Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-06-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
T SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
THE REVENUE BTLL-One Of the
issues made In the discussion Of the rev.
enue bill In the senate seems to be the
question Of whether the cost Of carrying
on the present war should be borne by
an immediate tax upon the people or
whether 1t should be distributed over
long series OF years by the issuance OF
bonds. The pay-as-you-go principle or
public work has peculiar fascination
for quite a number OF senators. some OF
whom have also led themselves to be-
lieye that taxation which sha enable
the country to Immediately raise an i'm
mense sum of money Is likely to be borne
in larger proportions by the wealthy
men of the community than is long
continued tax required to pay interest
upon a bonded debt, with the added sum
of the amount needed to meet the re-
uuirements Of sinking fund. 1t is
doubtful whether this economic argu-
msnt Is sound one, for 1t Is obvious that
IL the immediate tax imposed is a tre-
mendously large one, 1t may have the
effect partially. at least, paralyzing in
d. stries. in tlLs way leading to the dis
continuance of employment. and thus
indirectly causing a larger amount Of
personal distress among those OF humble
means than would follow the direct i'm
position, even for a series OF years, OF
exceptionally large impOsts. II we could
be sure that the costs Of the present war
could be liquidated by $l5O0OO,O 900, it
might, perhaps, be better to raise the sum
entirely by taxation: but, unfortunately,
we have no such assurance, and In pre-
pairing for this work 1t is in many ways
better to err on the side of thinking that
the costs will be large than assuming
that they may be exceedingly moderate.
1t Is thought by many advisable that
considerable proportion of the outgo
should be betrayed by direct taxes, be-
cause in that way the people can be
made to realize that war is an under
taking which must add to expense and
cause larger taxes. Until such prac-
teal demonstration Is made great
many people fail to realize what such
enterprises involve The seamy side OF
the questionable loss of life, the bur-
dens which taxes impose upon industry,
the reduced amount of money left over
to procure the necessities and comforts
Of life-are lost sight Of. and only the
glory Of the combat and the splendor Of
victories won upon sea or land are
thought of or talked about. But while
those engaged in this effort should pay
their fair share OF the costs of the war. it
would be exceedingly unwise for con.
gress to adjourn before 1t had given to
the administration the power needed to
raise. If need be. all Of the money re-
qured to prosecute the war in an eff
fectlve manner, no matter how extensive
such an expenditure might be.
A WISE CENSORSHIP.-It is refresh.
ing to see Secretary Long attempting
to put an end to the truly American plan
OF conducting war in open committee of
the whole people. The war department
should follow the navy department in
taking action, and the sooner the better.
The secretary of the navy has forbidden
the officers of the department to give out
news or even to talk to newspaper men.
This Is in such sharp contrast with the
truly American way Of doing things that
the reporters are quick to telegra ph that
1.-The officers are fretting somewhat under
the imputatiOn that they can not be
relied upon and placed upon honor, and
resent the official order forbidding them
TO be seen talking to newspaper men or
visitors" Let them fret. The order is
not too sweeping. and it should be rigor-
ously enforced. The freedom with which
our plans have been disclosed to the
world and to Spain is scandalous. The
"A y ~.
the navy department. 1t has pleased
Emperor William to sneer at the fleet of
the United States investing Cuba, with
newspaper dispatch boats constantly
flying to shore-and the thing certainly
is open to criticism. Democracy is over
done in this business. The freedom of
the press easily becomes wantOn license
In time of war, and that Is what So
called enterprise" spurs ii to just now.
MORAL EFFECT OF WAR-Two la
This war Is perfectly dreadful" said
one. Indeed. it is said the other.
Couldn't be worse" Eyes, it could be
worse If the Spaniards were trea ting us
as we are treating them" "Of course;
! don't mean that / mean i'm it's moral
effect" Il hadn't noticed that particu-
larly." II didn't till yesterday" In
what way?" ION my husband" He
doesn't want to enlist, does he?" "Oh,
no, | don't mean that. 1t is on him nd
my little boy, too" not on an innocent
child?" Yes. You know the little fell
low has been marching around at great
rate with his tin sword and gun, and
yesterday afternoon he informed me, to
my horror that he was going to fight the
damn Spaniards. Think of that. will
you? And he is a prize Sunday school
scholar" Horrible" Eyes; and when
his father came home I told him about 1t
and insisted that he take Willie and give
him good whipping for swearing. and