The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-11-09

| 'oSeIhci VI great uolheSllc questions
| They are many and of vital conse
| uuenCe. We must and shall address
| ourselves to their solution with dill
Sence, tirmnesS and self-possession
Notwithstanding we find ourselves il
great disaster and ablaze with ter
r!ble war: but our thought is now in
evitably of new things about which
formerly we gave ourselves little
concern. We are thinking now chief.
ly of our relations with the rest OF
the world-not our commercial rela-
tions-about those we have thought
and planned always-but about our
political relations, our duties as an
individual and independent force in
the world to ourselves, our neigh
bors and the world itself.
NOT IMPERIALISTIC.
Our principles are well known.
1t is not necessary to avow them
again. We believe in political libert,
and founded our great government
to obtain it, the liberty Of men and
OF peoples-of men to choose their
own lives and OF peoples to choose
their own allegiance. Our ambition,
also, all the world has knowledge of.
1t is not only to be free and pros
porous ourselves, but also to be the
friend and thoughtful partisan of
those VINO are free or who desire
freedom the world over. If we have
had aggressive purpose and covetous
ambitions, they were the fruit of our
thoughtlesS youth as Il nation and we
nave put them aside. We shall.
confidently believe, never again take
another foot of territory by conquest.
We shall never in any circumstances
seek To make an independent people
subject to our dominion: because we
believe, We passionately believe. in
the right OF every people to choose
their own allegiance and be free of
masters altogether. For ourselves we
wish nothing but the full liberty OF
$ lt-development, and with ourselves
IN this great matter we associate ALI
the peoples Of our own hemisphere
We wish not only for the United
states but for them the fullest free.
dom of Independent growth and OF
action, for we know that throughout
this hemisphere the same aspiration
are everywhere being worked out
under diverse conditions but with the
same impulse and ultimate object.
AN this is very clear to us ana
viii, | confidently predict. becom,
more and more clear to the Who'll,
world as the great processes of the
future unfold themselves. Ii is with
iuII consciousness of such PRINCIPLES
and such ambitions that we are ask.
ing ourselves at the present time
what our duty is with regard to the
armed force Of the nation. Within q
year we have witnessed what we did
not believe possible, n great Euro
pean conflict involving many OF the
greatest nations of the world The
influences OF a great war are every.
where in the air. All Europe is EN-.
battled. Force everywhere speak,
out with loud and imperious voic,
in titanic struggle of governments
and from one end of our own deal
country 10 the other men are askin,
one another what our own force is
how far we are prepared to maintain
ourselves against any interference
| with our national action or develop
| ment.
! I'm no mans mind, / am sure,
there even raised the question OF tn
wilful use OF force on our part agains
any nation or any people. No matte
what military or naval force th
United States might develop, state
men throughout the whole worl
might rest assured that we we're gait
ering that force, not for attack in an
! quarter, not for aggression of al
kind. not for the satisfaction of ar
political or international ambitio
: but merely to make sure Of our ow
= security. We have 1t in mind to |
= prepa ared, not for war, but on
, for defense, and with the thoug
: constantly in our minds that the pri
: ciples we hold most dear can