Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-26
OUR CANDIDATE IN 1900
PEACE OR WAR.
BY A. R. MccooK.

1.-THE first effects of war will be to
stimulate bushes. The expenditure
of large sums of money on govern
ment contracts will go largely to
American workingmen. The with
drawal of the men needed from the
producing classes will make better
demand for labor. The war of the re-
bellion, while awfully destructive to
z life and property did, still more
to develop this country than any 9th
er one thing which ever happened to
it. For America to Secure for Cuba
its independence is) to place climax
upon century of development and
progress, of devotion to the principle
of liberty and equality of human
. rights such as the world has never
seen. We would that this end might
be attained without war, but the time
has not yet come when human liberty
can be secured save by baptism OF
blood"
Let us analyze this and see what il
leads to.
The first few lines tend to give the
impression that war is blessing in
disguise.
Conceding the first proposition let.
lated, but how? By the expenditure
of large sums of money on govern
ment contracts. Then large sums Of
money must be furnished by the gov
eminent, and this can only be, or al
least would only be secured by the
present administration by the issue
of bonds. Bonds that must some day
be paid, principal and interest.
Such stimulus to business can
not be lasting nor in the end bene-
fetal. 1t has too much of the prodigal
son principle.
1t is the opinion of all that a war
with Spain would be of short duration.
II the withdrawal of men from the
producing classes is to make a demand
for labor what is to happen when
those men are in turn taken from the
consuming classes, and join the pro.
ducers.
If war is such a blessing, why not
adopt national policy providing for
war every twenty or thirty years as
the congested condition of the coun-
try may demand it.
1t seems that there is something
vitality wrong with the economic con.
ditions of a country that can main
tain healthy condition of it's body
polite only through the destructive
= agency of war.
We will take up the civil war lit
tie more in detail. There were en-
gagged in that conflict 2, $50, 900 Union
trops and 100000 Confederates. II
cost 500,0 men. and left the South
ern states almost ruined. At the Close
of 1856, the National debt was So, 1927,
1865, 954.46. But we must not lose sight
of the important item of interest
From 1865 to 1896 the government
paid in interest alone the sum of So.
635, 900, and the debt at the end o.
July 1896 was still $1,122,312, 9S4 40
To this also must be added the sun
of about $780, 100000 of revenue spent
during the war, the vast OUTLAWS made
by states cities, towns and counties ir
bounties to volunteers care of the
sick and wounded, and the pensions
II we consider, in connection witt
this, the appreciation of money al
measured in commodities, we mus
double this vast sum to be able tt
measure it in the present value O
labor.
And to this could be added by bro
ken hearted fathers, sons and daugh
ters, sweethearts, wives and mothers
a heart-rending tale of suffering, woe
and desolation that is not measured
in gold or silver.
Will the American people be willing
to undergo another such ordeal for
3 few years of stimulated business, il
the end to be paid for in apprecia tin,
dollars?
I do not wish to be understood t.
mean that all debts must, of necessi
ty, be paid in approaching dollars
but do maintain that such is the in
suitable result with our present mon
etary system.
At the thought OF liberty for Cub
we pause. Now we have reached al
argument in favor of the intervention
of the United States in Cuha's behalf
Truly, 1t will be a fitting event TO
the end of the nineteenth century t
see brave Cnba throw off the yoke c
despotic Spain and take her prou
place among the republics OF tn
world. Yes Cuba must be free, Cub
shall be free, without war If possible
but If war, then war as last resort
Figuratively speaking the Who'll
American nation is standing on tn
deck of another Maine. She ha
reached a crisis which is to becom
history with it's influene for veal o
or woe on her whole future destiny
Patience, justice, and wisdom mus
8 be the controlling motives
It is time when it is the imper,
tive duty of all to be true to thei