Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1916-08-24
HITS
BIGsS4O,00o,000
MILITARY PLAN
Senator Says Appropriation Is
Out Of All Bounds
Of Reason.
WSCONSIN'S SHARE TO
Sc TWENTY MILLIONS

Declares U. S. Coast Defense Now
Best in World--Our Navy Second
Only to England's-Spending Fifty
Per Cent Mere on Warships Than
Germany, 300 Per Cent More Than
Japan - Munitions Manufacturers
Paying for Propaganda to Fire Pub
lies lmasination-Money Needed to
Prepare to Live, Not to Kill.
(From Senator La Follette's Speech at
Menomonee Falls)
The present congress will pass a
military program that will impose
upon the people of the United States
the greatest tax burden for an alleged
preparedness against an alleged dan
ger that has ever been known in any
country at peace with all the world.
The appropriations by the present
congress for all military purposes,
that. is to say for army and navy and
coast defense, military academies, ma
val academies and pensions will APP
proximate the sum of $S40,000,000
For the same purpose a year ago
Congress appropriated in round num-
bers $429, 900.
The appropriation for this year Is
nearly double that of year ago.
Means $20.000,000 for Wisconsin.
This appropriation is so colossal as
to stagger the imagination. Applying
the figures to Wisconsin we find that
Wisconsin's share Of this military and
naval appropriation will be approx
mately $20,000,000.
This is equivalent to SIS per capita,
that is So each for every man, woman
and child in the state. Counting five
persons to the family it is equivalent
to $40 for each family
You understand that government
revenues are largely raised by tariffs
or taxes on the things we eat and
wear, and use in our daily life. AS a
general rule it is not a direct tax and
you do not appreciate the day of reck-
oning, but it is a constant drain on
the resources of the American people.
There is something to pay today and
every day 1t goes into the cost of
living and adds to the burdens of the
poor.
Burden Falls On the Poor.
In your state system of taxation
you pay proportionately according to
the value of your property, but in the
government system of taxation you
pay in proportion to the things you use
in your daily life and the burden is
proportionately greater on the poorer
classes. For the average farmer or
average working man whose average
earnings in Wisconsin are less than
$500 a year, this increased tax is a real
burden.
There is not a man in the United
States who would have had the hardi-
hood one year ago to propose such an
increase or suggest an appropriation
OF such magnitude for military pur-
poses. and yet, one year ago the Euro
pean war was at high tide. Then as
spectacle of half the people Of the
world at the threats Of their fellow
men and everything that could strike
terror to the hearts of human beings
was taking place on the battle field
across the Atlantic.
Firing Public Imagination.
Everything that could appeal to the
Congress of the United States to make
an extravagaut and unprecedented ap-
preparation of the peoples money for
military purposes existed twelve
months ago just as much as it exists
now, but it is proposed now to double
the appropriation made a year ago for
military purposes What has oc-
Cured to change the perspective? l
will tell you
The stage has been set: the scenery
has been put in place; the music has
been attuned; the curtain has been
run up; everything that could pos
sibly play upon the Imagination of
the American people has been set to
work and paid for in order that this
result might be produced: picture
shows, works Of fiction running seri-
ally in the magazines, advertisements,
editorials alleging that our country
is in danger from foreign foe; the
columns OF newspapers given to spuri-
Gus propaganda, and all with the def
mite purpose Of terrorizing the pub
lie and forcing the enactment of legis-
lation for this great military and ma
val program.
Munition Plants TO Prosper.
The munition plants will prosper.
How about the taxpayer who makes
no profit out of the manufacture OF
munitions of war? Eight hundred and
forty millions is the measure OF the
load that goes upon the Bonded backs
of the American people this year. and
why? II it is necessary now why was
II not necessary one year ago? The
answer is that the national magma
ton had not been fired then: had not
been worked up to she pitch of patri-
otto fervpr that would consent m