People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-09-08

bringing European nations to. Those
nations have gone on increasing their
armies and their navies until they are
breaking the people down with Excess
sive expenditures.
A cable dispatch which declares that Ger
many and Italy are considering a modiflca-
ton of the Triple Alliance is not surprising.
The Italian monarchy is staggering under
the burden OF supporting an army and navy
far in e, cess of the ability of the nation. The
struggle to keep up appearances as a first
class military and naval power has produced
general discomfort and in some instances
driven peasantry and populace to insurrec-
ton. Italy has before her, therefore, a choice
between bankruptcy and rebellion on the one
hand and reduction of her enormous arm
ament on the other. If the Kaiser and King
Humbert are to meet, as reported, to discuss
the Triple Alliance, one subject of their discus
sion will DOUBTLESS be how to extend some re-
lief TO Italy without weakening the strength
OF the compact which binds together the
powers of central Europe.
Now, what do gentlemen p.opose to
do in this bill? They propose to go on
in this same line of action, appropria-
ting hundreds OF millions Of dollars for
the purpose of building up navy, so as
to be on an equality with those Europe
an nations; yet if the dispatch which |
have just read is correct one of those
nations has already shown unmistak-
able signs Of breaking down under such
a policy.
In the light Of past history and OF
recent events, shall great republic
like this, isolated from foreign nations,
removed from the danger Of foreign
conquest or anything of that sort, 60
on and tax its citizens by these enor
nous expenditures for building battle
ships which, as | think have proven,
will be useless in the hour Of need;
That is question for Representatives
here to consider. AS | was about to say
when interrupted, our people are no,
in the best Of circumstances. In every
city there are thousands and thousands
Of idle men. Poverty and starvation
seem to be the cry all over the country.
The great agricultural interests, on
whose shoulders this enormous tax
must largely fall, are selling their
products below The cost OF produc-
ton. Yet lin a time Of profound peace,
with no probability of our being in
vaded by any foreign nation, you
propose in this bill to increase our
appropriation for naval expenses by
more than S23, 100000.
Mr.. Milliken. Does not the gentle
man think it would be good thing to
give these idle men OF whom he speaks
something to do in building these new
shipsy
Mr.. Simpson. That is the old, old
process of taxing the people TO make
them rich. My sympathies 60 out
toward the men who pay taxes, the men
who walk down through the corn rows
on the hot summers day, the men who
work in the cotton fields, the men who
toll all day long in the factories where
the wheels 60 round" till the heads
OF the workmen almost turn like the
wheels they watch, the men who work
down in the coal mines, all the laborers
who produce the wealth which at last
must be utilized to pay the taxes of the
country. Those are the men toward
whom my sympathies go out.
Mr.. Chairman, | do not know that !
care to say much more on this subject.
There is one other phase Of this Ques-
ton, however, which was brought to
my mind by question asked a while
ago-what should we do ii we should
adopt the system Of free trade and
have commerce, as the gentleman
from California suggested Sir, there
was a time in the history OF this
country when American ships whitened
every sea. They were the fastest and
best ships aaOat; they had the best sail.
ors that ever manned ship.
During the war period a system Of
high protective tariff was adopted; and
this system, acting in conjunction with
the raids of the Alabama and other
Confederate cruisers, drove our mer'
chant marine from the ocean. Since
that time under the system which has
been pursued we have not been able
to recover our lost ground. 1t is my
opinion that if we should adopt the
policy by means Of which Great Britain
to-day controls the great ocean-going
trade Of the world, we may, under the
direction of statemen wise enough tC
adopt such policy in regard to our
foreign trade, regain our lost ground,
If such conditions should arise there
may be some excuse for an increase in
our Navy. But at present we have
ample force to protect our scanty com
MERGE in every land and to protect
our citizens wherever they may be.
And, Mr.. Chairman, l think al this
time, in view OF the condition OF our
people, in view OF the poverty Of the
nation and the condition of the Treas
ury, remembering the fact that we
are borrowing money at excessive
rates OF interest, that it is a very un
wise thing for US to do to pass the bill