The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1917-01-24

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could be applied to it's affairs.
The post office department is fire.
Quently cited as an exception. but the
post office department is the most ex'
pensively operated institution in the
world It's accurate loss OF over
$500, 100000 has been computed. Any
express company would be glad to
operate it for 65 per cent Of it's pre-
sent cost. 1t may not be generally
recognized that post office buildings
are erected, maintained, cleaned, heat
ed and lighted and even the floors
swept and the accounts Of the post
office department actually audited by
the treasury department while the
post office department operates free
of over head charges and still runs
behind. ia
General Sherman marched to the
sea because he cut the wires and pre-
vented interference from Washington;
Admiral Dewey went into Manila bay
because the wireless had not then
been developed, and, Colonel GOethals
builded the Panama canal only when
congress had learned from experience
to keep it's hands off and because the
operation was so far away that 1--WE
people" could not observe and there
fore critiZe and interfere.
The government recently made a
large appropriation of the peoples
money to build an armour plant in
face of an offer from thoroly re-
sponsible corporation to make armour
for the government and allow the gov
ernment to fix the price. When an
amendment to the bill was offered
requiring the books of the proposed
plant to be so kept as to show the ac-
tual cost of out put it was voted
down. Thus the American people are
putting their money, collected from
incomes, inheritances and stamp tax
es, into an unnecessary plant and are
denying themselves the right to know
what the product of the plant shall
cost or from time to time, what it does
cost.
Governments Duty.
l submit it is the limit Of govern
mental perogative to watch the great
game of business, to see that the feld
is kept clear, that bstrnc tons be-
lyopd the iurisdl
he removed ana N4Af IN IL
ed according to-, fund darnsnta 4 rules
which have been evolved from the ex-
periences of ages, but that is not the
appropriate function of government to
take part as competitor in the game
OF to monopoliZe the field, thus reduc-
ing the citizen to the position of at
tendant running around with broom,
bucket, and sponge, in the meantime
taxing him to the limit OF his endur-
ance to make good the losses that re-
suit from fumbling.
While only Indirectly responsible
therefore the American people are
and for some months, have been pros
porous. How long this PROSPERITY con-
tinues depends entirely upon the belli-
gerent patt"ns Of the world. When
hostilities cease, for cease they must,
new conditions will arise and each is
at liberty to predict what will ensue.
We may have some other kind of pros
perity but this prosperity will end
when the war ends !, think it is the
part of wisdom to conserve our ex-
traordinary gains so as to have against
that day a reasonable bank balance.
After the War.
When hostitlities and all the COM
mercial nations of the world, except
the United States, will sit for some
months around table to draft the
most important treaty ever penned by
mana treaty which will certainly
determine the political and perhaps
the commercial geography of the
world for period possibly for CEN
tury We are quite likely to ask
seat at that table and it may be ac-
corded us, and we may be told that
having reached the then existing stage
without our aid they will try to close
the incident without our advise. We
can of course, send in a request that
the Monroe doctrine be recognized
and guaranteed, and that the open
door in China, which John Hay Sc
cured, be never closed without our
consent. What notice, if any, will be
taken anent these requests / am not
to even predict.
For twenty years I have said the
century witnessed the great
est conflicts in the world for terri
tory and that the twentieth century
will see greater conflicts for markets.
Existing events justify that guess for
that last analysis the question of mar
kets was the underlying cause of the
present war. When it ends it is quite
possible the victorious nations will
safeguard their commerce to the limit
of their powers, and am disposed to
doubt any special effort being made
to favor the United States.
I Japan, will have seat at that table
and she will have won it with but a
slight cost to herself. She will be I,
justified in claiming rewards, how
ever, and she may suggest that a prin-
ciple somewhat analogous to the Mon
roe doctrine shall accord to her con-
troll in Asia, while the victorious ma
tions on the other side of the Atlantic
dominate the affairs of Europe. She
may go further and demand neutrality
while she adjusts with the United
States the supremacy of the Pacific
ocean. But whatever else may ensue
the Monroe doctrine will have to be
abandoned or vindicated. The period
of tacit assent thereto will have ended.
But these thoughts suggest the
question of Preparedness for WAR;
while the ocassion will limit my re-
marks to preparedness for peace.
A Trade War.