Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1915-12-10

and nnptha would Yield. at the present
estimated production, 100000; q tax Of
90 cents per horsepower on automobiles
and internal explosion engines. tlb,O0o.O00.
a stamp tax on bank checks. probably
SiS.OOo,0OO; a tax of % cents per ton on
pig iron. S1O.O00.OOO; "A tax Of 90 cents per
ton on fabricated iron and steel proba-
bly, s10.O0O.O00. In a country OF great In
dustries like this Il 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.
] have spoken to you today. gentlemen.
upon a single theme. the thorough prep
9ration OF the nation to care for It's
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 provldentially
assigned to II. / 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. l I'M sorry
to say that the gravest threats against
our national peace and safety rave 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 OF
disloyalty into the very arteries Of our
national life; who have sought to bring
the authority and good name OF our gov
rnmen into contempt. to destroy our in
dustries wherever they thought Il 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
generations out Of vlrile foreign stocks;
but It is great enough TO ave brought
deep disgrace upon us and to have made
II 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. It never reamed
1t 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 a high day of old
staked its very life to free itself from
every ENHANCEMENT that had darkened
the fortunes OF the older nations and set
up a new standard here-that men OF such
origins and such free choices Of allegi-
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. A
little while ago such a thing would have
aaarnaH fnaWadNh1a Rapnngn u pugg In
credible we made no preparation for IL.
We would have been almost ashamed to
prepare for II, as II 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
ii. l urge you to enact such laws at
the earliest possible moment and feel that
in so doing 1 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. disioyalty
and anarchy must be crushed out. They
are not many, but they are infinitely ma
lignant, and the hand of our power should
close over them at once. They have
formed plots to destroy property they
nave entered into ~conspiracies against the
neutrality OF the government, they have
| huuAnA " - AANo tHtAg
transaction OF the government in order
to serve interests alien to our own. 1t Is
possible to deal with these things very
e%ffectually. / need not suggest the terms
In which they may be dealt with.
1 wish that It could be said that only 6
few men. misled by mistaken sentiments
OF allegiance to the governments under
which they were born. had been guilty OF
disturbing the self-possession and misrep
r~esenting the temper and principles o.
the country during these days of terrible
war, when II would seem that every maj
who was truly an American would In
stlnctively make II his duty and his prid,
to keep the scales OF judgment even ant
prove himself a partisan Of no nation bu
his own. But II cannot. There are som,
men among us, and many resident abroad
who, though born ana bred in the Unit
ed States and calling themselves Amer
leans, have 80 forgotten themselves an,
their honor as citizens as to put thei
passionate sympathy with one or the 9th
er side in the great European conhic
above their regard for the peace and dig
nifty OF the United States. They ais
preach and practice disloyalty. No laws
| suppose, can reach c~orruptions of tn
mind and heart; but I should not spea
Of others without also speaking of thes
and expressing the even deeper humilia
lion and scorn which every self-possesse
ana tnouBnlIuly pattlouc american mus
feel when he thinks of them and OF tn
discredit they are daily bringing upon vi
Transportation Problem.
The transportation problem is ar e1
r ceedingly serious and pressing one In tn
country. There has from time to tim
? of late been reason to fear that our raj
% roads would not much longer be able
cope with II successfully as at preseI
I equipped and co~-ordinated. 1 suggei
that It would be wise to provide for
o commission of inquiry to ascertain by
y thorough canvass Of the whole questic
, whether our laws as at present frame
r and administered are as serviceable
they might be In the solution Of the pro-
? lem. It is obviously a problem that III
at the very foundation OF our eficien,
s as a people. Such an inquiry ought
draw out every circumstance and OpiniC
d worth considering and We need TO kno
all sides Of the matter II we mean
n do anything in the field OF federal legisl
ton.
:, For what we are seeking now. what
/ my mind is the single thought OF tn
g message. Is national efficiency and s
q curity. We serve a great nation. Y
n qhou1F aarva n In the anfrff ~ tie narfIf