Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-11-22
MILITARIsM PROCLAIMED.
Republican Imperfalists Vow CIano
for . Larger Standing
Array.


With an impudence hat is not sur
prising, the i~mperialists have seized
upon the result of election as the ma
tons Endorsement of McKinley's Phil
ippine policy of imperialism and mile
tarism. We say it is not surprising be-
cause four years ago we saw those who
are now leading the dance of imperial
ism with equal impudence claim a
sound money victory as the indorse-
ment of a protective tariff system, and
the trust-breeding Dingley bill was
damned through congress at an extra
| session of congress, while, according to
the confession of Secretary Gage, no
adequate sound money legislation has
been enacted yet.
In the last campaign we were old
explicitly by every responsible repub-
lican stump speaker, by the candidates
and by the party organs that the is
sues of militarism and imperialism
were shams; hat Imperialism is impos-
sible, while there could be no such
thing as militarism because next July
the army will be reduced to 27,ooo men,
as it was for many years before the
Spanish war. We were distinctly as
SoiOo 1A0S III StaH0AhS dADy - WI
templated, and that none would be
necessary because the war in the Phil
ippines would cease with McKinley's
reelection.
Now. after such distinct disclaimers
of intent to militarism and Imperialism.
isn't it the height of iInpudence for a
republican organ TO say, as the Utica
Press does: Zone thing settled by the
recent election was hat 'militarism'
has no terror for the American people"
If militarism was not an issue of the
campaign as the press repeatedly con.
tended, how was anything about ii set.
tied? The Press then argues for a large
standing army, at least 100000 men. 1t
says:
1.-The largest number proposed is none
too many for the army of a nation of the
wealth, numbers and interest of the
United States. A standing army is no
menace to the liberties of Americans, nor
is 1t the burden that campaign orators rep-
resent. Every man who leaves the farm,
the Office, the mill. the railroad, the fac
tory to enroll in the army makes room for
another worker. He does more; he en-
larges as a consumer the market for the
farmer and manufacturer. thus contribute,
ing to maintain wages and profits by In
creasing consumption.
"A SESdtGI dIAuy IL GSuC0 HG PGNpA0
approve its raising. The duty of supplying
the need. In compliance with the popular
will, Is with congress. Let IL act without
delay in order that there may be no en-
barrassment in the Philippines from re-
duced mi
We simply call attention to this false
claim that a large standing army is APP
proved by the people, and show the
false reasoning by which the press I'M
| Jar4,lxar - ,aolya N cfan1inD arm Mt.
tractive. The army would take men
from the farm and factory and make
room for other workers, and then the
products of these other workers would
be consumed by the army and the mar
kets of the farmer and manufacturer
stimulated. What a good thing this
would be all around. Why then hasn't
some one started a prosperity boom be-
| fore by charging the army? How SIM
, pie it is. When times are hard enlarge
the army and let them consume the
products of the workers and everybody
will become prosperous! The more idle
men the better times.
But this reasoning omits the prime
consideration that the standing army is
a charge upon the people. The greater
the army the greater the number of
n~on-producers of wealth, and the cor
respondingly greater the burden of
taxation to be borne by the producers.
How warped must be the idea in eco
nomics which sees in the standing army
a good thing, the same as it saw a few
years ago a good thing for business in
a brush of war. And how warped must
be the political conscience which now
proclaims its purpose to increase the
army. something which was disclaimed
III through the campaign. Our impe.
riaiist friends may yet feel the truth of
Lincoln's aphorism on the fooling Of
the people.-Utica Observer.