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Show Our Little Navy. "Dining the last six ycais," pio-claimed pio-claimed an Impassioned speaker In Congress the other day, "wu have add-ed add-ed moic to our Meet than have either Fiance or Oennany." The speaker went on to say that since the country has less leason than any other to fear war, we'should not Inciease our navy faster than other countries do. This argument Is about as logical as any which ate made by the advocates or a little navy for the United States. The speakei's conclusion does not follow his piciuisi's; hut, cen If It did, In would be Invalid, because the picinlses themselves aie utterly false. Dining the last six y cms our navy has been exceeded In additions by Great Hiltllan, Fiance, Russia, Geimany and Japan. We exceeded some or these countiies last year, but even that did not bring up the aveiage. The additions weie published hi the Washington Times the other day, as follows; Great Rrltian has added 011,000 tors to her licet since 1PUS: Fiance, 1218,000 tons; Russia, 100,000 tons; Japan 15:1,000 tons; and the United States 117,000 tons. Last year's inciease was made because It was absolutely nccessaiy to keep up with the pioccsslon- and lot that it was not large enough. Hut all this Is aside fioni the question. ques-tion. The United States needs a navy Just stiong enough to defend heiself fioin attack. Is it stiong enough to lcpiihe thi attack of a tlrst-class powoi? Cci' 'Iniyno other power would dair utti nipt it Spain has showed the little nations what would hannen to them in Mich a case. To defend the United States means to defend an immense line of scaco.ist, a mighty comineice and fai-lylng insular in-sular possessions. The advocates of the little navy do not wish even that much of a licet. They make tiery speeches about spending spend-ing the people's money on empty demonstrations of pomp and gloiy as If it were for show thatancdequate navy is desired. It is not aigued that this countiy Imtist keep paco with others In naval construction merely as a matter of pilde In comparison of figures; but we ceitalnly must keep pace with others as a matter of protection. pro-tection. The same peisons who indulge In this oratory against "empty show" are the ones who on other occasions bid tills country beware of entangling alliances. In this latter plea they aie light, but inconsistent. There Is one way, and only one, to keep clear of entangling en-tangling alliances, and this Is to possess pos-sess such power- on sea and shoie-as shoie-as to be able to be Independent. When this country has such a navy and such a coast defense that It need not le af laid of any power that may come against it, then it is out of danger dan-ger foiever of making any alliance for the sake of piotecllon which might pioveembatravslng In tho end. Only the stiong can stand alone. |