The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1915-07-02
Communication.
IditOr Of the Intelllgencer:

Editor of the Intelligencer:
Perhaps this may find favor, though
l may be likened unto a man without
a Country. Free institutions may be
maintained in but one way, which
for description may be designated
old Jeffersonian Democracy. From
this, / have never departed and thus
/ am a stranger and in a strange
land. The article you published from
the Boonsville Advertiser was in the
main, Just and true. However errat-
ic, undemocratic and destructive has
been Mr.. Bryan's course in the past,
no one could safely criticize him.
Now that he is being abused, | would
not join therein. But in nothing has
Mr.. Bryan ever been consistent. Self
has controlled his whole course, and
when his life is considered, he has in
ficted lasting injury upon his Coun-
try; for no one can doubt that his fol-
lowing has been greater than that of
any one in modern times. In like
manner, the people are at present, in
capable or unwilling to give any in
telligent consideration to any public
question or impartially weigh any
act of Mr.. Wilson.
1t was my fortune to be a member
of the Chicago Convention; more than
this was the Chairman of Mr..
BANDS Executive Committee, having
charge of his canvass and / know
exactly how Mr.. Bryan was nomi-
mated in 1896. No more d~isgraceful
transaction ever was had. / have
though in the past to publish the
truth, but the man who attempted
to do this, would have been crushed.
| have said that Mr.. Bryan was an in
sincere man. The destruction of the
double standard by the demonitiza-
ton of silver was the crime of the
centuries. No correct estimate can
be made of the injury, want and
crime that have followed as the d.
rect result. Yet Mr.. Bryan endorses
the present banking system, which
repeats that crime and establishes
the gold standard.
The position taken by the President
in his first note to Germany finds no
support in international Law. The
Law of Nations consists ~ in what
is known as the Positive Law Of Ma
tions. By this law every Nation has
the right to sink the ships of its
enemy. 1t makes not the slightest
difference whether they are vessels
of war or vessels of commerce. They
have a right, not only to sink the
vessel, but with it every person on it.
No authority On the subject questions
this rule. But, owing to the harsh
ness, and in some cases humanity of
the Positive Law of Nations, this has
been modified by (2) the Customary
Laws of Nations, consisting of the
voluntary custom Of civilized nations.
One of these notifications is that in
sinking an enemy's vessel, whether
OF war or of commerce, to take off the
crew and passengers, if possible. But
this customary law of nations is OBJ
ligatory, only SO long as any nation
determines to be bound by it. Let me
illustrate. By this customary law a
town is not bombarded without Civ
ing reasonable time for the non-com-
Blatant population to get out.
General Lee invoked this customary
law in the case of fredericksburg.
and asked that General Burnside give
twenty-four hous for women and
children to get out. General Burn
side refused, and while we NAV say
that it was cruel, he had a perfect
right to do so by the positive laws of
Nations. SO in the case of the Lusi-
tania. Mr.. Wilson's first note in that
matter, cannot be sustained, and it
was most fortunate for this country
that the position there assumed, was
abandoned. Now Mr.. Bryan signed
this note. This second note of Mr..
Wilson's, abandoned totally his first
position, being in the nature of a
moderate protest, and was unobject-
ionable, and just such that any neu-
trail, in such position might send to
n of the ~belligerents. Yet Mr..
Bryan refused to sign the last, and
gave it as an excuse for resigning-
his real reason being an intention to
become a candidate for the Presi-
dency. He becomes an advocate of
peace, and in that position, l thor
oughly concur, as must every citizen,
who adheres to the sound American
doctrine of the Fathers. There is alb
solutely no danger of this country
ever becoming involved in war
with a first class power; provid-
ed, we stay at home and attend to u
own business and let the effete and
grasping monarchies of the old World
fight their unholy wars. The newly
invented submarine will protect every
American port and a we'll organized
militia will furnish the nucleus of an