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.