New Britain herald., 1916-08-30
ANOTHER SPECTRE DISTILLED.


 ANOTHER SPECTRE DISTILLED
 Issues in the present campaign fol the presidency have pleasant way of intruding themselves upon the public gaze and then as suddenly falling from sight. They do not re- quainted. Thus, the latest battle-cry which had all the ear-marks of an issue has disappeared probably never to return It was "Extravag gance.' J | as the most feasible of all, especially since the Democrats had pledged in their party platform that this admin 1 iStration would be conducted along | lines of retrenchment. After the action of Congress in appropriating some S800,00O,000 for the defense of 1 the nation the Republicans could see no signs of economy. Rather did they liken this to an era of unprecedented extravaganza in the conduct of our national government. s800,000, 0,O00 Whew! A vast sum. And to be spent by a Democratic administration os- tensibly put in office to check the mad expenditures of a rollicking Re- publicanism. Surely this should prove an issue. And so the cry went up, "Extrava gance.'
 In normal times "Extrava gance" might have made a good issue. In an ordinary presidential election year it might have worked to the overthrow of the party thus accused. But this is no ordinary election year. Rather 1t is an extraordinary One,-a very very extraordinary one. And instead of extravaganza making a good issue it has made a bad issue, or no issue at all For, all the extravaganza in- dulged in by the present administra- tlon is the direct result of an insistent demand of the people for the nations welfare. All the expenses con- | templated by Congress for the nation 1 al defense have in back of them the sanction of the people. Congress was urged to make these expenditures. The movement for preparedness was so strong at one time that letters poured into the House and Senate of- fee buildings from every little village and hamlet in the country. Economy Throw it to the four winds. That was the cry of the nation. And the 1 Congress, being representative of the people, did as the people demanded 1 No reduction of the governmental eX- penses was possible under such a con- dition The policy of retrenchment was sent into oblivion for the time being. Preparedness was in the air and the cost was not taken into con- sideration. The spectacle of the un- prepared nations of Europe was enough to instill a patriotism in Lhe hearts of the American people that i warranted and demanded action by the Congress. AS a result of these popular manifestations of the peo-
 
 pledged to spend some S800,000, ,00O to build up a great national defense and to pay pensions.
 Loudest of all in crying for these ! expenditures were certain Republi- i cans At their request as well as the insistence of the other people of the nation this vast sum of money vii be spent next year. If the Republi- 1 can party could raise the cry of ex- l travagance and keep it before the pub lie it would but convict itself and i it's followers of the meanest and low | est form of double-deaing. This il 1 cannot afford to do. That is one rea- 1 son why extrava gance must fail as Q 1 campaign issue. Preparedness is costly. but the people demand it, and the people stand willing to pay the freight. At that, the Democratic Congress did not run the bill up as 1 high as it might have done under +be nressure exerted. The brakes were applied in no small measure. In mapping out a formidable plan to up- build the army and the navy and the