The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-10-22
CAMPAIGN OPENS
CONGRESSMAN w. A. JONES
DELIVERS STRONG SPEECH.
He Makes Many Telling Points For
His Party Listened to With
Closest Attention and
Warmly Applauded.

Hon ". 4. Jones, member OF Congress
T. ON this district and Democratic can
didate for reelection, addressed "A repre-
sentative gathering OF voters in the
courthouse here Wednesday night.
Col. h. ID. Cole. chairman, OF the Clty
Democratic Committee, introduced the
Congressman, who was greeted with en-
thusiastic applause.
MIR. Jones plunged into his sul Jet by
declaring that the issues Of thiscnnpaig d
are different from those before the people
IN 1896 and 1900. The currency ques-
ton is not now live, vital Issue. lie
did rot know that IL was dead ~ It Ii
sometimes characters d but II il AT least
in state Of suspended animation.
THE ISSUES
The most important issues now before
the people are militarism and impel ialism'
twin children Of Rppublicanirm. 10 Is I'M
possible to separate them one from the
other.
ENORMOUS Expenses or GOVERNMENT
Naturally theexpenses Of the government
grow and will increase with the growth
and development Of the country, but no
lust excuse can be offered Tor the UMPIRE
cedented increase of the general Apenses.
During the past ten years the c1pendi'
lures OF the general government have
doubled, and those for purely military
purposes have far more than doubled.
In 1898 the expenditures Tor all purposes
were $3.50, 600, 700. In 1898, the year
of the Spanish-American War, tie total
expenses were SAB. 900, 900, whilst for
the current year the appropriations
amount 70 the enormous sum Of $751;
000, 900
In 1895 the naval establishment cost
So. OOe. 900 la 1898, when large
number of ships were brought at eXces
sive prices, the amount required Tor the
navy WAS S44, 100000. For this cur
rent year something over SlO2 900, 200
have been appropriated for purely naval
purposes, or more than three times the
amount expended when the naval vic
tories were won ia the Spanish War In
l9O3 the government spent for military
purposes 1925, 900 900 more than either
France or Germany and more even than
England expended
TO complete the ships now in course OF
will require the sum OF
$4,000, 900 One great iirst.class bat
teship, the Maine, was cOmmisSioned a
lew days ago and there are twelve Others
of the same class in process OF cOnstruc-
ton. the average cost Of which, Including
armament, will be about =, 600 900, and
when those great fighting monsters are
il will cost 100000 a
year To maintain each one of them.
WHAT THE NAVY WILL COST.
In few years at the present rate oil
increase. the naval establishment alone
will cost the country $50 000. 900 a
wear. So great il the wealth OF this
country, and 80 limitless its resources, so
inventive, progressive and energetic the
people who inhabit it. that the taxation
which such colossal expenditure will en-
tail may continue To be patiently borne,
but unfortunately the enormous cost IL
not the most deplJrabl. feature OF this
Republican and imperialistic policy.
Already the government il experiencing
difficulty in securing officers aud men TO
man the ships we now have. IL has
been found impossible TO enlist asuificient
number of seamen 90 man them, and II
is a sad commentary upon Efforts in this
direction that one-fourth Of those VINO
have been enlisted have deserted
within u short time alter enlistment.
Under the military laws Of our country
desertiun II a capital ofiense, and every
deserter Is liable under law 10 be shot.
WILL VIZ HAVE CoNscmrT LAWS?
In ell the ages impressment and con.
scription have been resOrted to in time
OF war and military eXigency. The
American Revolutionary patriots were
forced to resort to conscription and both
England and America resOrted TO II IN
1912. The Coniederacy passed conscrlpt
laws which were soon followed by ike
enactments on the part OF the United
States. Most cOnscriptiOD laws provide
for the Communication of service upon the
payment of money exemption, which
has given rise to the cry of the rich man :
money against the poor mans pluck.
Thus far THE government has not had To
resort TO consumption and impressment,
save az the result Of the exlgencies oil
war. Not 90 with many Of the countries
OF Europe In Germany every able bodied
man is required to give seven OF the best
years OF his life to military service for his
country. In France he is required to
give 9. in Austria 10, and in Russia 10.
When our great naval program has
been competed, the Republican policy oil
a big navy fulfilled, where is our govern
ment to get the men to man our ships ii
they cannot now be secured? viii the time
note when we, too may have to place
upon our statute books cOnscription and
impressment laws, thus armin the heads
of our military and naval establishments
with the power to rob human life?
In this American Republic, where today
ia enjoyed the only individual freedom
that the world knows, il this has been
found 10 be necessary in other European
countries. which afford less opportunity
for advancement and individual gain
than are to be found in America, isit not
reasonable to conclude that they will be
found necessary in the United StatesY
This IL that spirit of militarism which
the English statesman, Gladstone, once
declared, "lsy like q vampire over all
Europe" and this il the militsFism
against which the Democratic party has
sternly set its face.
THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE.
Mr. Jones then took up the subject oil
the lawlessness OF the President and the
nsurpation on the part OF the executive
department OF the government OF legisla.
tive power; that for the Presidential
office he declared, every good citizen had
the highest respect, but the constitution
of the land defined and limited its scope
Its only legislative function was oil a
negative character and related to the ex.
ercise of the veto power. The President
can ad wise Congress, but he cannot exer
else legislative iunc lions; this he assumed
to do when be foremented revolution in
the republic OF Colombia and with light
ninglike speed recognized as repuoIie
few conspirators on the isthmus OF ran
anna: this he did when he caused to on
issued An executive Interpretation OF th'
disability pension act Of July 9th, 1870
which up to the moment OF issuance o
this order had been universally regarded