244 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



has happened in the past may happen in 

 the future. 



Hon. Ferdinand Brucker, representative 

 from Michigan, in his speech in the House 

 on the subject of the "War Tariff," said: 

 ">Ir. Chairman, if there is any one thing 

 which I have observed since I have been 

 a member of this House more than another 

 it is that a few gentlemen you can count 

 them on your finger ends and have fingers 

 to spare absolutely control and dictate 

 every public measure adopted by this 

 House." What a sad truth! And if the 

 bond issue becomes a law it will be through 

 the influence of the minority which seems 

 to control. 



Many eloquent speeches were made by 

 Congressmen on the subject of the bond 

 issue and the war tariff and one of the 

 best of these was that of Hon. Curtis H. 

 Castle, of California. And while we do 

 not subscribe to all the doctrines as put 

 forth by this gentleman, we do uphold and 

 honor the vigorous stand that has been 

 taken against the $500,000,000 bond issue, 

 and we cannot forbear quoting at some 

 length. Said Mr. Castle: "The old Bour- 

 bon doctrine, 'After us the deluge,' is the 

 watchword of the bond promoters." 

 Again he says: "The people of the 

 United States must have money and ma- 

 terials to prosecute the Spanish war, 

 and we are told by the advocates of this 

 bond bill that we must borrow of private 

 individuals, pay interest, and transmit to 

 coming generations the burden of our debt. 

 * * * An interest-bearing bonded debt 

 is the instrument depended upon by the 

 non-producing classes in all countries of 

 the world to absorb the profits of labor. 

 That it is an effective one is evident in the 

 poverty of the workers and in the riches of 

 the non-workers." 



If there were no other way in which to 

 raise the necessary funds, except by a bond 

 issue, these Congressmen who now oppose 

 it would willingly see it passed, but the 

 great objection is that the ones who are 

 interested in its passage do not wish to 

 find any other means to raise money; do 



not wish for much discussion; no, they 

 want to take advantage of the patriotism 

 of the people who stand ready and willing 

 to give their hearts' blood for their coun- 

 try, and rush this measure through. almost 

 before the masses have time to realize it, 

 and fasten upon them a bonded debt the 

 evil of which shall be upon the "children 

 unto the third and fourth generation." 



"What strange doctrine is thi 3 ," says 

 Mr. Castle, "which says the government 

 can draft into its armies the son, the hus- 

 band and the father; it can place him in 

 the front ranks of battle to be pierced and 

 mangled by shot and shell, to be tramped 

 under the feet of charging squadrons, or 

 perchance, mortally wounded, be left un- 

 attended on the field sodden with his blood 

 until death relieves him of his agony yet 

 has no power to draft into its services to 

 preserve its life and honor the money and 

 property within its jurisdiction? This 

 doctrine exalts property above manhood 

 and compels the poor man to give up his 

 home and leave hisfamily unprovided with 

 the necessities of life, compels him to en- 

 dure the hardships of army service, and 

 filially compels him to give up all he has 

 his life and leave his helpless wife and 

 family to be robbed and enslaved by the 

 wealthy bond-holders, who remain at 

 home to enrich themselves on bond issues 

 and government contracts." 



The present war is a righteous cause to 

 rescue the oppressed and the action of the 

 administration is upheld by all loyal 

 Americans, regardless of party feelings. 

 We are not Republicans or Democrats. 

 Populists or Prohibitionists, but Ameri- 

 cans and as such ready to do anything that 

 may be necessary for the "good of the 

 cause." But a bond issue and for such 

 a sum is neither necessary nor just and 

 it is hoped that the measure may meet the 

 defeat it deserves. 

 Censorship Every one is anxious of course 



of the i ,1 ,, 



Press. to hear the war news: news- 



papers are scanned with eagerness to be laid 

 aside in disgust if they contain nothing 

 new regarding the situation; and many are 



