The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1918-01-24

/ PRESTON Ii speech or action. II 10
that devoted father or faithful has.
band could turn against his own
home. I do net believe that | have
friend who ever felt the impulse OF
Hisloyalty to his government, and |
know that I could not be the friend
Df any man or woman who is capable
of harboring such an unholy thought
There are men in Mississippi who
may have doubted the wisdom OF en-
tering into this war-and they have
q right to that opinion-but there is
not one. of them who is my friend who
will fail to do his duty by the gov
eminent since we have entered into
the war
It is quite true that It has become
necessary for congress to vest the
chief executive with autocratic pow
ers In order that this war may be con-
Quoted to successful end, but while
your representatives In congress have
clothed the president with that au-
thority, to be exercised for only a
short time, let us hope, and for a
definite purpose, it does not follow
and it is not fact, that you-the prl-
vate citizen - have abdicated the
throne upon which the constitution OF
the United States places you as the
sovereign ruler of this republic. Do
not forget, my friends, that eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty-n1ore
in times like the present than any
other-and that your undertaking IL
deity to the constitution is absolute
Iy essential to the preservation OF free
government.
wish to congratulate you upon the
material prosperity which you are
now enjoying. The first moments OF
war usually bring material prosperity
The billions of dollars that have been
appropriated have filled the channels
of commerce, and the excessive de-
mand for the products Of your toll
has scattered money over the land
like the falling leaves of the forest.
Prosperity always follows such con
dition. But after a while the day or
settlement-the time will come when
these promises in the form or tho
money of the realm or in bonds must
be redeemed, and they can be re-
deemed only by the things which you
produce. When the hour of redemp-
ton arrives much of the money that
heretofore has been devoted to the
education of your children, to provide
the comforts of your home and all
those things that make life worth liV'
ing must be diverted to the payment
Of the nations debts
That is inevitable, and you had bet
60 low orf n
the expenses of this war will be put
upon the man of moderate means
the load will rest upon the back OF
the toilers. The congress at the last
session refused to take even one-haIf
of the excess of war profits-money
coined of the blood and tears of SOL
diers and the women and children
to pay the war debts. The immense
fortunes that have been made out of
the war have been placed beyond the
reach of the tax-gatherer, and the bur-
den that they should bear will be
transferred TO YOU. The load will be
heavy, and / therefore would impress
upon you the Importance OF economy.
Save the surplus money you made
during the last year. Indulge, if nee
essary in little judicious patching,
and in your investments stay close 20
the shore,
This is no time for speculation, and
Just as sure as there Is God in
heaven the little surplus you have &C
quired will be required of you in a
very short time. The magnitude Of
the obligation which this government
has assumed is shown in an editorial
published in the Washington Post or
December %, 1917. 1 give a pat
of it:
standing upon the threshold Of
Christmas and contemplating the ter
rible slaughter that for more than
three years has afflicted humanity,
the message of Peace on earth, to men
good WILL, is drowned by the tumult
of battle.
more than 100000 human lives
have been sacrificed in this horrible
cataclysm At Verdun alone the Ger
mans lost 100000.
cat the present rate the war is cost
ing s75,000,000 day.
eff it should continue for three
years longer, it will have cost $1,000
000,000,000, representing all the
wealth that has been created in the
past 1000 years.
"This stupendous cost will place
an average tax upon every person in
the world of $50 annually for a pc
riod of 100 years. Since the average
surplus earnings of an individual are
$50 per year, this would result in WHIP
ing out practically all surplus.
THE population of about one-third
of the globe is involved in this war,
which means that the cost imposed
upon those people would be $3.50 per
year for a century, or $50 per year
for 300 years.
"Viewed in the light of these facts,
this conflict assumes the proportions
of war of determination. The world
cannot survive it much longer. 1t
must stop from sheer exhaustion If
reason cannot be brought to bear
upoS it effectively"
These facts are appalling = they
stagger the imagination-they adum-
brafe the future as dark, menacing
cloud. That such condition should
happen in these days OF churches, BIZ
bles, newspapers, rapid means of
transportation and all the advantages
of modern civilization, is inexplicaDle.
But the issues must be met We deal
with things as they are-not as we
would have them.
We are confronted with situation
that requires of us not only to take
care of our own people, but we must
feed and clothe the soldiers, the wom
u 80 oil fo, ia y sr