The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1916-09-08
DEMOCRATIC VS.. REPUBLICAN
PREPAREDNESS.

The amount OF hot air wasted these
days In condemnation Of the Demo
cratic Administration for its lack Of
preparedness tby those who are, In
most instances, entirely ignorant Of
what they are talking about Is ap-
palIing. Whenever one sees groups
Of Republicans gathered. there i
heard the fiereest denunciation Of
President Wilson for his failure 10
prepare for war. II 1t should come.
These abusers OF the Administration
apparently know 1t all and tals -
dippantly as though they were posted
IN the real conditions. which, IN nine
easss out of ten. they know no more
bout than does ten-year-old school
boy. Hot air Is cheap, but cold
facts and figures. coming from IN
ofiiclal source, are hard TO combat.
Here are some. contrasting the rec.
ords of the Republicans and Demo-
crats for many years back. which We
resp sctfully submit 10 the hot-air
artists
From 1865, the close Of the Civil
War. to 1885. the Republicans were In
control Of the Government II Wash
Ington. In those 20 years Congress
appropriated s346. 1856. s52.52 for the
Navy.
When President Cleveland. the firat
Democratic President elected since
the Civil War. took the oath Of ONCE.
on March 4. 1855, the American Navy
consisted OF junk. wooden ships with
old guns and broken down engines.
When President Cleveland went out
Of Office four years later tho United
States had It's first squadron of mod
srn warships. the famous White
Squadron" that carried The American
nag to Europe and once more Insplr-
I'd respect for American seapower.
In 20 years the Republican party In
Congress had spent s4ta,51o. ss709 81
the peoples money and nothing u
show for It. OF this amount S7a.14b.-
034.b7 represented unexpended bal
ances from appropriations Of previous
years. The money had been wasted !.
Il had gone to make contractors rich
and to give employment TO men II
political navy yards 10 vote az their
bosses dictated.
In four years. Clegeland's admins
tratlon. the Democratic party spent
s67.s54. 2e1.b0 and had 3 squadron Of
modern ships 10 show for II. The
money had been spent honestly and
not for the enrichment OF favored
contractors and political bosses
A Democratic President. Demo-
cratic Secretary of the Navy and a
Democratic Congress created the
modern American Navy and took the
first step for PREPAREDNESS.
From 1897 To l913-16 Years-the
Republicans were again In control Of
the Government. They thought 30
little OF the Navy they let II run down.
II was the old system over again of
favoritlam and waste. They could
not see the wisdom of being PRE-
PARED. But IN those sixteen years
they spent s1.5s5,O52. S1s.56.
The Republicans admit that under
their administrations the Navy had
not been kept up to high water mark
and 1t was too weak properly to pro-
tacl the United States against danger.
President Wilson came into Office
on March /, 1913. IN three years the
Democratic Congress has appropriate
ed s54s. s02.771.18 for the Navy. and
when the program for which appro-
priations have been made At this ses-
sion is completed the American Navy
will be the SECOND MOST POWER
Full NAVY IN THE WORLD. with
only England superior.
The Republicans TALK. The Dem
Ocrats Act.-From Easton Democrat