A Peaceful Nation Preparing for War
By L. A. S.
EX-SECRETARY-OF-THE-NAVY John D. Long sees in the present naval policy of the United States a dangerous tendency toward entanglement in the affairs of other nations, with consequences which it would be altogether in the interests of this country to avoid. Mr. Long believes that the Monroe doctrine is being pushed “a little too far,” and that in becoming responsible for the payment of debts which European powers would otherwise collect by force from the republics in this hemisphere, this nation is entering upon a course which will be “prolific of embarrassment and costly entanglement.” In an article contributed to The Independent, Ex-Secretary Long speaks as follows on the point of naval expenditure:— The naval expenditure is approaching a very high figure. During the year 1898, when the Spanish War was going on, and everything was on a war footing, actual hostilities made a great draft on the treasury, and yet the appropriations for the Navy Department were, as I gather from the same document, something like $125,000,000; in 1899, when the quiver of the war was still on, $62,000,000; in 1900, $53,000,000. In 1901 $69,000,000. Last year, 1904, they were over $103,000,000, almost as much as during the war with Spain; this year about the same. These expenditures for the navy in a time of peace on the basis of a time of war are a little out of keeping with our position as a peaceful nation. Both in state and in church there is a visible departure from the old-time paths,—a departure which is seen by eminent men who can speak with authority on the subject, like Ex-Secretary Long, yet who know nothing of the significance of this departure from the standpoint of Bible prophecy. Many such voices are now proclaiming the signs of the times.