Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-06-15
Mr.. BRYAN EXPLAINS
Former Secretary Wants to be Prop.
erly Understood.
IS OPPOSED TO DOCTRINE OF FORCE.

All His Public Career Has Been As a
Follower of the Prince of Peace and
He WouId Continue Along That Line
to the End, Regardless Of Precedent
and the Opinion Of the World.
Hon. VIM. ]. Bryan on last Thurs
day gave out the following address to
the American people:
ITO 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. 1 ask you to sit in judgment
upon my decision to resign rather
than to share the responsibility for it.
/ am sure you will credit me with hon.
orable motives, but that is not enough.
Good intentions could not atone for a
| mistake at such time on such
subject under such circumstances. II
your verdict is against me, l ask no
mercy; l desire none If l have acted
unwisely. A man in public life must
act according to his conscience, but
however conscientiously he acts, he
must be prepared to accept, without
complaint, any condemnation which
his own errors may bring upon him;
he must be willing to bear any deserv-
ed punishment, from ostracism to ex-
ecution. But hear me before you pass
sentence.
THE president and 1 agree in pur-
pose; we desire a peaceful solution OF
the dispute which has arisen between
the United States and Germany. We
not only desire 1t, but with equal fer
vor we pray for it, but we differ ire
concilably as to the means OF secur-
ing it. If it were merely personal
difference it would be matter OF lit
tie moment, for all the presumptions
are on his side-the presumptions that
go with power and authority. He Is
your president: am private citizen
without office or title-but one Of the
hundred million of inhabitants.
But the real issue is not between
persons; it is between system; and
1 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 Of which are pre-
eminent and antagonistic, force and
persuasion. Force speaks with firm
ness and acts through the ultimatum;
persuasion employs arguments, court
investigation and depends upon nego-
tiation. Force represents the old sys-
tem-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 old system war
is the chief cornerstone-war which,
at it's best, is little better than war at
it's worst; the new system contem-
plates a universal brotherhood estab-
lished through the uplifting power Of
example.
IF 1 correctly interpret the note to
Germany, it conforms to the standards
of the old system rather than to the
rules Of the new, and I cheerfully ad-
nit that it is abundantly supported by
precedents-preceden written in
characters of blood upon almost every
page of human history. Austria fur
nishes the most recent precedent; 1t
was Austria's firmness that dictated
the ultimatum against Serbia, which
set the world at war. Every ruler
now participating in this unpa. .alleled
conflict has proclaimed his desire for
peace and denied responsibility for the
war, and it is only charitable that we
should credit all Of them with good
faith. They desired peace, but they
sought it according to the rules of the
old system. They believed that firm
ness would give the best assurance OF
the maintenance Of peace and faith
fully following precedent, they went
so near the fire that they were one
after another, sucked into the contest.
Never before have the frightful follies
of this fatal system been so clearly
revealed as now. The most civilized
and enlighted-aye, the most Christian
of the nations Of Europe-are grap-
ping with each other as II in death
struggle They are sacrificing the best
and bravest of their sons on the battle
field; they are converting their gar
dens into cemeteries and their homes
into houses Of mourning; they are
taxing the wealth of today and laying
a burden Of debt on the toll Of the
future; they have filled the air with
thunderbolts more deadly than those
Of Jove, and they have multiplied the
perils of the deep. Adding fresh fuel
to the flame Of hate, they have daily
devised new horrors until one side is
endeavoring to drown non-combatant
men, women and children at sea, while
the other seeks to starve non-c combat
ant men, women and children on land.
And they are so absorbed in alternate
retaliations and in competitive cruel
ties that they seem, for the time be-
ing, blind to the appeals Of humanity.
A tree is known by its fruit. The war
in Europe is the ripened fruit of the
old system.
This is what firmness, supported
by force. has done in the old world;
shall we invite it to cross the Atlantic?
Already the jingoes Of our country
have caught the rabies from the dogs
of war; shall the opponents of organ
lied slaughter be silent while the dis
ease spreads?
LAS an humble follower Of the
Prince of Peace; as devoted believer
in the prophecy that they that take
the sword shall perish by the sword
l beg 10 be counted among those who
earnestly urged the adoption of a