Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-04-19
AN APPEAL TO PATRIOTISM.

way aid her when hostilities are ex-
pected and foreign armies may invade
our shores?
1t is a stubborn fact that not State
directly contributes a cent for the de-
tense of the nation, while she bears
alike the burdens of peace and war.
We are aware that the only direct tax
received into the United States Treas
ury is from internal revenues, and that
no citizen has the assurance that he
individually has materially sacrificed
aught to the honor of "Old Glory" and
the nations defense and arms.
Now, sir, as the columns of your
paper are ever ready TO pledge support
to any and every patriotic sentiment,
we appeal to our state through your
columns to come forward and lend
helping hand in way laid down in
the succeeding paragraphs
Our proposition is as follows: That
battle ship be built from funds oh
tanned as further described; said bat
tleship to be built under government
supervision and be named THE STATE
OF OHIO" While the ship is building,
young men of ability from our state
to be educated by the government to
man said ship when launched, and are
to be paid by the national government
under whose direction they shall act.
Second-The manner of obtaining
the necessary funds for equipping aud
building said battleship. We would
ask our Senator and Representative to
cooperate by formulating bill ask
ing the general assembly to appropri-
ate $500. 900, and issue 20 year per
cent bonds in denominations as fo.-
lows: 1850, 900 5000 bonds; $3.50, 900
$500 to $1,000 bonds.
My object in classifying these bonds
as described is that farmers, mechanics
and laborers may purchase them, thus
making a safe investment, for the
earnings of toll, and the possessor
would have the knowledge of having
aided in an enterprise far-reaching and
all-important. These citizens may say
This vessel is ours" and it becomes
part of their inheritance.
Is their member of the general as
sembly so unpatriotic as to raise
voice against this bill? If SO, we
might we'll expect to see the bronze
lips of those heroes, "Ohio's Jewels"
standing under the shadow of our
Capital, uttering words of rebuke at
the raising of voices against such patti
otic sentiment. If the Legislature will
appropriate this s1,5OO,Ooo, another
81, 500, 900 can be raised, / feel conf
dent, by popular subscription Each
and every state has it's own individ-
uality, in sense then why not an in
dividuality in her patriotism? Let it
take the form of the proposed first
class battleship. Manned by sailors
from Ohio, built by Ohio and named
Ohio--a breathing, living monument
to our patriotism and loyalty. From
the schooboy to the multi-millionaire,
from the lowly to the most high would
patriotism manifest itself in such
manner that ] know s1,500,oO0 would
become an assurance of the future.
We would all have in such cause one
common interest, in which the giyer
of mite as we'll as giver of the
thousands, would feel his pulse quick
en- and the blood throb fercer through
his veins in the knowledge that he in
dividually had aided his nation in
times of sore distress.
Our martyred Lincoln has said: "We
are government of the people, for the
people and by the people," and let us,
by this proposed act, show that we are
forever a state of itself, a thing apart,
yet forever a part of the whole, and
shall not perish from the earth.
Let day be designated and set
apart in which this proposed subscrip-
tion shall be taken. Let mass meet
ings be held in all the cities, towns and
villages; let the schools, the churches
and all our public institutions, each as
separate body, contribute to this
fund, and let us, by our contributions,
on this day kindle that smoldering
spark of patriotism into such fame
that our sister states will, with one ac-
cord, follow our example and make
our nation not only foremost in com
merce and wealth. but give her that
exalted position, mistress of the seas
forever.
We have already asked our govern
ment to name battleship "Ohic."
This would be an empty title. When
our state launches ship and pays for
her she will be true in name and
worthy of fame.
l present these propositions to the
people of our state for their consider
alton. +. j. CLEMENGER
Marietta, O., April IS. '9s.
Etching hemorrhoids were the