Gilpin observer., 1915-12-09

so cents per horsepower on automobiles
and internal explosion engines. $4,000. 900;
a stamp tax on bank checks. probably
$18, 900. 600 a tax of 25 cents per ton on
pig iron. 100000 900; a tax of so cents per
ton on fabricated iron and steel. proba-
bly, 100000. In country OF great In
dustries like this 1t ought to be easy to
distribute the burdens of taxation with
out making them anywhere bear too
heavily or too exclusively upon any one
set of persons or undertakings. What Is
clear Is, that the industry OF this gener-
alton should pay the bills of this genera
tion.
The Danger Within.
1 have spoken to you today. gentlemen.
upon single theme. the thorough prep
aration of the nation to care for Its
own security and to make sure of entire
freedom to play the impartial role In this
hemisphere and In the world which we
all believe to have been providenttally
assigned to It, I have had m mind no
thought of any immediate or particular
danger arising out OF our relations with
other nations. We are at peace with all
the nations of the world. and there is
reason 10 hope that no question in con-
troversy between this and other govern
ments Will lead to any serious breach OF
amicable relations. grave as some difer-
ences of attitude and policy have been
and may yet turn out to be. I am sorry
our national peace and safety have been
uttered within our own borders. There are
citizens of the United States. l blush to
admit. born under other flags but welcomed
under our generous naturalization laws
to the full freedom and opportunity OF
America, who have poured the poison or
disloyalty into the very arteries of our
national life; who have sought to bring
the authority and good name of our gov
ernment Into contempt. to destroy our In
dustries wherever they thought 1t enec-
tive for their vindictive purposes to strike
at them. and to debase our politics to the
uses of foreign intrigue. Their number
Is not great as compared with the whole
number of those sturdy hosts by which
our nation has been enriched in recent
generations out of virile foreign stocks;
but 1t is great enough to have brought
deep disgrace upon us and to have MADE
1t necessary that we should promptly
make use of processes of law by which
we may be purged of their corrupt dis
tempers. America never witnessed any
thing like this before. 1t never dreamed
II possible that men sworn into its own
citizenship. men drawn out OF great free
stocks such as supplied some of the best
and strongest elements OF that little. but
how heroic, nation that in high day of old
staked its very life to free itself from
every enlargement that na6 darkened
the fortunes of the older nations and set
origins and such free choices of allesi-
ance would ever turn in malign reaction
against the government and people who
had welcomed and nurtured them and
seek to make this proud country once
more a hotbed of European passion.
little while ago such thing would have
seemed incredible. Because 1t was in
credible we made no preparation for II.
We would have been almost ashamed to
prepare for 1t, as u we were suspicious
of ourselves, our own comrades and
| neighbors, But the ugly and incredible
has actually come about and we are with
out adequate federal laws to deal with
| 1t. I urge you to enact such laws at
| the earliest possible moment and feel that
| in SO doing | am urging you to do moth
| ing less than save the honor and self
| respect of the nation.
Must Be Crushed Out.
Such creatures of passion. disloyalty
and anarchy must be crushed out. They
| are not many. but they are infinitely ma
| lignant. and the hand of our power should
close them at once They have
formed plots to destroy property. they
| have entered into conspiracies against the
i neutrality of the government, they have
| sought to pry into every confidential
transaction of the government in order
| 10 serve interests alien to our own. II is
| possible to deal with these things very
| effectually. I need not suggest the terms
In which they may be dealt with.
| l wish that it could be said that only 9
few men. misled by mistaken sentiments
| Of allegiance To the governments under
| which they We're born, had been guilty o.
| disturbing the self-possesslon and misrep
resenting the temper and principles o
| the country during these days of terrible
war when 1t would seem that every mar
| who was truly an American would in
stinctively make it his duty and his prid'
to keep the scales of Judgment even anc
| prove himself a partisan of no nation bu
his own. But it cannot There are som,
men among us. and many resident abroaC
who, though born and bred In the Unit
ed States and calling themselves Amer
| leans. have SO forgotten themselves an,
| their honor as citizens to put thei
| passionate sympathy with one or the 9th
er side In the great European conf<'
above their regard for the peace and dig
nifty of the United States. They ais,
preach and practice disloyalty No laws
| suppose. can reach corruptions of til,
mind and heart; but | should not speal
of others without also speaking of thes'
| and expressing the even deeper humilia
tion and scorn which every self -posse.s.t
and thoughtfully patriotic American mus
feel when he thinks OF them and OF tn
| disCredit they are daily bringing upon us
Many conditions about which we hav
repeatedly legislated are being altere,
| from decade to decade IL is evident, un
der our very eyes, and are likely TO chang
even more rapidly and more radically IL
the days Immediately ahead of us. whel
peace has returned TO the world and ma
tons OF Europe once more take up thei
tasks of commerce and industry with tn
| energy of those who must bestir them
selves to build anew. Just what thes
changes will be no one can certainly fore
see or confidently predict. There are n
calculable. because no stable. elements Il
the problem. The most we can do Is t
make certain that We have the necessar
lnstrumentalities of information constant
ly AT our service so that we may be sur
that we know exactly what we are deal
ing with when we come to act. II
should be necessary to act at all. W
must first certainly know what 1t is tina
we are seeking to adapt ourselves to.
may ask the privilege OF addressing yo
more at length on this important matte
a little later in your session.
Transportation Problem.
The transportation problem is an ex
ceedinGly serious and pressing one In thi