Willmar tribune., 1900-10-20

O"u OuopI1IS' =.
Modest Jetferson!-he had been gov
ernor, ambassador to France, vice
president and president; he was ripe
in experience and crowned with hon
ors; but this modern law-giyer, this
immortal genius, hesitated to suggest
laws for people with whose habits,
! customs and methods of thought he
was unfamiliar. And yet the imperi-
alists of today, intoxicated by taste
of blood, are rash enough to enter
upon the government Of the Filipinos,
confident of the nations ability to
compel obedience, even if it cannot
earn gratitude or win affection. Plu-
tarch said that men entertained three
sentiments concerning the ancient
gods: They feared them for their
strength, admired them for, their wis
dom, and loved them for their justice,
Jefferson taught the doctrine that gov
ernments should win the love Of men.
What shall be the ambition Of oun
nation; to be loved because it is just
or to be feared because tits ~strongl
Do We Need A Large Standing Army7
In his annual message sent to con-
gress December 5, 1898, the president
makes the following recommendations
in favor of permanent increase in
the standing army:
"rhs Importance of legislation for
the PERMANENT increase of the army
is therefore manifest, and the recon-
mendation of the secretary of war for
that purpose has my: unQ ualitied ap-
proval. There can. be no question
that at this time, and probably for
some time in the future, one hundred
thousand men will be none too many
to meet the necessities of the situa-
tion."
1t is strange that this request for SO
large an increase in the permanent
army should be asked of a peace-lov-
ing people just at the time when the
czar of Russia is urging the nations
of the world to join in the reduction of
military establishments. But, strange
as it may seem, the president not only
requests it, but the republican leaders
in congress seem inclined to grant the
/ request. ..,.< :.
Progress in Europe: retrogression
in the United States
In the old world the s'currents of
destiny' seem to be running in the d.
rection of relief to the people from
military burdens: shall they run in an
opposite direction herels 49,. =.
During the recent campaign the peo-
pie were urged to support the party in
power until the fruits of $victory'''
could be made secure. Is the first
fruit of victory to be realized in the
transfer of large body of men from
the field and Workshop to the camp
and barracks-from, the ranks OF the
wealth producers to the ranks of the
tax consumers? Such a transfer will
lessen the nations wealth-producing
power and at the same time exact a
J.: larger annual tribute from those who
toll.
Any unnecessary increase in the
regular army is open to several objec-
tions, among which may be mentioned
the following:
First-.tt increases taxes, and. thus
does Injustice to those who contribute
to the support Of thesgovernment.
Second--It tends 'to"p!ace force above
reason in the structure of our govern
ment. ~7~.-
i Third--It lessons the nations de-
pendence on it's citizen soIdiery- the
sheet anchor. Of a republics defense.
No one objects to the maintenance
of a regular army sufficient in strength
to maintain law and order in time of
peace and to form the nucleus OF such
an army as may be required when the
military establishment is placed upon
a war footing: but the taxpayers are
justified in entering a vigorous. pro-
test: against excessive appropriations
for military purposes.
tits not surprising that the protest
:: is most vigorous from the masses, be-
cause under our system of taxation
} the bulk of our federal revenues is
collected from import duties and in
ternal revenue taxes upon liquors and
> tobacco, all of which bear most heav-
lily upon the poor. Import duties are
'1 collected upon articles used by: the
people, and the people do not use the
4 articles taxed in proportion to in
!: come. ,. >~...~
+ +: For instance, a man, with an income
;fof 100000 does not eat, nor wear, nor
use a hundred times has much of arti-
cles taxed as the average man with an
income. .kof~; Sl,000.= 'Fhe:- people with
small incomes; therefore, pay, as a
rule, larger percentage Of their in
comes to support, the federal govern
ment than people with large incomes
The same is true:of internal revenue
taxpS cO11prto1 1IDon 1ir,,or,r ood +o