The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-16
BRYAN Makes Plea
SAYS FORCE IN DIPLOMACY In
EVITABLY LEADS TO WAR
EXPLAINS HIS Opinion

Commoner Urges Adoption of Per
suaSion and Love in Dealing Will
International Questions-Asks ne
Mercy if He Has Done Wrong ant
is Willing to Take Punishment.
William Jennings Bryan, in an ap
peal addressed ito the American peo
ple." Thursday night asks them tt
hear him before they pass sentence
on his laying down the portfolio o.
secretary of state in the midst~of in
ternational stress.
Confident that the public will cred
it 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 10 hear any
deserved punishment from cstTacisn
to execution
Interpreting the American note tc
Germany on submarine warfare
which he refused to sign, as con-
forming to the "old system" of dip,
lomatic standards, precedents fol-
which "are written in characters OF
blood upon almost every page of hui
man history and characterizine
himself as champion of the new
system-persuesion. instead of force
and as ''an humble follower of the
Prince of Peace" the former secre-
tary 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 beat
en- into ploughshares.
Mr.. Bryan will issue another state
ment, an appeal. he says, to Ger
man-Americans." The nature of this
appeal he would not discuss. But
with the issuance of the third state
ment since his resignation the form
er secretary says he will be ready to
rest. his case.
"Of course, shall always be ready
to talk when the occasion arises, and
I think it necessary Mr.. Bryan de-
clared.
The statement, entitled by the for
mer secretary as The Real Isle,' is
as follows:
"To the American People: You
now have before you the text of the
note to Germany-the note which it
would have been my official duty to
sign had I remained secretary OF
state. I ask you to sit, in judgment
upon my decision to resign rather
than to share responsibility for it. l
am sure you will credit me with hon
orable motives, but that is not
enough.
Good intentions could not atone
for mistake at such time, on such
a subject and under such circum-
stances. If your verdict is against
me, ask no mercy; desire none ii
have acted unwisely.
"a man in public life must act ac-
cording to his conscience, but, how
ever conscientiously he acts, he must
be prepared to accept without COM
plant any condemnation which his
own errors may bring upon him; he
must be willing to bear any deserved
punishment from ostracism to execu-
ton. But hear me before you pass
sentence.
Agree in Purpose.
"The president and I agree in pur-
pose: we desire q peaceful solution OF
the dispute which has arisen between
the United States and Germany. We
not only desire it, but with equal fer
vor we pray for it, but we differ ire
concilably as to the means for secur-
ing it. If it were merely a personal
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; I 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
I rely for yindication wholly upon
the strength of the position taken.
Among the influence which gov
ernments employ in dealing with each
other there are two which are pre-
eminent and gonistic-force and
persuasion. Force speaks with firm.
ness and acts through the ultimatun
persuasion employs argument, courts
investigation and depends upon nego:
tiations. Force represents the old
system-the system that must pass
away; persuasion represents the ne"
systematic system that has been
growing, all too slowly, it is true, but
growing for nineteen hundred years
In the old system war is the chlel
cornerstone-warw which at its best Is
little better than war at its worst;
the new system contemplates uni,
versal brotherhood established
through the uplifting power of exam
pie.
Old Standards.
sTf correctly interpret the note tt
Germany it conforms to the stand
ards of the old system rather than K
the rules Of the new. and cheerfuliA
admit that it is abundantly supported
by neutrality-suspicious. written II
characters of blood upon almost ever!
peace and denied responsibility FOL
.nishes the most recent precedent; i
was Austria's firmness that dictated
the ultimatum against Servla whlci
set the world at war. Every ruler
now participating in the unparalele'
conflict has proclaimed his desire 1ol
peace an ddenied responsibility fol
the war, and it is only charitable tina
we should credit all of them VIII
good faith.
"They desired peace, but the.
sought it according to the rules O
the old system. They believed tina
frmness would give the best assur
ance Of the maintenance OF peace and
faithfully following precedent, the.
went so near the fire that they were
one after another, sucked into th'
contest.
Never before have the frlgEttu
Continued On last pageD
Austrian Submarine Sinks Cruiser
The Austrians claim to have de