Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1921-05-19
THE ARMY APPRO-
PR|ATI0N BILL
Speech of Hon. Bill &. Lowrey Of
Mississippi in the House of
Representatives, April 30.

The House in Committee OF the
Whole House on the state of the I'm
ion had under consideration the bill
Oh. r. 5010) making appropriations
for the support of the Army for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1922, and
for other purposes.
Mr. LOwrey. Mr.. Chairman, there
is a story of u little boy who boasted:
That fellow said my sister was red
headed, and | licked him.
"And what is the color of your
sisters hair?" a gentleman inquired
81 amt got any sister," replied the
boy, 81 was fighting on the principle
of the thing"
The ideal thing to do, MI. Chairman,
is to settle all matters on principle.
| think every one of us realizes that
the ideal thing to do would be to set
tie this question of our Army appro-
priations, and every other political
question, on original principles. And
yet in matters of legislation we often
have to do what Jusus indicated in
discussing the marriage and divorce
question. He said that Moses allowed
certain things because "of the hard
ness of their hearts," In other words.
the inspired Jewish lawgiver permit
ed things or legislated for things not
on the original, best principle always,
but on the question of what was best
under the circumstances, what could
be enforced or made effective under
the existing conditions
am not sure but this is often neces-
sary in matters of legislation. A very
vital question in any matter of egis-
lation is, What will be best for the
people? With what will the people
be satisfied? What dothe people de-
mand? And so, sometimes we adopt
what the people may demand even
when such is not best from the stand
point of original principles, and it is !
afford to forget that one of the vital
things in a republic is to have the f!
people in their hearts loyal to the |
Government, loyal to the laws; to /
have their minds and hearts approve |
the things done by their Government |
We need protection from the inside |
as we'll as from the outside. Govern |
ments derive not only their just pow
ers, but all their real and permanent |
powers from the consent of the gov
erned.
The greatest protection that any !
government can have is a happy, con- |
tented, and loyal citizenship. 1t beats |
all the standing armies that the world !
can muster. The greatest menace
that any government can face is a |
disloyal and dissatisfied citizenship-a !
people feeling that the makers of law |
and administrators of government |
nave betrayed the confidence and sac !
riticed the righs of their constituency |
Against such a menace no standing
army can give protection. But in this |
case policy and principle run parallel.
| am sure in my heart that the gen !
tleman was right who said here on !
the floor that there is perhaps no
question ON which the people are |
speaking out more definitely than on !
this question of the reduction Of war
expenses. We eXpend annually, so a !
gentleman stated have not looked
into it-more money for direct war
cost, for war equipment, for MAIN
tenance of our war forces, not count
ing what we are paying on war debts
and interest, not counting what we
are paying for sick and wounded
soldiers, or for pensions, or for vocat-
ional education of eX-service men, but
for our Navy and Army, for prepar-
edness for possible future war, we eX-
pend annually for this more money
than we spend in all our States for
all our public schools.
The other day when the House was
considering the large Navy appro-
priation, for which did not vote,
estimated that we are paying for one
of these naval vessels-to say nothing
of whether the building is wise or UNI
w;se-more money than would be re-
ouired to give 100000 to every coun-
ty in my State for educational puf-
poses or for building public roads.
further estimated that the cost of one
of these ships, of which there are 10
in our 4-year program, would bulld
graded and gravel highways across
my State, one every Is miles from !
the Gulf to the Tennessee line, or
would build a neat brick schoolhouse
in reach of every child in the State. |