Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1916-08-24
nary and unjustifable expenditure.


profits, to make new and continuing
markets for their products had not
then borne fruit. Their campaign for
the past year has been prosecuted
with all the power of organized wealth
at their command What is the re-
suit? Congress is in a panic. Their
program is accepted. One year ago it
would have been pitched out OF the
window as piece OF impudent graft.
No Reason for Doubling Appropriation.
The people may be under certain
vague fear and doubt now, but when
they see that their fears have been
played upon when the tax burden
comes, when the weight begins to
press down, when you double on ev-
cry member of the family the cost OF
sustaining this military program then
you will be called to account, then
you will have to answer their stern
deliberate, second judgment.
What do we want OF an increased
this great military program provides?
What changed conditions warrant dou-
bling the appropriation of year ago?
There is absolutely nothing In the
situation, nothing in the conditions
that can be made to justify placing
this extortionate tax burden upon the
people of the United States. There
is not one substantial reason why this
Congress should double the appropria-
ton for military purposes at this time.
They claim that we are preparing
for defense, not for aggression. Log
ically we should inquire first of all as
to our coast defenses, should we not?
What about our coast defenses?
Z. s. Coast Defense Best In World.
The highest authority on this sub
ject is Gen. Erasmus Weaver. He
testified before the House Committee
on Military Affairs that 1--WE have the
best coast defenses in the world. The
guns now mounted and those con-
templated will give us an entirely sat
isfactory defense" According to the
statement of Gen. Nelson A. Miles, we
have expended $200,000,000 upon our
coast defenses. | do not disparage ex-
penditures for this purpose. | give
them my cordial support.
Coast fortifications, coast artillery
and a sufficient mobile force of SOL
diers for coast and harbor defense l
will as strongly support as any other
man.
They are for defense.
They cannot be used to coerce
weaker nations in the interest OF spe-
culative investors in foreign coun-
tries.
They offer little or no inducement
for powerful war traders to lobby
congress for eXtravagant appropria-
lions. They constitute one class of
expenditures for preparedness which
makes for peace instead of war
Better than the DardanelleS.
On this Gen. Miles testified: Il am
prepared to say that our coasts are
as we'll defended as the coasts of any
country and with the same, class OF
high-power guns and heavy projectiles.
They are better in some respects than
the guns that are mounted at the
Dardanelles, which have resisted the
most powerful ships of war OF the
British and French navies.
"The results at Alexandria, Port Ar
thur and at the Dardanelles furnish
ships are no match for coast fortifi-
cations and submarine guns"
We are told that we are in danger
OF attack by European countries, and
writer's are paid by the line for max
ing lurid pictures Of an overseas
army swooping down upon this coun-
try and destroying our coast cities.
1t is absolutely impossible for any
overseas army to land along the
fortified coasts and harbors. England
and France and Russia have been I'M
able to land a single man in a forti-
fed harbor Of Germany The best
nayies in the world cannot stand
against adequate coast defense.
No Army Could be Landed.
But for those whose feelings have
been played upon until JHey JHiuh VI
the possibility of a foreign invasion,
let us take the statement Of recog-
nized authority on overseas military
expeditions. According to Teller
Smolett it would take 27o transport
vessels to move an army of 100000
men, including two divisions of cal
vary across the sea to make an at
tack. Just think of that for a mo-
ment! These 27O transports and other
necessary ships would constitute the
greatest collection of vessels in one
body that has ever been seen together
in the history of the naval operations
of the world And this includes trans
ports alone. These transports would
have to be surrounded by dread
naughts and cruisers and supply yes
sells and they would hayesto move out
across 1000 miles Of water and land on
hostile shores a military force suffl-
cient to seize and hold, until rein
forcements shorl Id arrive, position in
a hostile country Of 100000,000 people.
Why DardanelIes Campaign Failed.