The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-06-16
RELIES ON MORAL SUAS|ON.
BRYAN WOULD ADOPT RADICAL
CODE IN DEALING WITH Ma
TIONAL DIFFERENCES.
Great COmmoncr Believes in Appeal
ing to System OF Love and not Re-
sorting to FOrce-Asks People Not
to Judge Him Until He Has Set His
Cause Before Them.

Jennings Bryan. in an appeal address,
ed "To the American People," tonight
asks them to hear him before they
pass sentence on his laying down the
portfolio of secretary in the midst of
international stress.
Confident that the public will credit
him with honorable intentions, Mr..
Bryan frankly says that good inten-
tions are not enough and that if the
public verdict is against him he asks
no mercy. asserting that men in pub
lie life must be willing to bear any
deserved punishment from ostracism
to execution"
Interpreting the American note to
Germany on submarine warfare, which
he refused to sign, as conforming to
the "old system" of diplomatic stand
ards, precedents for which ARE writ
ten in characters Of blood upon almost
every page Of human history" and
characterizing himself as a champion
OF the new system-persuasion in
stead of force-and as IAN humble
follower Of the Prince of Peace" the
former secretary of state pleads for
the United States to lead the world
"out Of the black night Of war into
the light OF that day when swords
shall be beaten into plowshares.'
Tomorrow Mr.. Bryan will issue an
other statement, an appeal, he says,
to "German-Americans." The nature
Of this appeal he would not discuss.
But with the issuance Of the third
statement since his resignation the
former secretary says he will be ready
to rest his case.
or course / shall always be ready
to talk when the occasion arises and
think 1t necessary" Mr.. Bryan de-
clared
The statement tonight, entitled by
the former secretary The Real ISSUE"
is as follows:
ITO American People:
|
of the note to Germany-the note
which it would have been my official
duty to sign had remained secre-
tary of State. I ask you to sit in
Judgment upon my decision to resign
rather than to share responsibility for
1t. / am sure you will credit me with
honorable motives. but that is not
enough. Good intentions could not
atone for a mistake at such time,
on such a subject and under such
circumstances. If your verdict is
against me. I ask no mercy; desire
none If have acted unwisely. A man
in public life must act according to
his conscience, but however con-
scientiously he acts he must be pre-
pared to accept without complaint anv
condemnation which his own errors
may bring upon him; he must be will
ing to bear any deserved punishment
from ostracism to execution. But hear
me before you pass sentence.
THE President and agree in pur-
pose; we desire a peaceful solution
OF the dispute which has arisen be-
tween the United States and Germany.
We not only desire it, but with equal
ferver we pray for it but we differ
lrreconcilably as to the means Of Sc
curing it. II it were merely a per-
sonal difference it would be a matter
of little moment, for all the presump-
tions are on his side-the presump-
tions that go with power and author
ity. He is your president; am pri-
vate citizen without office or title
but one Of the hundred million of in
habitants.
but the real issue is not between
persons; it is between systems; and l
rely for vindication wholly upon the
strength Of the position taken.
Among the influences which GOV
ernments employ in dealing with each
other there are two which are pre-
eminent and antagonistic-force and
persuasion. Force speaks with firm
ness and acts through the ultimatum;
persuasion employs argument, courts
investigation and depends upon nego-
tiations. Force represents the cid
system-the system that must pass
away; persuasion represents the new
system-the system that has been
growing, all too slowly, it is true, but
growing for 1900 years. In the cid
system war is the chief cornerstone
war which at it's best is little better
| than war at its worst; the new sys-
hood established through the uplift-
ing power Of example.