River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-09-01
Interests of the Nation Are Sc
cure in the Hands of
President Roosevelt.
SAFE, WISE AND PATRIOTIC.
Utterances that Show He Believes War
Should Be the Last Resort, Only
When All Attempts at Arbitra-
ton Have Failed.

Are the interests Of the nation imper
He'd by having a strenuous, outspoken,
fearless man in the White House?
Has the United States suffered fnan-
cially or commercially during the three
years Theodore Roosevelt has been it's
chief executive?
Has the nation lost prestige among the
world powers either through the diplo-
macy of its State Department or by the
utterances and action of its President?
Has the peace Of the country been
menaced in any way in the last three
years?
These questions should be considered
by every voter, for they are Of para
mount Importance in the present cam
paign. 1t is needless to say that every
candid man will say "no" to each ques-
ton.
Some of President Roosevelts politi-
cal opponents have charged him with be-
ing an unsafe" man because his ut
terances on all public questions have
been phrased in vigorous terms, and also
because his patriotism, or Americanism
has led him to express the hope that
the nation always would be prepared to
maintain it's position among the world
powers in case it was assailed.
Wise and Patriotic.
The charge is as unwarranted as it
is demagogical. No President whose
voice is ever raised in the interest of
the nation at large, the welfare Of all
its people, need give cause for worry.
President Rooseyelt's messages to Con
gress and speeches at public gatherings,
all TEEN with wisdom, patriotism and
wholesome advice None of his oppO-
ents can point to a single sentence in
any Of his addresses, if taken in connec-
ton with the subject under discussion,
that can be construed as inimical to the
peace and prosperity of the country. He
has kept his solemn promise, made at
Buffalo, N. Y, on Sept. IA, 1901 when
ne took the oath of President, after the
untimely death of William Mckinley.
Here is what Theodore Roosevelt said
after writing his signature under the con-
stitutional oath of office:
ain this hour of deep and terrible
bereavement, L wish to state that 1t
shall be my aim to continue absolutely
unbroken the policy of President
Mckinley for the peace and prosperity
and honor of our beloved country"
This declaration was made in a firm,
convincing tone, and it constantly has
been kept in mind by Mr.. Roosevelt. In
deed it may be said that the peace and
prosperity and honor Of our beloved coun-
try has been his motto.
MESSAGES AND SPEECHES.
AS proof of the assertion that Presi-
dent Roosevelt is a man of peace-hon-
orable peace-quotations from his mes
sages to Congress and speeches are sub
joined;
The Wicked Folly of War.
(From Message to Congress of Dec.
3, 1901
''The true end of every great and free
people should be self-respecing peace;
and this nation most earnestly desires
sincere and cordial friendship with all
others. Over the entire world, of re-
cent years, wars between the great civ
ilzed powers have become less and less
frequent. Wars with barbarous or semi
barbarous peoples come in an entirely
- different category, being merely a most
regrettabe but necessary international
police duty, which must be performed
for the sake of the welfare of mankind.
Peace can only be kept with certainty
where both sides wish to keep it; but
more and more the civilized peoples are
realizing the wicked folly of war and
are attaining that condition of just and
intelligent regard for the rights of 9TH
oers which will in the end, as we hope
and believe, make worldwide peace pos
sible."
Peace and the Monroe Doctrine.
(F'rom Message of Dec. 8, 1901
I'VE DO not wish any old world mill
tary power grow up OH this continent
or to be compelled to become a military
power ourselves. The peoples of the
Americas can prosper best if left to
work out their own salvation in their
own way.
Probably no other nation in the world
is so anxious for peace as we are. There
is not a single civilized power which has
anything whatever to fear from aggres-
siveneSs on our part All we want is
peace, and towards this end we wish to
be able to secure the same respect for
our rights from others which we are
eager and anxious to extend to their
rights in return to assure fair treat
ment to us commercially and to guaranty
the safety of the American people.
Our people intend to abide by the
Monroe doctrine and to insist upon it as
the only sure means Of securing the
peace of the Western hemisphere.
We desire a peace which comes as
of right to the just man armed, not the
DSdCe SEdu(eu Oh TERMS Ol ISuOIulug 70
the craven and the weakling."
Tie Best Guarantee of Peace.
(From speech at Haverhill, Mass, Aug.
&c, 1902
Tho entire country is vitality interest
ed III the navy, because an efficient navy
of adequate size is not only the best
guarantee of peace, but is also the sur
est means for seeing that if war does
come the result shall be honorable to
our good name and favorable to our ma
tional interests"
Voice of the just Man Armed Is Potent
From speech at the Banquet of the
Chamber of Commerce of the
State of New York,
Nov. IL, 1902
Eve believe that the trend 81 the mod
era spirit is ever stronger toward peace,
noe war; toward friendship, not hostil-
ity, lis the normal international attitude.
We are glad, indeed, that we are on
good terms with all the other peoples
of mankind and no effort on our part