Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-02-19
OUR OUTLYING DEFENsEs ARE
BEING PUSHED RAPIDLY TO
COMPLETION.
DUE TO JAPANESE RUM0RSl
Biggest Gun Ever Built Will Guard
Pacific End Of Canal--Corresidor
Fortifications to Protect Ma
Mia From Attack.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

| been forthcoming, only to be denied
the following day. State department
officials say there is no danger of trou-
bic 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 it's Notifications In the
Philippines, in Hawaii and on the Pa
cific coass Of the Panama Canal Zone.
Is 1t significant of fear? Yes and
no. These Notifications we're plan
ned prior to the first word of sugges-
ton that Japan soon might make up
its mind to take a whack at us. Army
officers have urged and the admins
tration 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. II this is war scare, the
country must make the most of 1t.
Brig. Gen. Clarence II. Edwards,
]
or troops on the frontier of Mexico,
has 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. Rabbit 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 a
mile from the Pacific entrance to
the Panama canal. If projectile
from the 16-inch gun ever hits a war
ship 1t 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 G. Davis, coast artillery,
has been ordered to the Philippines to
take command of the great fortifica-
tions 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. There is
} no reason probably for making q
war scare out of the mere act OF
strengthening our Notifications. They
cost millions of dollars and they would
: be of no service at all unless there
were soldiers to man them. Some
{ day there may be something more
than scare showing its head above the
waters of the Pacific. If the day oil
/ its appearance can be put off a while
Hawaii and Panama will be in a much
/ better condition to give it the prop
I cr kind of reception.
, 1t is known in Washington that the
, Japanese authorities on several occa
sions have had great difficulty II
suppressing actnal demonstration!
against Americans. The general feel
, ing in Washington is that II we ever
| do have trouble with Japan, it will
come to us, not via Mexico or Eng
land, nor via any other country, bu
on the straight ocean paths which rur
, from the Japanese navy yards to oul
possessions and to our western coas
line.
Freak Tariff Result.
The Democrats in congress are say
ing that reports from the countr.
show that the setback which business
had a while ago has been overcom,
and that now things are progressin.
toward the goal OF increased pros
, perity.
The Republicans and Progressive
say there Is a revival OF business be
cause of the tame measures which tn,
, Democrats have introduced to regu
] late the trusts, Men OF the two or
position parties declare the propose,
legislation of the Democrats does no
fulfill the promises made in their plat
, form, that the trusts should be over
: come and competition restored.