The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-16
BRYAN to Advocate
New Diplomacy
ishment from ostracism to execu-
ton"
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch)

dressed "To the American People,
last night asked them to hear him
before they pass sentence on his lay
ing down the portfolio of secretary
in the midst of international stress.
The statement, entitled by the for
mer secretary cas- the real ISSUE" is
as follows:
"To the American People:
"You now have before you the
text of the note to Germany-the
note which it would have been my Of
fetal duty to sign had I remained
secretary of state. I ask you to sit
in Judgment upon my decision to re-
sign rather than to share responsible
ity for it. am sure you will credit
me with honorable motives, but that
is not enough. Good intentions could
not atone for a mistake at such a
time, on such a subject and under
such circumstances. If yorr YER
dict is against me, I ask no mercy;
desire none if I have acted unwiseiy.
A man in public must act according
to his conscience, but however con-
scientiously he acts he must be pre-
pared to ACCEPT wni'out complaint
any condemnation which his own err
rors may bring upon him; he must
be willing to bear any deserved pun
ishment from ostracism to execution.
But hear me before you pass SEN
tence.
"The president and I 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 it, but with equal fer
vor we pray for it, but we differ ir-
reconcilably as to the means of Sc
curing it. If it were merely a per-
sonal difference it would be a matter
of little moment, for all the presump-
tons are on his side-the presump-
tions that 60 with power and authori-
ty. He is your president; 1 am a
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 systems; 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 which
are pre-eminent and antagonistic-
force and persuasion. Force speaks
with irmness and acts through the
ultimatum; persuasion employs ar
gument, courts investigation and de-
ponds upon negotiations. Force rep
resents the old systematic system
that must pass away; persuasion rep
resents the new systematic system
that has been growing, all too slowly,
it is true, but growing for 1900 years
In the old system war is the chief
corner stone-war which, at its best,
is little better than war at it's worst;
the new system contemplates a uni
versal brotherhood established
through the uplifting power of ex-
ample.
eff l correctly interpret the note
to Germany, it conforms to the STAN
dards of the old system rather than
to the rules of the new, and I cheer
fully admit that it is abundantly sup
ported by precedents -precedents
written in characters of blood upon
almost every page of human history.
Austria furnishes the most recent
precedent; it was Austria's firmness
that dictated the ultimatum against
Serbia, which set the world at war.
Every ruler now participating in this
unparalleled conflict has proclaimed
his desire for peace and denied re-
sponsibility for the war, and it is on
ly charitable that we should credit
all of them with good faith. They
desired peace, but they sought it &C.
cording to the rules of the old sys-
tenn. They believed that firmness
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