The Penn's Grove record., 1906-12-14
The PENIS Grove Record
FRIDAY, DECEMBER IA, 1906.
ROOSEVELT, THE WAR LORD,
Rebuked By W. ]. Bryan.
From The

But while there ought to be general
rejoicing at the presidents effort to i'm
prove our systems of taxation, there
will be general disappointment at the
warlike tone OF his message where he
discusses the army and navy. He
speaks of the navy as the sureSL guar
antoro peace which this country pos
sesses. Shame upon the chief execu-
of brute force above the nations sense
OF justice as a %guarantor of peace.
The best guarantor of peace is our
nations purpose to deal justly with
other nations. The second is our is
Olated position. 1t will be an unfort-
innate day when this nation has no bet
ter dependence than the navy whether
that navy be large or small. In his mes
sage two years ago the president an
nounced this astounding doctrine: IF
the great civilized nations of the presi-
ent day should completely disarm, the
result would means all immediatly re-
crudesence of barbarism in one form
or another" This passage in his form
er message can bear no other constl uc-
Jion than that the president regards a
warlike spirit as necessary to nations
progress. If he is right; then the whole
doctrine Of the Christian religion is
wrong; if he is right, then the peace
movement is a movement toward bar
barism and not toward civilization.
The president challenges the idea
that right is might. There is just 10Y
an effort in all the leading nations
to increase the navy. Each new ship
built by one country is used as a reason
why other countries should build new
ships, and there is no limit to this riv-
airy except the power Of the people to
pay the taxes. From a practical stand
point this rivalry in excusable. From
a moral standpoint it is astounding.
The president was universally APP
plauded when he was instrumental in
bringing peace between Russia and ia
pan, but who has %applauded his utter
ance OF two years ago III regard to the
evils of a reduction of ornaments, and
who but a military enthusiast will en-
dorse his proposition that the navy is
the best guaTantor of peace.
In advising the establishment of
shooting galleries and rifle ranges
Throughout the country, he is only APP
plying W lduu WudG u6 udS u0I6lOlOI0
applied to water. If he is right in the
one case, he is right in the other.
If it is right to build up a great navy
and to rely upon craftsmanship for our
nations safety, Their to be consistent we
should establish Roosevelt shooting gal
leries not merely in the schools but
throughout the country and urn our at
tention toward preparation for war.
What a shocking spectacle this coun-
try will present when its youth have nc
higher ambition than to get ready to
kill somebody. By the time we have
cultivated enough military spirit to
make shooting galleries popular, we will
have some xcuse for making use of the
Workmanship that we have cultivated. &
1t is lamentable that the president of
a nation possessing more altruism than
any other nation in the world and off
ering higher ideals of citizenship and
government than any other nation,
should present SO un-American and so
~un-christian a doctrine. Our nations
prestige should be a moral prestige and
not a physical presitage; our influence
should rests upon high example, not
upon brute force; the aim 8 u people