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PAGE TWO
Public Opinion Throughout the Union
TWO WARSHIPS OR FOUR.
Because the country is threatened with a
deficit of $35,000,000 in the present fiscal
year is really no reason why we should not
build ships for the protection of our two long
•oast lines. A deficit of $35,000,000 means
nothing to a country that has an available
cash balance of $267,000,000. It is the best
economy to be prepared against war, and to
have all possible adversaries know the fact.
The other four great naval powers have
adopted that policy. Great Britain is com
pleting five Dreadpaughts, and will soon be
gin the construction of five more. No one
knows just what Japan is doing, but she is
probably building battleships as rapidly as
her cash resources will permit. France has
five ships and Germany nine in course of con
struction.
The United States has more to protect than
any of them, and yet we are building but two
battleships. The president desired congress
to authorize the construction of four more,
but by a vote of thirteen yeas and five nays
the house committee on naval affairs rejected
the president’s recommendation. The five
who voted for building four more battleships
were Lily, of Connecticut, Republican;
Thomas, of Ohio, Republican; Talbott, of
Maryland Democrat; Meyer, of Louisiana,
Democrat, and Hobson, of Alabama, Demo
crat.
The committee did decide to report in fa
vor of the building of two more battleships,
but Congressman Hobson proposes to submit
a minority report recommending the author
ization for four battleships of the Delaware
or Dreadnaught type. Such ships cost about
$10,000,000 apiece, and at least three years
are needed in which to build them.
The appropriations for the four ships would
be spread over at least three years, and
there is no reason why congress should hesi
tate. The other nations are not hesitating
at all, and today our Atlantic coast with its
great cities and greater trade is practically
unprotected. Mr. Hobson will no doubt bring
the issue squarely before congress, and the
entire house will in that way pass upon a
matter that makes for peace faster and bet
ter than anything else. —Age-Herald.
GOVERNOR NOEL’S STAND.
Governor Noel, of Mississippi, is emphatic
in denouncing the lynching at Brookhaven the
other day, and declares that he will employ
the entire National Guard of the state, if this
be necessary, to prevent another such out
rage. He declared that the guilty parties
would be brought to justice so far as lies in
his power.
It is interesting to note what Governor
Noel says as to who shall have command of
the troops and give orders to fire in the
event of a repetition of such outrages. He
declared the commanding officer of the troops
shall be in full charge henceforth, and shall
decide when the order to fire shall be given.
THE JEFFERSONIAN.
This looks as if Governor Noel means busi
ness. The firing on a mob is serious, to be
sure, and should be carefully considered as to
its • results and effects. It is not so serious,
however, as the outburst of anarchy and the
trampling of the law under foot, and the
law must be sustained, as the Birmingham
News has said before, even though this method
be employed as a last resort. Distressing as
it may be for the military to fire upon a
mob, it would have a splendid moral effect
by thus convincing the citizens that they
must bow to the majesty of the law. Had
the troops fired on the mob at Brookhaven
and killed a dozen of those taking part in
the lynching an excellent lesson would have
beeen taught, and it would have been better
for the community and the state at large
than to permit a lynching. —Birmingham
News.
BRYAN IN OHIO.
The doubting Democrats —even those in
clined to be assistant Republicans —are in
vited to the declaration of Charles H. Bryson,
Republican, iterated and reiterated even when
threatened with losing the postmastership of
Athens, Ohio, that Taft can not carry Ohio,
and that “Bryan will beat him at the polls.”
Bryson may be mistaken, but he is on the
ground, and is familiar with local conditions
and local sentiment. In a matter of judgment
on the strength of Bryan in Ohio, we incline
to favor Mr. Bryson even against the esteem
ed News and Courier, which is still uncon
vinced that the Republican postmaster, Bry
son, did not say that Johnson, or Gray, or
Cleveland could beat Taft; he said “Bryaqj
can beat him at the polls.”
Good for Bryan!—Columbia State.
A DESCRIPTION.
During the recent financial flurry a German
farmer went to the bank for some money. He
was told that the bank was not paying out
money, but was using cashier’s checks. He
could not understand this, and insisted- on
money. The officers took him in hand, one
at a time, with little effect. At last the
president tried his hand, and after a long and
minute explanation some intelligence of the
situation seemed to be dawning on the far
mer’s mind. Finally the president said:
“You understand now fully how it is, Hans,
don’t you!”
“Yes,” said Hans, “I think I do. It’s
like dis, aindt it? Ven baby vakes up at
night and vants some milk, I gif him a milk
ticket. ’ ’ —Montreal Star.
THE NEW ROOSEVELT CLAIMANT.
To judge by his political plans, Mr. Bryan
must have been reading the reports of the
Druce case. Although Secretary Taft has
been duly recognized as the heir to the
Roosevelt fortune, Mr. Bryan proposes to file
a claim to the estate as rightful owner. He
has already begun drilling his witnesses and
collecting evidence at Washington, and before
congress adjourns he expects to prove that
lawfully “my policies” should descend to
him. Only Mr. Bryan does not want any
graves opened or anything of that sort. It
would ruin his case to have a free-silver coffin
brought to the surface again.
Mr. Bryan deserves much sympathy. Ev
erybody knows that President Roosevelt stole
the clothes that Mr. Bryan had stolen from
the Populists. Some of them are worn out
by this time. Besides, Mr. Bryan has had
several new suits and makes frequent changes
according to the weather. But somehow the
Roosevelt uniform does not seem to fit him.
Instead of looking “Democratic in spots,”
like President Roosevelt, in spite of any dis
guise he cannot help looking Populistic all
over. —New York World.
THE NEGROES AND THE SOUTH.
Early last fall quite a large number of ne
groes from South Georgia counties were in
duced to emigrate to California. Os course
such a movement could only be occasioned
by someone who fired their imagination with
the pictured glories of that far-away country
and enthused them to the going point. Such
agents were at work, and several carloads of
negroes went. At the time of the exodus it
was predicted that the movement was the be
ginning of a even more extended “track” from
Georgia, as it was expected that the glowing
accounts to be sent back would lead to great
efforts on the part of the negroes left behind
to get together enough money for the trip.
Sumter county furnished quite a number
of these negro emigrants. They have been
gone scarce six months, and yesterday the
Americus Times-Recorder published a letter
from one of them, written to his former em
ployer in Sumter county, in which he begs
that transportation back to Georgia be fur
nished him, which he will gladly agree to
work out after he gets back home. The let
ter states that all the Georgia negroes are
very much dissatisfied, and that all of them
long to get back again in Georgia.
It is safe to say that the emigration of the
negroes to California has reached its flood,
and that singly, or by families, many of those
who were lured away will find their way
back. The story of their disappointments
will put an effectual quietus on such move
ments for a generation.
(Continued on Page Fourteen.)
ANNOUNCEMENT.
To the Voters of the Northern Judicial Cir
cuit:
I announce my candidacy for the office of
Solicitor-General of the Northern Judicial
Circuit, subject to the primary to be held for
that purpose. I assure you that I will appre
ciate your support
L. D. M ’GREGOR.