The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1915-08-13
National Friendship

Two neighboring families may be
most intimate, but if one member
of one family quarrels with a men,
ber of the other family, in nine cases
out of ten the families are estranged.
Before out great Civil war the
men and women of the northern
states met the women and men
of the southern states on most cor
dial terms, often intermarried; the
feeling was of mutual respect and
friendship which often eliminates
in family alliance. There were, of
course, some abolitionists in the
north, some fire eaters in the south
fomenting trouble, but they did not
count-though some of them were
the brightest representatives of the
race-until a little band in the south
led by Davis, Toombs, Hammond
and a few others called a convention
induced three or four state conven.
tions to pass ordinances of secession,
on the ground that the election of a
Republican president was an intoler-
able menace to slavery which was
an institution which under the con-
stitution the whole nation was bound
to respect. This did not much arouse
the northern states, the people would
not believe that real war was intend
ed. Even the firing upon the "Star
of the West" steamship was constru-
ed as the mob work of few south
ern firebrands.
But when the news of the firing
upon and capture of Fort Sumter
was flashed over the country it smote
northern men like blow in the face
and then nothing would do but a
war that had to be waged until
slavery ceased to exist.
From the first there has never
been any clashings between our
government and the German govern
ment and her people by millions
have come to our country to find
homes. In the same way except in
one little diplomatic wrangle, our
relations with France have been
most cordial and many evidences of
mutual respect and friendship be-
tween the two governments and
people are on record.
Our government has had some
sharp wrangling with the British
government but no hostile gun has
been fired on either side for CEN
tury, while the business and social
relations between the two peoples
have been most cordial, nine-tenths
of the immigrants from the United
Kingdom to Canada, up to seven
years~~ago, had, within year after
landing in Canada, drifted across
the line into our country.
When the war with Spain was
sprung, the lists of the names of the
officers and men who went out to
the war on sea and land, showed
that the Germans, the French, the
Scotch and Irish of the United States
were all Americans.
Now the most terrible of modern
wars is raging beyond the sea, and
the blood which is thicker than water
is throbbing in the breasts of all
these people on our soil. 1t is not
only natural but inevitable that it
should be so. While our govern
ment must insist that international
laws must not be violated, and while
all native Americans back their
government in that insistance, still
it is their duty to keep in mind that
the foreign-born neighbor who was
close friend a year ago, has not
changed, and is entitled to just as
kindly thoughts as ever. His sym.
pathy for native land has not chang.
ed him; his boys will be American
soldiers if need be, his girls will be
the mothers of American soldiers
There is the utmost need, on the
part of Americans who love
their country to be most careful anc
to. nurse no ungenerous prejudice.
in these days when the fate of nations
is hanging in the balances beyono
the sea, for there are men in oul
country who would gladly involve
our country at any time in war, i.
they could see commercial gain b.
so doing. This is a time when heart:
should be kept open and head
should be kept level. 1t is no tim,
to rock the boat; it is time whel
high thoughts should be cherished
to help direct the public opinion o
the country into fair channels tha
when the fighting ceases througl
exhaustion our country may be
potent factor in framing a platform
of peace.-Goodwin's Weekly. Pm
Comparisons are odious. Her
is one that is odorous. There is a
much difference between d tow