The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-12-10

| of revenue which can Justly be resortet
to without hampering the industries OF
| the country or putting any too great
| charge upon individual expenditure. A
| one per cent tax per gallon on gasoline
| and naptha would yield, at the present
| estimated production, $10000,000; a tax OF
| so cents per horsepower on automobiles
| and internal explosion engines, SIS, 000, 900;
| stamp tax on bank checks, probably
| SIS, 100000; a tax of 25 cents per ton on
| pig iron, 100000; a tax of so cents per
ton on fabricated iron and steel, proba-
bly, $10,000000. In a 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
ton.
The Danger Within.
I 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 providentially
assigned to 1t. I have had in 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 to 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 differ
ences of attitude and policy have been
and may yet turn out to be. am sorry
to say that the gravest threats against
our national peace and safety have been
uttered within our own borders. There are
citizens of the United States, 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 of
disloyalty into the very arteries of our
national life; who have sought to bring
the authority and good name of our gov
eminent into contempt, to destroy our in
dustries wherever they thought 1t effec-
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 |
out of vrile foreign stocks;
but it 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
It possible that men sworn into its own
men drawn out of great free |
stocks such supplied some of the best
md strongest elements of that little, but
now heroic nation that in high day of old
'taked its very life to free itself from
Every ENHANCEMENT that had darkened
he fortunes of the older nations and set
origins and such free choices of allegi-
Lnce would ever turn in malign reaction
LgainSt the government and people who
lad welcomed and nurtured them and
eek to make this proud country once
more a hotbed of European passion. A
title while ago such a thing would have
eemed incredible. Because it was in
redible we made no preparation for it.
We would have been almost ashamed to
repare for 1t, as If we were suspicious
f ourselves. our own comrades and
eighbors! But the ugly and incredible
as actually come about and we are with
ut adequate federal laws to deal with
=. 1 urge you to enact such laws at
ne earliest possible moment and feel that
so doing 1 am urging you to do moth
lg less than save the honor and self
aspect of the nation.
Must Be Crushed Out.
Such creatures of passion, disloyalty
nd anarchy must be crushed out. They |
re not many, but they are infinitely ma
gnant, and the hand of our power should
ose over them at once They have
,rmed plots to destroy property, they
ave entered into conspiracies against the
of the government, they have
,ught to pry into every confidential
ansaction of the government in ORDER |
serve interests alien to our own. 1t is
ossible to deal with these things very |
fectually. I need not suggest the terms
which they may be dealt with.
I wish that 1t could be said that only a
W men, misled by mistaken sentiments
allegiance to the governments under
hich they were born, had been guilty of /
the self-possession and misrep-
senting the temper and principles of
e country during these days of terrible
ar, when it would seem that every man
no was truly an American would in
make It his duty and his pride
keep the scales of judgment even and
owe himself a partisan of no nation but |
S own. But it cannot. There are some |
en- among us, and many resident abroad |
no, though born and bred In the Unit ;
States and calling themselves Amer
ins. have SO forgotten themselves and
cir honor as citizens as to put their Z
ssionate sympathy with one or the 9TH
side In the great European conflict
owe their regard for the peace and dig I
ty of the United States. They also
each and practice disloyalty. No laws,
suppose, can reach corruptions of the
nd and heart; but I should not speak
others without also speaking of these .
d expressing the even deeper hunila-
n and scorn which every self-possessed
d thoughtfully patriotic American must &
ii when he thinks of them and Of the | r
credit they are daily bringing upon us.
Transportation Problem.
7he transportation problem is an ex- .
sdingly serious and pressing one In this l
lntry. There has from time to time i
late been reason to fear that our rail- I
ads would not much longer be able to :,
De with it successfully as at present |
tipped and co-ordinated. I suggest
1T 1t would be wise to provide for a
nmission of inquiry to ascertain by a a
trough canvass of the whole question :,
ether our laws at present framed
administered are as serviceable as .
~ might be in the solution of the prob r
1. 1t is obviously a problem that lies
the very foundation of our efficiency
people. Such an inquiry ought to
w out every circumstance and opinion
nth considering and we need to know
sides of the matter IL we mean to
anything in the field of federal legisla-
n i
or what we are seeking now what in
mind Is the single thought OF this
ssage Is national efficiency and Sc
ity. We serve great nation. We