Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1916-11-02
THE NATION NEEDS
LA TOILETTE
BY Charles X. Crownhart

New problems growing out OF
worldwide war must engage the most
serious attention Of all our people
Every day is fraught with new dan.
gers to our peace and security. Any
day may bring climax demanding
the wisest craftsmanship.
We need our best men to the fore
in these trying times. We need men
of experience in government, men of
sound judgment and discretion. and
yet men of courage. We wish to keer
out Of the horrible maelstrom engulf-
ing the Old World and We need our
ripest statesmen to guide us.
The catastrophe of the warning ma
tons should teach us useful lessons.
Ore of these lessons is that being
armed to the teeth does not prevent
trouble; it does not prevent injustice;
it is quite likely to lead to intolerance
and test of strength.
Out of war grow inflated values.
Out of war grow sudden changes in
industrial and financial conditions.
Out Of war grow golden opportunities
for stock gamblers, and the bold adj
yenturers in war supplies. This we
have witnessed in the presento con
hict.
The men who profit by war bseome
avaricious Tor more and more easy
money War is their benefactor. 1t
rains ducats into their Golfers.
They aroused the patriotism and
passions of men to prepare for war
- to make munitions Of war - that
their trade might prosper.
When the excitement was at its
height they coined the patriotism of
the country into vast military appro-
priations by Congress.
Our country, which was already
spending more money for prepared
ness than any other country had ever
spent in times of peace was induced
to DOUBLE its appropriations.
Wisconsin's share of the cost of our
military program is $20,000,000. That
means $40 for each family Of five in
the state, Only eight Senators voted
against this imposition on the people,
so great was the passion of the peo-
pie for the business of war made to
appear
La Toilette was not swayed by this
manufactured sentiment. He saw
through to the end of the road. He
knew the people had not exercised
nor expressed their mature judgment.
Some had been misled by false state
ments of fact, yet the great mass Of
the people We're unconvinced
II remained for La Toilette to ex-
pose the false prophets. In a great
speech, amid the jeers OF the kept
press and the skulkers behind the
scenes, he organized and massed the
evidence and placed it before the
United States Senate.
His magnificent speech is unan-
swered and unanswerable. He pune
tured the claims made Of q probable
invasion Of this country by foreign
foe as the fancy of paid artists. Their
soldiers Of invasion were painted sol
dters. ON painted feet, sailing on a
painted sea
La Toilette. by the evidence of the
highest naval and military authori-
ties, showed that our coast defenses
are adequate 10 repel any possible at
tempt at invasion.
He showed that our Navy is The
second best in the world; that for our
isolated position it is more surely
guarantee Of defense than the navy
of any other country.
He showed that, relatively and lc-
tually our naval defense is STRONGER
than that of any other country.
He showed that in the last tifteen
years we have spent so per cent more
on our Navy than has Germany. and
500 per cent more than Japan.
He showed that in 1915 we spent
S55,O0O,000 more than Great Rrit9s,
ever spent in any year Of peace-and
IN i9l6 the appropriation Of 1915 was
DOUBLED by Congress,
And finally he showed bv testimo7,
OF our highest naval officers that III,
increase IN our Navy means more 81
crease in foreign navics, which In tg~,
means further increase in our Ma
and that this policy Of progression
limited only BY THE ABILITY m0
TAN THE PEOPLE.
In Toilette made tt plain ,ba, Ne sh..i
be adequately prepared fer defense. l..,
that uo policy Of aggression should 4.
tolerated
Ia Toilette risigued the terrific son.
queno"t " TIRE foreign var e.rly in fsls