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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1916)
tin will come a patriot command to crush pactiKmrdiip, and rebuke whatever le mean or blind. That command will he heard by the ploughman In his flHd, and by the laborer at his bench. It will reaoh the merchant In his office und the lawyer ut his desk. JtcKpnndlng to thlH command a nation true to its traditions, proud of ittt greatness, glorying in Its progretw and belk-vlng in its ftilure will prove that the spirit of Ameri ca i 'Ism burns as brightly In the heart of Aimrira today as it did In the Hp I en did days of old. And when, a century from now, America's children come to read our history, when at last thy learn whether Lhe men of 1916 were as true to America ns the men of 1776 we pray ;od that the history we are about to make may prove an inspiration to their loyally, mat Hie pages we ure about write may he a snur to their outrlotism and th;it our labors here and in the months in come may have preserved for them nation free and proud, an ideal sublime and true, a flag whose stars rt-fVct the rmnngeiess inujesty of tho celestial galaxy In the attainment of this hope, the utter ance of this prayer we who gather here today have a responsibility that sobers our (motions as it rtrcngthens our resolutions. We would be false to ourselves, and recreant to those who send us here if we permitted any thought of partisan proIt, any consider ation of political advantage to obscure our vision of the tremendous Issues now be- rore me people of the United States. We must cast aside all Uiat Is selfish, we must i. oki ourselves worthy of a nation' con lld-nce by offering only the best of our intel ligence, the flower of our patriotism toward the solution of what all men perceive to oe a crisis in me nation's affairs. KIIAI.I, WE KKJKCT THE DOCTK1NES OF OUR t'ATIIEHS? One hundred and forty years ago the imwirinwi or America was called upon to de chic wnetner this should be a nation. Half u century ugo Americans were forced to Ueiermine whether this should continue to be a nation. Today the Republic faces a mim crisis no less momentous than that or i lib or that of I860. Today Americans must again determine whether their coun try shall preserve Its national Ideals, wheth er It shall have a national soul, whether it shall stand forth, as a mighty and un divided force, whether tho United States for wmcn Washington fought and for which Lincoln died, shall hold Its place among the nations. Kr two years the world has been afire; the civilization that we know has been torn by the mightiest strugglo In Its hiwtJiy. Sparks from Europe's conflagration have blazed In our own skies, echoes of her strife have sounded at our very doors. That tire .Mill burns, that struggle still continues, hut thus far the United Slates lins held the ilarne at bay: thus far It has saved Us people from participation Jn the conflict. U hat the peoplo of the United .States nuiHt determine through t.heir suffrage is whi'tht-r the course the country has pursued thrnugh this crucial period is to be con tinued; whether the principles that have been asserted as our national policy fhixU be endorsed or withdrawn. This is tho paramount Issup. No lesser Ifsue must cloud it, no unrelated problems must confuse it. In Mm submission of this Issue to the electorate we, of this convention, hold these truths tn he self-evident to everv student of American history, to every friend of America's institutions. First: That the United States Is con strained bv the traditions of its past, hy the logic of its present and by the prom ise of its fnlure to hold itself apart from the Kuropeun warfare, to save its citizens, from participation In the conflict that now! devastates the nations across the seas. ; Second: That the United Ptates In Its relations with Mie Kuropenn belligerents mum eumimie me policy that it has pur sued since the beginning nf the war. the pulley of strict neutrality in relation to every warring nation. I lie policy which Thomas Jefferson denned as "rendering to all the services and courtesies of friend ship and praying f.-r the re-est jblishment of peaee und right!' Third- That sae where rhe liberties, the teintory or tho substantial right of the United States are invaded and assaulted, it is the duty of this nation to avoid war by every honorable means. Fourth: That it is the duty of the United States government to maintain the dig nity and the honor of the American nation and in eery situation to demand and seen re Inmi everv belligerent the recognition of Ilie neural rights of its citizens. Fifth: That brnuse the president of the Unite,) Statts has asserted thes principles and pursued these policies the American people must support him with ardor and Willi enthusiasm in order th.it t.hese princi ples arid poMe!'is may he known to all th world, not as the opinion of an individual but as tin- doctrine and faith of a loyal and united nation. It by declaring "the rest of mankind ene mies in war, in peace friends, the Con stitution recognized it; but the first Presi dent of the United Slates by proclamation, the first Chief Justice by interpretation gave It vitality and power. And so neutrality Is American in its initiation. Thirty years later Prime Minister Canning in th? Hr.tish Parliament pointed to the American policy of neutrality as a model for the world; and eighty years later, after ap proval by various statutes and agreements, it was written almost word for word in the treaty wherewith we settled our differences with Kngland over violations of neutrality mrougnout the civil war. And so neutrality is American In Its consummation. And today in this hall, so that all the world may - hear, we proclaim that Uiis American policy of neutrality is the policy which the present administration pursues with patriotic zeal and religious devotion; while Europe's skies blaze red from fires of war, Europe's soil turns red from blood of men, Europe's eyes see red from tears of mourning women and from sobs of starving children. The men who say this policy Is not Am erican appeal to passion and to ureludice and ignore the facts of history. neutrality is Americas contribution to the laws of the world. Sir Henrv Maine says so, Charles Francis Adams says so. nvnry tMty says so, uaniei Webster snvs so and upon the evidence of these witnesses we rest our Americanism aifainst the Kont- terings of pepper-pot politicians or the fab rications of those with whom a false Issue Is a good Issue until its fabtitv in kimwn ts maliciousness exposed. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. For enforclnir this noHv nt n.iirai;t George Washington was hooted by a howl ing mob of 10,000 war fanatics who threat ened to pull him from the Preiridentlal chair and start a revolution. Hut half a centurv later Charles Sumner said that "Wash ington upholding the peaceful nentruliiv of this country, while he met unmoved the clamor of the people wickedlv crying for war. Is a greater man than Washing ton crossing the Delaware or takim- rvm wallls Bword at Yorktown.' For supporting this policy of neutrality Alexander Hamilton was stoned almost to death, and yet today New Vor'.t honors Hamilton with a statue and itemihii,-,..- bow down to hlin as a god of wisdom. For supporting this policy of nouimiitv John Jay was burned in effigy upon a thou sand hills, and yet today the portrait of John Jay hangs In nearly every courtroom in the uinn. For supporting this nollev of npurntu Thomas Jelferon was called n spineless pol- hwuh, uuu yei louay jenerson is hailed as one of the wise men of the world and for minions nis opinions are n political bible ted Slates, faced by a world In arms, save this country from being drawn into the whirlpool of disaster. One false step in any direction and he would have carried the nation with him over the precipice. This difference, my friends, between "what Is" and '"what might be" is well illustrated by two pictures which hung on the walls of the art museum here in this city of St Louis during the Louisiana Purchu.se Expo, sition. One of these pictures portrayed the fa.- mous warriors who have stricken terror into the heart of mankind since the dawn of history. Alexander the Great was there, Caesar was there. Hannibal was there, Napoleon was there, and on either side of this sinister group lay in endless rows the sheeted dead of war. The other picture represented hands, myriads of hands, humanity's hands stretch ing upwards towards the sky gnarled hands of labor and withered hands of age, eager hands of youth and helpless hands of babes, rugged hands of men and delicate hands of women hands of aspiration stretching upward to the sky from Divine Inspiration toward happiness and peace. These two pictures symbolize the banners oi tins campaign, Others may follow the Lords of War who ride among the corpses of mankind. We follow the President of the United States and seek inspiration of humanity that aspires to higher things. IF WASHINGTON AN1 LINCOLN WERE RIGHT, THE PRESIDENT IS RIGHT. By opposing what we stand for todav the Republican party opposes what Hamil ton stood for a century ago. The founder of the Republican party and the founder or tne Democratic party, placing their coun try's happiness above every other consid eration, forgot partisanship and made Am erican neutrality a national creed. We who follow Jefferson stand where Jefferson stood, but we look In vain for a sign from the present leaders of the Republican party to show that they follow where Hamilton led. Where Hamilton counseled modera tion they denounce it. Where Hamilton thought only of country they think only of self. Where Hamilton placed patriotism above partisanship they placed partisanship aliovfl patriotism. How then do they dare to speak for the great body of American citizens who form the rank and file of the Republican party? Do these leaders believe that their Republicanism Is a better Re publicanism than Hamilton's, their Ameri canism a purer Americanism than that of Washington? Unless statesmanship has fallen Into dis repute among Republicans, the men who controlled the Chicago convention cannot read Alexander Hamilton out of the Re publican party. Unless I mistake the tem per of the American people the Republican bosses cap no more lend their adherents away irom tne neutrality for which Wash' For supporting this policy of neutrality inKto.n 11,1(1 "million struggled than they ii .-i in. win vns mriureu as n ornven and yet today Lincoln fs enshrined in the neart or America and canonized on our cal- i"utr tu political martyrology. i omiemned In their d.-iv for omn..nit..r neutrality, to these men toinv everv Amerl iean turns for hir rvcry conception of what oesi m American citizenship. The frite of the fathers of our country the hands of a noisy minority is the te of the President of the Unite.! Ktm today. Put their reward of .li.-iti..., ed and honors conferred will be his re ward. h u the neonle sneak on tltn .. I, , v of next .November. wiiri:i.; the i-iu-:hiii-:nt stands. To win this priceless rich! or iic.,ii-.,iit,- rbis nation had to undergo a lone j,r..i ntn. fill struggle. It tonl; Washington with his allies r,r,rt sword eight years to win recognition of his country's liberty; jt ,!, Washington ami Ills successors eighty years nt endless nogo- ,u win recognition or American n-u-trallty. Anil this eighty years of unit-trie wove the doctrine of neutrality so closely Into the warp an. woof of our national life that to ten- it out now would unravel tht' very threads of our existence. WhTe is the American hnrdv Cnouch to rhalleiiKe a policy so (irmly fixed In the nation's traditions? Is there aniorm us any man hold ciioiikIi to set his wisdom alun'e that of Washington, his patriotism nl.ove that of Hamilton and his Amrirnnini ahove that of .lelTerson? Is there any Am erican so blind to our past, so hostile to our future, that, departini; from our poiicy of n utrality. he would hurl us headlong into t.he ma -'strom of th. war acros-s the TIIK PKI.K V or M I TISH.1TV IS AS AMi:i:ii.N s mi.; .ii.i:ir. u,(;. In ctnph.iN.s of these self-evident proposi tions we a r: th ,t t lie poll.;-. f nentlalitv as the , Mrnean flat', iti.ility was a theory; Is as truly Fur L'l't" y America mad The (list was the tlrsl u rule of ltd In April, i: riot-It inc; and (!hief Justice of lit 1 iiu d elates, in an i p from the hench, wloe n mil e universal And pi t p the principle into the I fact. ris.,l.iil of tlie Tniled Stales to proii.'iiint' nentli.iity i' lull conduct. Wash, i, i.-,,,,! iPc.ued the n a month, .lohii Jav. apr-ino i.Vurt of the ii-M..K:i t- tlec.sion '!:..'.:lon would on liuil peace, wrote ( t J.- land. Tin The IT, -si, I, in of the I'nited States stands today where stood the men who made America nnd who saved America. He st.-.nds n-h "IT John Adams stood, when he told KinK io'oiko that America was the land he loved ',,1 that Pe.iCe IV.Ts her err. n . I .. , , o a l Welfare. lie stands wlit re tleneral liiant sio.,,1 wh.-n tie said Mu r never was a war that could not have been settled better some other way. .m.l he has shown Ins w :ll:nt.'ness to try the ways of pi ace be fore he t el.s the paths of war. He s'.inds where tleoiKe Washington sto, ,t when he pray.,1 that this eountrv would nev. r uo sheath her sword except In self. defense so lontr as Justice and out- essential riithts could be ,resei-ed without it. I'or vain ciory or for seifi'h impose olhers n,.,y cij up a policy of 1,1 1 and ii.'n. I. ut the l'rtsidint of the I'liilel! r-ims ',a.s acttd oil tile belief that leader of a nation who plunges his p. into an uu 10 -. -si. ry w ar. like 1'O'itius l'il.,!e can lead them away from the flat for which n-asnniKiun anil Hamilton fouRht. I " Washington was riitht, If Jefferson was ritrht. if Hamilton was rinht. If L,in- icoln wan rleht. then the President of the 1 lined States Is right today: if the Itepub lican lenders are riph't then Lincoln a wrong and Jefferson was wrong and Ham ilton was wrong and Washington was wrong. TUB Jl'KTIFICATION OF H1STOUY. In nil the history of the world there Is no other national policy that has Jus-tilled itself to completely and entirely ns the American policy of neutrality and isolation from th? quarrels of Kuropean powers, ltofote we declared our neutrality we were embroiled in all the troubles of Circat Hrit am, l"race and Spain; since then we have had less than three years of war wi'h Ku rope and 110 years of amity and pence.' Hetore this declaration every war wtis a world-war; since this declaration nearly every was has been a local war. before this declaration war was a whirlpool, ever iiicreasing i area and In its whirl drnrging own the nations of the earth; since this declaration war has become a sea of Irou hle upon which n-uiona embark only from self-will, from self-interest or the neces sity of g..gr.iphical positron, of financial' obligation or politicul alliance. Neutrality Is the policy which has kept us at peace while Kurope has been driving the nails of war through the bunds and feet of a crucihed humanity. it has banished conquest from our pro gram ot national greatness and has made us tind our d ..stiny at home. It has forced us to build on the brawn of our sons and the energy of our daughters rather than upon the tears of conquered women and me mood of conquered men. It has made us seek treasute In our harv-sts. wealth in our fields hy staying our hands from wars blood-stained pot of gold. It has been tho naming- sword which forbade us to devastate the rcden of others and com pc.led us to make an Helen of our own It has f,-e,d us from the paralyzing touch of l-.uropts h.nance of power, leaving t0 Kurope the things that are Kurone-s th preserving for America the Independence, hers'""" inc. happiness that now are As a result of this policy America stands i linn, tiiigniy and proud emple of peace and liberty in a win orld .UccMration vl Independence lud foretold I of conflict, could the I re "l.L;'ie. a sanctuarv where ti. i.,.,. Illiraitun burns clear and strong, a living jbv i.tM,T monument to the statesmanship or the great Amt.i-icaiis who kept it free from the menace of Karooe-m the i Wealth has come to us. power has come li C llo os luil I......... .i ,.. ..te h,vrlia., , . ;r"."::v:.n.or r?r lily wash' s his hands t.f iu...rri.r " ' . 'V an1 ror Our ... . " v..uuit.ii m. ri. 1 1 ii' u ntU "." "i'i'ri" .inn me iniivfin .of ie;ice rati; Kene.i juui tnous.in.N cue up tho irhest Ulm nn,i -i ':; t.y si..n.in; on llu rovk of A.n- The Druie of th;- n t which daslu d the wave- ten in the r f a....; ' ... 1 1 wm" n.tvn U inieriCUIl 111 U list lies, nO( 111 ed to Ihe hl...Tic ;ice ratJi.i than to the gospel of .velf- tui nt oi t tie Unj- i the mourning of American futiiiliet; tuy are found In the myriad evidenccN of nros perity and plenty that make this t con tented land. From every whirling nuHidl in America, from every factory wheel that turns, from every growing Muni; that hreaths Its prayer of plenty to the sUie from every quiet school, froig every crowd ed mart, from every peaceful home koh un a song of praise, a paean of thanksgiving to hymn a nation's tribute, to the states manship that has brought the.su things to pass. NKVTUAL IUGIITS ASMJITKI) ANJ MAINTAIXUD AS NKVKR BUFOIiK. No American who knows the fuels ean honestly oppose or criticise tho policy of neutrality which t.he present Democratic administration has pursued. Driven from this position, by the logic of inir history and the lesson of our prosperity, carpets and defamers rush to the opposite extreme and assert that this policy has not been enforced with sufficient vigor by the present administration. Standing here with the eyen of the na tion upon this convention. wiMi the cold light of reason, the plerclm; shuftN f i.,. streaming upon all that we may nvy or do, I declare, with historv as mv wttni. with fact as my proof, that the neutral rights of American citizens have never been so vigorously asserted or so auiMiewtfully maintained as they have been assorted and maintained by the President of th,i lioi...i States during the present war. Americas doctrine of neutrality n(t meant that this nation must rimh headlong into war at the first invasion of Its neutral righta Neutrality Is not a hair-trlKKeiM policy that explodes In violence t the first assault, it ts a policy that haa nrviii cesHful because it has always been ncrted iniuuK" negotiation rather than through force, through dlnlomacv mthr tnn i. .... appeal to arms. This does not mean that America will not resort to war when all other means of protecting its neutral rirlits have failed, but it does mean that America will exhaust every- peaceful means of pro tecting those rights before it tlllfCM Ih. step from which there is no appeal. Just a in domestic affairs the penal statutes cannot wholly suppress crime, no In foreign affairs the law of neutrality cannot entire ly prevent the breach of neutral rights. There, has scarcely been a war since the principle of neutrality was envbodled in International law. In which enmc i citizens have not been killed, in which some neutral trade has not been interfered with. A judicial review of relative values a distinction between honor and nensiiiven ss a consideration of life ns well us nroneriv a proper equation of conditions and circuiu- ti.im.-ea ure elements of neutralllvV li- One hundred and twenty years ago when t'.urope went mad with war .s ;t h,,.. ,.., mad today Jefferson pointed In t nrili star of our policy of neutrality when he fiud In the present maniac si:,i .,f i.i.. rope we should not esHmni., .i. ... honor by the ordinary scale." The reason ing which made this a sound rule u "ll,e mnrilac state of Europe" In Jefferson's day makes It an eauallv sirne, i i maniac state of Europe" today. This nation, let us never forget has. al ways remembered that neutrality Is (l policy which Is asserted against n-,i,,,., against nations Inflamed and disordered. It has always been wise enough lo proceed w th calmness and patience, and events tv p,y:rJu"'in(''l 'ts willingness lo appeal from 1'h.llp drunk with war to I'bilip so bered by reason and reflection. HOW STANDS THE HK oltl? The Issue, raised by our opponmls. of i.een T "''," Wh'Ch 'l"lllly hai can 'Vs a cor"l'ratlve issue winch can be decided t-nly by comparnllve results. Ana what are the comparative results? low stands the. record of this administra tion compared with other administrations? w hi n Giivvr was iwkmdkkt. wYhKen, Gra"L wns '"W'-nt. .luring iho war between Spain and the Spanish West indies, a Spanish gunboat seized the vessel Virgin.us flying the American flag and IhJ ''"n c"nn'-nnIant in cold hlood shot the captain of the "Virginius," thirty.six of the crew and sixteen of the passengers onr troubles by negotiation Just as the K"' f '": -S.aies'ls trying 'Ili:. IIAItltlsO.V WAS MIKMDKN T. ,h2Vh'n ."'"'"n Harrison was President il e Mfhe V;1",1' rnci'l'l a viol.-,,, ." tJ ,hf l""l States for our insistence lion. Uhen this feeling was at it- h,,i,.i,t one junior ollicer fro.,, the UnileS Si lies the'.? oets'oT ?' klll' outrigh , sioe "' Valparaiso and sixteen f our died In'",!"1"'"' f Whom ""-wrds irv 2a Txmge ' t'"nK'ss o j "t - ,., i ,'. s"l'liorte,i by Secret,,, y of sub l,,,1,''? 'uiaine' " evidence W n t rid WZ, ,"H"h" K" " w.ntield Scott Schley. President Harnson origin ln,!""lU't ,n our h"""r ""I its lr or ,h hostility to these men as sail- form ,r ?f '" S""PB "- tne nm- roiit of the government nnd tint ii, anv m div.dnal act of personal animosiiv y. , . o-si limp notice 'oiiaeuon ot its rights ..mu nn invasion of ii i IS Ills, lbil we of the event and di'-nity" "iiiternntioii.'Ll lidti't rn In o-. li 1 prlu;uL,r";":!; ' !,v "---"''in "i,; do today. Is trying to Wlli:- LINCOLN W AS l-HI-;-U)K.T. When Lincoln was President this coun try's rights were violated cn every side England, Ilussia. France and Spu,,, Weri we ara ranttr ta nrovw prr and ail or our starmsmTt.
