The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1915-11-12

WHICH tuc NuOlt udIQu cdn approve
with rational enthusiasm.
"No thoughtful man feels any panic
haste in this matter. The country is
not threatened from any quarter. She
stands in friendly relations with all
the world. Her resources are known
and her self-respect and her capacity
to care for her own citizens and her
own rights. There is no fear among
us. Under the new world conditions
we have become thoughtful Of the
things which all reasonable men con-
slider necessary for security and self
defence IN the part of every nation
confronted with the great enterprise
of human liberty and independence.
That is all.
as the plan we propose sane and
reasonable and suited to the needs of
the hour? Does it not conform to
the ancient traditions Of America /?
Has any better plan been proposed
than this programme that we now
place before the country? In it there
is no pride Of opinion. 1t represents
the best professional and expert judy
ment of the country. But / am not
so much interested in programmes as
/ am in safeguarding at every cost the
good faith and honor of the country.
If men differ with me in this vital
matter / shall ask them to make it
lear how far and in what way they
IRE interested in making the perman-
ent interests of the country safe
against disturbance.
"In the fulfllment Of the programme
! propose shall ask for the hearty
support of the country, of the rank
and file Of America, Of men of all
shades of political opinion. For my
} position in this important matter is
different from that of the private in
dividual who is free to speak his own
thoughts and to risk his W opinions
? in this matter. We are here dealing
; with things that are vital to the life
of America itself. In doing this
, have tried to purge my heart of all
personal and selfish motives.
4 "For the time being l speak as the
trustee and guardian of a nations
: rights, charged with the duty Of
speaking for that nation in matters
. involving her sovereignty--a nation
q too big and generous to be exactine
and yet courageous enough to defenC
. its rights and the liberties of its PEG.
l pie wherever assailed or invaded.
would not feel that / was discharginp
> the solemn obligation | owe the coun
: try were / not to speak in terms of the
\ deepest solemnity of the urgency anC
! necessity of preparing ourselves tx
guard and protect the rights and priv.
, ileges of u people, our sacred heri
! tage Of the fathers who struggled t
make US an independent nation.
i "The only thing within our own Dor
ders that has given us grave concer1
in recent months has been that voices
l have been raised in America profes
i. sing to be the voices of the American
which were not indeed and in truth
American, but which spoke alien sym
+. pathies, which came from men whC
. loved other countries better than they
loved America, men who were parti
sans Of other causes than that o.
America and had forgotten that theii
chief and only allegiance was to tn,
great Government under which the,
live. These voices have not beer
many, but they have been very louc
and very clamorous. They have pro
ceeded from a few who were bitter
> and who we're g~rievously misled.
America has not opened its doors
4 in vain to men and women out o.
{ other nations. The vast majority o.
J those who have come to take advan
| tage of her hospitality have unitec
c their spirits with hers as we'll as Their
fortunes. These men who speak alier
sympathies are not their spokesmer
but are the spokesman Of small
groups whom it is high time that tn,
e nation should call to a reckoning. Tn.
r chief thing necessary in America il
s order that she should let all the world
t know that she is prepared to main.
a tain her w great position is that tn,
s real voice Of the nation should sount
e forth Enthusiastically and in majestic
$ volume, in the deep unison Of a com.
I mon, unhesitating national feeling
! do not doubt that upon the first &C,
r %casion, upon the first opportunity, up.
S on the first definite challenge. that
e voice will speak forth in tones which
r no man can doubt and with command,
a which no man dare gainsay or resist.
9 Rebuke Unamerican Manifestations.
May not say, while l am speaking
o Of this, that there is another danger
e that we should guard against? We
? should rebuke not only manifesto.
tons Of racial feelings here in Amer.
/. "a, uyha-o 49,