Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-08-29
THE PEOPLE SHOULD STAND BE.
BIND TAFT.

There is one issue on which Pres
Iident Taft should have the hearty
support of the people, regardless OF
partisan affiliations. It is that grow
ing cut OF the failure of the senate TO
appluve of the arbitration treaties
with Great Britain and France. The
s-rate, as it is well known, has taken
nmbrage at what it considers tres
pass on its treaty making powers and
insists on the emasculation Of the
treaties in some important respec s.
The issue is a clean-cut one and goes
before the people for an expression
of their views. II the public CON
science is awakened, as it should be,
and the vote OF the public speaks in
no uncertain tones, it is probable that
arbitration between the United States
and the great powers Of the world will
become an accomplished fact. While,
LOT course. even arbitration treaties do
mot entirely wipe out to possibility Il
war they do limit the likelihood Of in
/ ternational differences reaching such
an acute state that the sword must be
/ resorted TO as the arbiter of the dis
pute. And anything that lessons the
probability of war. that removes to a .
farther distance the danger of broils
great nations, with their con-
sequent enormous destruction of
wealth and of lives, should certainly
receive the support of the masses who !.
have to bear the burdens of the losses
and provide the lives that are sacrifice |
ed.
An effort is being made to arouse
the churches of the land to the sup
port of the treaties. Such support. it
is pointed out, would be a practical
exemplification of the adherence Of
Christians, without regard to creeds, |
to the Christian hope of Peace on
earth. good will toward men" Writ /
ing on this line Rev. DR.. Henry Van
Dyke, the noted author, and moderator
of the General Assembly of the North |
ern Presbyterian church, sends out a
clarion appeal to all Christian bodies
to support the president in his lauda-
BILE efforts in this direction. DR.. Van
Dykes words are well worthy of care
full consideration by not only avOwed |
Christians, but by all men who have
the interest and welfare of their coun-
try and of their fellow men through |
out the world at heart. Says he:
The treaties pending in the senate
between the United States and Great
Britain, and the United States and
France represent in concrete form,
and on a vast scale, the idea for which
all the churches, Catholic and Pro-
testant, claim to stand-the idea of 2
world peace, founded in righteousness
and equity; the recognition of right
as above might; the appeal to the
moral order as the clearest expression
of the will of God. The Interest of the
churches in the confirmation and sue
cess of those treaties ougt to be in
tense, practical and efficient. The
Christian sentiment of the United
States is really on trial in this mat
ter. If the churches are silent now,
if they do not make their influence
felt in favor of arbitration, they will
condemn themselves, and the world
will rightly say that modern Chris
tianity is too indolent or too impotent
to coun for much in modern life"
Giving voice to his own convictions,
DR.. Van Dyke says:
THE attitude of the Christian
churches of American in this question
should not be left open to any doubt
1t should be known to all men, and
especially to our legislators, that the
church, however, divided on other
points, is now united for the peace Of
the world, and desires to see the dis
putes and differences of nations set
tied by appeal, not to war with the
bloody sword, but to justice with the
even scales. She cries in these trea-
ties the only practicable path to this
end, and therefore would regard their
rejection or mutilation as a great ca
lamity.
IF the church feels them, and | be-
iieve she does, her opportunity has
come"
The American public are swindled