The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1898-04-29
UPHOLD THE PRESIDENT.
Patriotic Words Of / Loyal son d The
South.


Mr.. Mckinley in his manly eff
forts to avert cruel or unneces-
sary war. Amid trying scenes
and stirring events of past weeks
we have watched with deep
anxiety his move and messages
and have followed him with our
sympathies and prayers. We
have studied with admiration the
character of the man and patriot
in his perplexities and have seen
nothing to condemn but all to ad.
mire-we admired his genius. we
love his goodness, but especially
do we honor him for devotion to
duty, his firm resistance to jingo-
ism and his check upon a miser.
able horde of ignorant and blind
fanatics, who. with wide mouths,
are howlinglfor war.
We Of the South are standing
by the President because he has
shown himself worthy of our con-
fidence and love. We applaud
his broad craftsmanship, his
moderation and prudence, and
his persistent effort to maintain
the honor and dignity of this
country without war if possible,
despite the cruel frowns Of
friends, and the unjust criticism
Of enemies. In the storms and
tempests that beat about him he
rises above the breakers, like
some tall rock mid ocean waves,
unmoved by tides that ebb and
flow. He stands above the clouds
sun-crowned in our hearts, and
we are ready to follow his lead.
We stand by the President be-
cause he has resisted the power
of iingoism, disregarded the
taunts and threats of politicians,
turned deaf ear to the war cry
of fanatics, and pursued policy
of conservatism that has chal-
lenged the admiration of the
world and secured the basis of a
Just and righteous cause if war
be anecessity.
Well do we remember the ex-
tremists and the Jingoes during
the late civi. war. Vividly do
we recall stirring speeches,
flaming headlines of blood.curd-
ling articles, the hysteria of
blind. partisan papers, war.mak-
ing and peace-destroying agents
that went over this country, but
when the din of battle came, when
bullets whizzed and cannon boom
ed, "Oh, where was Roderick
then ?" Conspicuously absent
from the red blaze of battle,
shivering with fear, hid away
from the scenes of conflict; God
only knows where they were
unseen, unheard, and unfelt. I'm
derstand me not to detract from
true, brave, patriotic men who
consider war a necessity, and
who are ready to dare and to die
heroes are always honored.
But none should stand in the way
of progress and honorable peace,
neither turn back messengers
bearing the olive branch, nor
hamper Mr.. Mckinley in the
difficult and perplexlng dnties
that lie before him. We of the
South have confidence in his
judgment, his prudence, and his
patriotism. We will trust his
strong arm to steer Alright the
ship of state freighted with the
hopes and destinies of seventy
millions of American people, to
bring her safe into the haven OF
peace and rest.
But ifwar with the Castilian is
inevitable, and Mr.. Mckinley
shall call ITO arms" the South
will join her brothers of the
North, the East and the West.
She will go forward with that
same loyalty to flag and devotion
to country that marked the early
annals of her history, with that
same heroism and American
valor that shone forth in terrible
splendor and brought oppression
in humble subsection atthe foot
of the American eagle; with that
same valor that stormed the
haiohts of Monterey. that drove