind to take a whack at us. Army
oHcers have urged and the admins
tratlon and congress quickly have
consented that the work of these big
forts should be done as rapidly as
possible. Celebrity has been in evil
dence only for a few months. Japan
csc rumors may have been responsible
for 1t. If this is a war scare. the
country must make the most of 1t.
Brig. Gen. Clarence R. Edwards.
fresh from the command of a brigade
or troops on the frontier of Mexico,
mas been ordered to Hawaii to take
command of the brigade there station
ed. There is a detachment of heavy
artillery stationed at Hawaii The
Notifications at Pearl Harbor, the
great naval base, are nearing a state
OF readiness for war or for the final
rusting of guns which must follow the
years of peace
Biggest Guns for Canal.
At Sandy Hook, ready for trans
portation, If it is not now on it's way,
Is the biggest gun ever built in the
world. 1t is a 16 inch monster. 1t was
built and tested under the supervision
of Col. E. B. Babbitt of the ordnance
department. This gun, which has
shown its effectiveness, will be mount
ed on one of the little islands now be-
Ing fortified and situated about
mile from the Pacific entrance to
the Panama canal. II projectile
from the 16-inch gun ever hits war
ship it is Davy Jones' locker for the
ship and the sailors. 1t is a weapon
which no sane captain will allow his
vessel to come within range Of unless
the exigencies of war demand that he
take the awful risk.
Col. Henry C. Davis, coas. artillery,
has been ordered to the Philippines to
take command of the great fortifica-
lions at Corregidor. Corregidor is the
Gibraltar of the eastern seas. Colonel
Davis has a commanding reputation
as an artillery officer. Until recently
he was in command of the defenses
at Washington
No ships ever will pass by Cor
regidor island to take, Manila unless
some earthquake friendly to the en-
envy shall dump the island into the
sea and the guns along with it. An
enemy bent on taking the Philippines,
however, probably would not try to
approach along a path leading by Cor
regidor. The attack would be by
troops landed from transports at an
other part Of the island and Manila
would fall, If fall it must, as the result
of an overland attack.
Some time ago war scare was
produced by the news that some Amer
can artillerymen had been sent to
Honolulu. Since then more artillery
men have been sent there.
Freak Tariff Result.
The Democrats in congress are say
ing that reports from the country
show that the setback which business
had a while ago has been overcome
and that now things are progressing
toward the goal of increased pros
perity.
The Republicans and Progressives
say there Is a revival of business be-
cause of the tame measures which the
Democrats have introduced to regu-
late the trusts. Men of the two op-
position parties declare the proposed
legislation of the Democrats does not
fulfill the promises made in their plat
form, that the trusts should be over
come and competition restored.
These are the viewpoints Of the
three parties and 1t will take time to
prove who is right and who is wrong.
To a considerable extent the recent
tariff legislation has been lost to sight
by the arguers on both sides of econo-
mic questions who hold seats in con.
gress. However, the tariff law is do
ing freak things and one Of them per-
haps is not uninteresting as human
document
A man has just come to Washing
ton from New Bedford Mass. where