The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-12-11

is also very important in.ced with |
regard to the older coasts Of tile con- |
tinent. We can not use our great |
Alaskan domain, shiEj will not ply |
thither, if those coasts and their many
hidden dangers are not thoroughly |
surveyed and charted. The work is |
incomplete at almost every point. |
Ships and lives have been lost in
threading what were supposed to be
wel-kn0wn main channels. We have
not provided adequate vessels or ade-
quate machinery for the survey and
cliarting. We have used old vessels
that we're not big enough or strong
enough and which were so nearly un-
seaworthy that our inspectors would
not have allowed private owners to
send them to sea. This is a matter
which, as l have said, seems snail,
but is in reality very great. Its i'm
portance has only to be looked into
TO be appreciated.
Before l close may I say few
words upon two topics. much discuss
cd out OF doors, upon which it is high
should be clear, definite, and stead
fast?
One OF these Is economy in govern
economy is not debatable 1t Is man.
ifest and imperative. In the appro-
priations we pass we are spending
the money Of the great people whose
servants we are.-not our own. We
are trustees and responsible stew
ards in the spending. The only thing
debatable and upon which we should
| be careful to make. our thought and
! purpose clear is the kind OF economy
demanded OF us. assert with the
greatest confidence that the people Of
the United States are not jealous Of
the amount their government costs If
they are sure that they get what they
need and desire for the outlay, that
the money is being applied with good
business sense and management
Governments grow, piecemeal, both
In their tasks and in the means by
which those tasks are to be perform
cd, and very few governments are or
ganized, l venture to say, as wise and
experienced business men would or
ganize them IL they had a clean sheet
of paper to write upon. Certainly the
government Of the United States is
not. l think that it is generally
agreed that there should be a syste-
matte reorganization and reassembl-
ing OF its parts so as to secure great
er efficiency and effect considerable
savings in expense. But the amount
Of money saved in that way would. I
believe. though no doubt considerable
in Itself, running, 1t may be. into the
millions. be relatively small,-smaiI,
mean, in proportion to the total
necessary outlays Of the government.
1t would be thoroughly worth effect
II GOV yrtrrer AL "A ~r
small. Our duty is not altered by the
scale Of the saving. But my point is
that. the people of the United States,
do nct wish 10 curtail the activities
OF this government; they wish. Fath-
er, to enlarge them: and with every
enlargement, with the mere growth,
indeed, Of the country itself, there
must come Of course, the inevitable
increase Of expense. The sort Of
economy we ought to practice may be
effected. and ought to be effected, by
q careful study and assessment OF the
tasks to be performed; and the money
spent ought to be made to yield the
best possible returns in efficiency
and achievement. And, like the good
stewards, we should so account for
every dollar OF our appropriations as
to make 1t perfectly evident what it
was spent for and In what way ,t
was spent.
i 1t is not expenditure but extraya-
gance that we should fear being
criticized for; not paying for the le-
gttinlate enterprises and undertakings
OF n great government whose people
command what it should do. but add
Ing what will benefit only q few OF
pouring money out for what need not
have been undertaken. at all or might
havo been postponed ;or better and
more economically conceived and car
ried out. The nation is, not niggard-
ly; It is very generous, It will chi1e
. US only five forget for whom we pay
money out and whose money It Is we
pay. These are large and general
standards. but they are not very diff
cult OF application to particular
! cases. ~, saS>.
The.other topic I shall take leave
to mention goes deeper into the prin-
ciples OF our national life and policy.
1t Is the subject OF national defense.
1t can not be discussed without
first answering some very scar ching
questions. 1t is said In some .quSrt-
ers that we are not prepared for war.
: What Is meant by being; prepared III
is meant that We are not ready upon
brief notice to put q nation in the
field, nation OF men trained to
arms? OF course we are not ready
to do that: and we shall never be Ia
time Of peace SO long as we retain
our present political principles and
institutions. And what IS It that II iis
: suggested We SHOULD be prepared 10
do? To defend ourselves against at
tack? We 1aye always found means
to do that. and shall find them when
, ever It Is necessary without caiiing
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