Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1915-12-09

into conspiracies against the neutral
ity of the government, they have
sought to pry into every confidential
transaction Of the government in or
der to serve interests alien to our
own. 1t is possible to deal with these
things very effectually. | need not
suggest the terms in which they may
be dealt with.
| wish that it could be said that
only a few men, misled by mistaken
sentiments of allegiance to the gov
ernments under which they were born
had been guilty of disturbing the self
possession End misrepresenting the
temper and principles OF the country
during these days of terrible war,
when it would seem that every man
who was truly an American would in
stinctively make it his duty and his
pride to keep the scales of judgment
even and prove himself partison of
no nation but his own. But it cannot.
There are some men among us, and
many resident abroad who, tho born
and bred in the United States and
calling themselves Americans have so
forgotten themselves and their hon
or as citizens as to put their passion
at sympathy with one or the other
side in the great European conflict
above their regard for the peace and
dignity of the United States. They
also preach and practice disloyalty.
No laws, ! suppose, can reach cor
ruptions of the mind and heart; but
should not speak of others without
also speaking of these and express
ing the even deeper humiliation and
scorn which every self-possessed and
thoughtfully patriotic American must
feel when he thinks of them and
of the discredit they are daily bring
ing upon us.
While we speak of the preparations
Of the nation to make sure of her
effective power we must not fall into
try, should it be necessary, and those
who could assist to bring the tech
nical skill of the country to the aid
of the government in the solution of
particular problems of defense. l only
nope that if | should find it feasible
10 constitute such an advisory body
the congress would be willing to vote
the small sum of money that would
be needed to defray the expenses that
would probably be necessary to give
it the clerical and administrative ma
chinery with which to do servicable
work.
What is more important is, that the
industries and resources of the coun-
try should be available and ready
Tor mobilization. 1t is the more i'm
peratively necessary therefore, that
we should promptaly devise means
for doing what we have not vet done;
that we should give intelligent fed
aVul afI anA .tif OF N t,1dItCt ria
and vocational education, as we have
long done in the large field of our
agricultural industry; that, at the
same time that we safeguard and
conserve the natural resources of the
country we should put them at the
disposal of those who will use them
promptly and intelligently, as was
sought to be done in the admirable
bills submitted to the last congress
from its committees on the public
lands, bills which / earnestly recon-
mended in principle to your considera-
ton; that we should put into early
operation some provision for rural
credits which will add to the extern
sive borrowing facilities afforded the
farmer by the Reserve Bank act ade-
the patent error Of supposinV that
her real strength comes from arma-
ments and mere safeguards of writ
ten law. 1t comes, of course, from
Ter people, their energy, their sue
cess in their undertakings, their
free opportunity to use the natural
resources of our great home land and
of the lands outside our continental
borders which look to us for protec-
ton, for encouragement and for as
sistance in their development; from
the organization and freedom and vi
tality of our economic life. The do
nestle questions which engaged the
attention of the last congress are
more vital to the nation IN this its
lime of test than at any other time.
We cannot adequately make ready for
any trial of our strength unless we
wisely and promptly direct the force
of our laws into these all-important
fields of domestic action. A matter
which it seems to me we should have
very much at heart in the creation of
the right instrumentalities by which
to mo biliZe our economic resources in
any time of national necessity.
take it for granted that do not
need your authority to call into sys-
tematic consultation with the direct
ing officers of the army and navy
men of recognized leadership and
ability from among our citizens who
are thoroly familiar, for example,
with the transportation facilities of
the country and therefore competent
to advise how they may be coordin-
ated when the need arises, those who
can suggest the best way in which to
bring about prompt cooperation
among the manufacturers of the coun-
quate instrumentalities by which long
credits may be obtained on land mort
cages; and that we should study more
carefully than they have hitherto
been studied the right adoption OF our
economic arrangements to changing
conditions.
Many conditions about which we
have repeatedly legislated are being
ALTERED from decade to decade. it is
evident, under our very eyes, and are
likely to change even more rapidly