The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-09

In Richmond's Famous Grocery"
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in their tasks and in the means by
which those tasks are TO be perform
ed, and very few Governments are or
&auiZed, | venture to say. as wise ana
experienced business men would or
ganize them If they had clean sheet
of paper II write upon. Certainly the
GOV srmeut of the United States is
not. think hat il is generally agreed
that there. sh Juid be a systematic
reorganization and reassembling of
lis parts so 20 IL secure grerter e.
ficienCy and effect considera BILE saw
ngs In expense But the amount OF
money saved in frat way would, |
believe. though no Goubs considerable
In Itself, running, 1t may pe. into the
millions, be relatively snisll-~sTaaE
mean. in proportion to the tota:
necessary OUTLAWS of the Government.
II would he thoroughly worth effect
ing. al every saving would. great or
small. our duty is not altered by the
scale OF the saving. But my point
is that the people of the United States
do not wish TO curtail the activities
Il this Government; they wish. rather,
TO enlarge hem and with every en-
.
deed. Of the country itself. there must
come. of course, the Inevitable in
crease OF expense The sort Of econ
oUy We ought TO practice may be eff
feCted and ought 10 be affected, by
a careful study and assessment OF the
tasks to be performed: and the money
spent ought to he made TO ,,eld the
best possible returns III efficiency and
achievement And like good stewards
IN oh. ns~A tyaf frf dol
lar Of our appropriations as 10 make
Il perfectly evident what 1t was spent
for and in what way IL was spent.
1t r. not expenditure. but extrava-
caEce that we should fear being crit .
cized for, not paying for the legitimate
enterprises and undertakings of
great Government, whose people com
mand what 1t should do. but adding
what will benefit only few. or pour
ing money oHt for what need not have
been undertaken at all or might havs
been postponed or better and more
economically conceived and carried
oua The nation is not mig
gardly. ii is very generous. IT
will chide as only II We for
get for whom we pay money out
and whose money 1t is We pay. These
are large aud general standards, bu'
they are not very difficult of appli-
cation 10 particular cases.
The other topic ! shall take leave
20 mention goes deeper intost the prin-
ciples of Gus national life and policy.
It is the subject OF national defense.
What Constitutes Preparedness?
1t can not be discussed without first
answering some very searching aues-
lions 1t liz said in some quarters that
we are not prepared for war. What
is meant by being prepared? Is 1t
meant that We are not ready upon
brief notice to put a nation in the
field, a nation of men trained to
arms OF course we are not ready to
of peace SO long as We retain our
present political principles and insti-
tutions. And what is il that it is sug-
gested we should be prepared to do?
To defend ourselves against attack
We have always found means to do
that. and shall find them whenever
il Is necessary without calling our
people away from their necessary
tasks to render compulsory military
service In time of peace.
Allow me 10 speak with great plain
ness and directness upon this great
matter and to avow my convictions
with deep carnestnesE. ! have tried
to know what America is, what her
people think. what they are, what
they most cherish and hold dear.
hope that some of their finer passions
are in my own heart--some of the
; great conceptions and desires which
gave birth to this Government anc
which have made the voice Of thi:
, people voice Of peace ard hope ant
liberty among the peoples Of The
world. and that, speaking my owr
: thoughts. / shall. at least in part
speak their also however family ant
! inadeauately upon this vital matter
Neither Fearful Nor jealous.
Z We are at peace with all the world
Z No one who speaks counsel based oi
, fact or drawn from a just and candle
/ Interpretation of realities can say tina
there Is reason 10 fear that from an.
quarter our Independence or the in
= teGritv OF our territory is threatened
; Dread of the power OF any other ma
| ton VIC are ineapab BILE of We are no
Jealous of rivalry in the fields OF com
merce or of any other neacefn
achievement We mean to live on
, own lives as we will: but We meal
. a lso to let live We are, indeed. n tru
friend To all the nations of the world
because we threaten none, covet TIL
possessions of none, desire the over
throw OF none Our friendship cal
( be accepted and is accepted withou
~ reservation because il Is offered il
" ~ spun Gnu to' q bhi PtEN NAtttA IA
one need ever question or suspect
: Therein lies our greatness. We ar
: he champions OF peace and of con
I cord And we should be very jcalon
e af this distinction which we hay
Y sought to earn. Just now We Shout
8 he particularly Jealous of 1t, becaus
l. is our dearest present hope tina
this character and reputation ma
e presently. in Gods providence, brin
! uR an opportunity such az has seldom
9 been vouchsafed any nation the OPP
. portunity to counsel and obtain peac
; In the word and reconciliation and
2 healing settlement Of many mat