El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-07-09

that civilization. The burden already
shows itself in the national credit
sooner or later it must lead to national
bankruptcy"
While thus depIoring the ruinous
| competition Of the nations, Sir Edward
Grey goes on to state the British DO
sition: IF we alone among the great
powers gave up the competition and
sank into a position Of inferiorfty.
what good should We do. None what
ever; no good to ourselves because
we cannot realize great ideals of So
cial reform at home when we are hold
ing our existence at the mercy, at the
caprice, if you will, of another nation.
That is not feasible. If we fall into a
position of inferiOrity our self-respect
IS gone We should fall into a state
of apathy; we should cease to count
for anything among the nations of Eu-
rope; and We should be fortunate II
our liberty were left and we did not
become the conScript appendage of some
stronger power That is a brutal way
Of stating the case. but it is the truth"
This was spoken, be it remembered.
by the chief diplomatic officer OF the
British Empire, man belonging TO the
peace party, a man never ranked with
the jingoes a man who strongly on
posed in Parliament the proposals Of
the externe naval party. The leaders
OF the other party, the Conservatives.
are hundred times more pessir1istic
and emphatic in their statements, ex-
cept that they do not say so much
about the burden OF taxation
Navy Expenditure Astounding
Great Britain IS expanding nearly
s20O,O0O.O0O a year for its navy. Ger
many and the United States come next
with approximately s125,0OO. each.
The British army costs $4,000 600,
and the German army 100000. 900. The
American army costs a little over
100000, 0O0 In Great Britain and Ger
many these immense sums of money are
raised largely by direct taxation, the
burden of which is felt by every per
son. In the United States the principle
of direct taxation for federal purposes
is only on the threshold of possibilities
The American republic is So much
richer. so much more popu.ous and so
much. more extravagant by nature that
its people do not so keenly, feel the
burden Of this taxation.
English Taxes Heavx-
In the older European countries it is
entirely different An Englishman
must pay per cent. of his gross in
come in income tax. and the inquisi-
tive collectors leave no man TO
escape. The GeEnan is not quite
as heavily taxed, and the pay
mentS must be made quarterly.
W
more than three months in Germany,
even as a tourist or visitor must pay
the income tax In England every re-
ceipt. every check, every business doc
ument Of whatever nature must pay
a stamp duty. In Germany matches
are so highly taxed that they are re-
garded as luxurieS. The taxation is
so heavy and so widely distributed that
every man is forced to meet IL directly.
face to face. every day in the year.
This means that the masses of the
people are impatient under the burden
They cannot consent 10 an indefinite
expansion OF these huge expenditures
The end must be reached and that soon.
If the question Of the strength Of the
British and German navieS shall be set
tied in battle, even the expense of war
would be more economical than a con-
tinuation Of present conditions. 1t Is
this very fact that makes war prob
able.
II there is no war, and If the navy
building goes on; then England must
face great internal upheaval involv-
ing the impairment of the national
credit and the suicide of imperial su-
premacy- The starving millions in
England are patriotic, but there comes
a time when even an English empty
stomach fOrgets its loyalty. Already
Germany faces political revolution and
protests against the taxes are shouted
into the very windows of the Emper-
Ors palace
Big Ship Starts Trouble.
When the British admiralty approved
the plans of H. NJ S. Dreadnought they
fondly believed that they had assured
FOR all time, the supremacy Of their
arms. They forgot that other nations
also could build ships. But never did
they ina CINE then what havoc their
gray steel monster would create: what
a1ro- H.
short years; what misery it entails for
The future. And least of all did they
know that day that the Dreadnought
was to prove a weapon before which
even proud Britannia must quake and
Iuail in fear for her life
Tomorrow. The Shipbuilder's
Great Race.