The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-16

billions were spent the country would
be gridironed with macadam roads IL
miles apart east and west, north and
south, and no American citizen would
then live more than miles from a
hard road that would take him any
where in the United States.
If the jingoes insist that we are in
danger of attack, let us propose that
we get ready by building roads; it will
greatly increase our defensive power
if we are able to quickly mobilize our
Army and rapidly transport it to the
point threatened And there is an ad.
vantage about this kind of prepared
ness; If, after we have prepared our
selves, the war does not come, we shall
be able to make good use of the prep
aration in the work of production. If,
however, we divert the money from
rSeful channels and spend it all on bat
tleships and arms and ammunition, we
shall have wasted our money if the
war does not come; and if it does
come. the chances are that before it
comes changes in methods of warfare
will very much reduce the value of the
preparation in which we have invested
But as some may be more interested
in having the volume of loanable mon
ey increased than in having good
roads. l present another calculation.
The total capital and surplus of all
the banks of the United States-nat.
ional, State. and private-aggregate a
little less than $4,000, 900. 900; with S..
OO0,0O0,OOO we could duplicate every
bank, double the loanable bank capital
and surplus of the Nation, and have a
billion dollars left with which to cele.
brate prosperity.
The taxpayers Of the country will
not be willing to bear the burdens
necessary for the proposed prepare
ton. unless they are convinced that
some nation is about to attack us. The
jingoes understand this. and they are
therefore bearing false witness against
other nations. They tell US to beware
of Japan on the west, and IL that does
not brighten us they pick out some
nation in Europe and accuse it of hav.
ing designs against us; and If that does
not brighten us they say: Beware of
the fate of Belgium" How any normal
mind can think of Belgium and the
United States at the same time passes
understanding. Belgium has $500, 900
of people. while we have 100000, 900
Would not an ordinary mind. working
smoothly and without excitement. be
able to see the difference between
seven and half and hundred? And
Their is a still greater difference. Bel
GUM is separated from the countries
round about by an imaginary boundary
line, while we have the Pacific Ocean
on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on
the other If anyone is unable to see
line and an ocean, let him learn what
line and anocan, let him learn whai
difficulty the nations have had in NOV
ing armies across narrow channels
and then we will understand the pro
lection of the Atlantic Ocean.
We can not single out nation ant
begin to prepare against it without
cultivating unfriendliness toward tina
nation, and we can not make hatret
a national policy for generation with
out having our people anxious to fgh
as soon as they are ready to fight. I
the nations at war had spent in tn,
cultivation of friendship but a small
percentage of the amount they hav'
spent in stirring up hatred, Their
would be no war in Europe today. W.
should not transplant upon American
soil this tree of hatred unless we ar,
prepared to eat Of the fruits of tn,
tree, for Il has been bearing its blood.
fruit throughout the years.
The third reason which ask you d