The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-18
THE P. L. OF A. ADDRESS.

VI the making of leagues and asso-
Citations in the United States there is
no end. One of the most recent forma-
tons is the Patriotic League of Amer
lea. Its special object appears to be to
preserve this country from itself. and
when this is DONE to have Uncle Sans
Iong-tailed striped coat in the dust
with a placard attached to it challeng-
ing the nations of the earth 20 tread
on the tail of the coat if they dare
This league declares, in a long and
terribly warlike address, that 1.-The ext
gencies of the present demand the
strenuous and unselfsh exertions of
society as broad as the continent, and
with its doors wide open to all pa
triotic Americans without respect to
race, nationality or religion" This so
ciety finds that the continent is not
broad enough for its great aims, so it
would extend this country to include
the Hawaiian islands. Presumably all
Americans who do not rush into this
society through its cavernous doors are
not patriotic.
OF course such a long address from
such a society could not come to
close without twisting the tail of the
British lion. which is the very best
test of patriotism in the minds of some
people. The address states that wicked
England has established six power
full naval stations in threatening prox-
unity to our eastern coast. She has
built others at Vancouver, Quebec, ST
Johns, Kingston, and the Niagara
river. These Notifications could not
have been designed for defense against
any European power. They are
standing menace to this republic and
no agreement for the establishment of
a permanent court of arbitration should
ever be ratified except on the condition
that all her maritime Notifications
south of Halifax and those along the
southern border of Canada shall first
be dismantled and destroyed" Ger
tainly this standing menace should be
invited TO take a seat, and if it re-
fuses TO be seated it should be forced
into a chair.
According to this address, the diplo-
matte representatives of this same
wicked England have accorded protec-
ton to American citizens in various
parts of the world, while the repre-
sentatives of their own government
were "either too weak or too cowardly
to protect. them" What was needed
was a P. L. of A. squad to protect
them.
The address closes with this declara-
ton:
While the policy of the league will
be pacific and conservative. its infiu-
ence will be exerted to complete Che
Nicaraguan canal with American
capital and retain it under American
the republic to embrace adjacent
territory, the Hawaiian islands and
the islands proximate TO our coast |
whenever the people of those countries |
shall voluntarily seek Incorporation |
with the Union: restore our merchant |
marine TO more than its ancient |
prestige and make the flag of the |
republic respected in every quarter of |
the globe"
The assurance that the policy of the |
league is pacific is very reassuring |
When a quarter of the globe is found !
in which the American flag is not re- |
spected is discovered, the league should
get out a map of it. that American
school children may know where it is
and periodically execrate it.
This address is prompted by a spirit
Of jingoism rather than by a spirit of
patriotism. No American citizen has
any need to join any society or league
to make him a true patriot There is
no better patriotism than the old pa
which consisted in performing
loving ones neighbor as himself. fear
ng God, obeying in letter and in spirit
the laws, and surrendering up all, in
Guiding life and property. when coun-
ny, in the hour of danger, calls. 1t is
very evident that the 2. S. of A. does