Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-06-16

main that he, who should have been
the strong arm Of the administra-
| ton, he upon whom above all others
the President should have been able
10 lean, at least for moral support,
| has deserted his chief and his gov
ernment in the midst Of an interna-
, tional crisis the gravity Of which cam
not be over-stated, and he has done
this, moreover, with full understand
| ing of the consequences which his ac-
ton may precipitate.
That these may be serious will
have to be admitted. If they do not
| prove so in the event, the virtue of
such fortunate escape cannot be ac-
credited to Mr.. Bryan. True, he
has parted company with President
Wilson with mutual expressions Of
esteem, and this may be all we'll
| enough. But the world will con-
strue the situation broadly; and so
constituting it, the enemies Of the
| United States will long extract COM
| fort from the fact that at the criti-
cal moment the policy Of the Ameri-
can government was not able to
command the approval of its own
Secretary of State. 1t is not simply
that Mr.. Bryan has repudiated Wood
row Wilson. He has repudiated also
the President OF the United States,
| the spokesman Of the American peo-
pie, and repudiated him, not on
matter of internal policy, but before
| the world on matter involving the
relations to be maintained between
this country and other civilized ma
tions.
The import of such conduct is not
to be disguised by soft phrases. 1t
is impossible that any excuses which
Mr.. Bryan may have to offer will
cover his offense. But it Is incon-
ceivable that his course should sue
ceed in robbing President Wilson of
that public confidence and support
which he so vitality needs. And if
Germany still retained any doubts as
to Mr. Wilson's absolute firmness his
determination to stand to the posi-
ton which the American government
has taken regardless of conse-
| quences, those doubts should now be
dissolved once and for all. The fact
that rather than weaken in this mat
ter the President has been ready to
part company with his chief cabinet
officer, the man who had more to do
than any other with his nomination
for the Presidency, is conclusive.
In this there is hope. From the
moment that Ger Iany initiated her
submarine campaign to the present
hour there has been but one possi-
bility OF avoiding clash between
Germany and the United States as a
result of acts growing out of that
campaign. All depended upon whe-
| ther or not Germany should realize
! that to maintain friendly relations
with this country she must respect
our rights upon the seas. If Ger
many should be Indifferent about in
curing our enmity, or if Germany
were persuaded that the United
States would manifest no resentment
| except in words, whatever she might
do, it has been certain from the first
that sooner or later something would
be done which would inflame the
wrath of the American people be-
yond control.
President Wilson has seen this
clearly and has spoken and acted ac-
cordingly. Mr.. Bryan has failed to
see it. The utter futility of the DO
sition which he has assumed in con-
sequence it pitiful. Mr.. Bryan is
not the only lover of peace in Amer
lea. The President is not less de
voted TO its ideals. Mr. Bryan is
not alone in his desire to avoid war.
What man in his senses wishes 9TH
erwise But war is not to be es-
capped through tame submission to
unwarranted acts Of aggression.
Peace is not to be purchased through
surrender. BY no possibility could
such a policy relieve the people Of
the United States from the humiliat-
ing and dangerous position which
they now occupy It's effects, in
deed would unquestionably be Just
the reverse.
Let no one be misled, then, into
thinking that Mr.. Wilson stands for
war while Mr.. Bryan stands for
peace. The country may be thor