Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-12-30

You men who are preaching for a
larger Navy. What is the use of the
largest navy in the world. IL we lack
the man behind the guns? All honor
TO our Secretary OF the Navy, who
had the courage, as we'll as the wis
dom, to understand that first must
come the strong and efficient man.
But, gentlemen, we must hide our
faces within our boasted civilization,
If we let Russia take this problem.
and with one gigantic stroke. wipe II
from the face OF their country.
There was no argument to II. The
physical strength of the giants of the
Car was unable TO stand the hard
ships and the strain OF their cam
paign, and the cause was quickly dis
covered that their lowered vitality was
due to alcoholism.
Gentlemen, that which fails to
make strong, patient. vigorous, fight
ing men. also fails TO produce strong,
vigorous, American citizens
where is the man who is appeal
ing for larger Army? Where do
you stand on this question Your APP
peal will fall far short of consistency
if you fail to stand like a true soldier
for a cleaner and more efficient Ameri-
can manhood.
Another man stands in the way,
and he voices the only reason which
sounds like logic in opposing this mea-
sure, and he is the revenue man. The
man who has no greater pride, than
to deliberately place the almighty
dollar above that of human life. He
forgets that revenue can be raised in
hundred different ways and that
manhood of a nation is the true
wealth and glory Of any country.
What amount Of revenue can ever re-
place the lives which have been ruin
cd the homes impoverished and the
children which have been left de-
pendent? Simply because we are
unwilling to protect them from the
curse OF drink!
Gentlemen, right at this very
moment while | am speaking, there are
thousands and tens Of thousands of
young men. who are taking their first
drink. How do you know but your
boy is one of them?
"Zeppelins, submarines. bombs and
seige guns are not the only things that
can destroy a nation. We do not
need to wait for a foreign foe TO in
wade our land to find ii in peril. Our
nation is already in peril and the foe
is within our borders. Making a
mighty and devilish campaign to cap
ture our cities. Yea, they have al
ready been captured, and they hold
supreme power in almost every large
city in the land.
Fellow members, it is nothing short
OF treason for us to allow our land
Of liberty to be devastated and robbed
Of its manhood.
Men with consciences awake to
this opportunity 10 conserve human
life Never before have we enjoyed
so great a privilege as is now ours to
show whether our love of country
shall courageously stand out supreme
above that OF party or personal pre-
judice.
II cannot believe that there is a
single member Of this House who
would sacrifice the honor of his coun-
try to satisfy his selfish interests, by
maintaining an evil that is fast under
mining our great nation.
II care not whether my political
ambitions shall have been crushed by
my actions here to-day. j would
gladly sacrifice all rather than to have
violated a single confidence that the
people of the great State of Michigan
, have placed in me.
II would consider myself unworthy
| Of this honored position of trust, If
| failed at this time TO support my
own convictions, and to vote for that