Goldsboro weekly argus., 1915-11-11

IuaC SCanQaFO Is because we QaQ IL
in this country a hundred years ago.
When that standard was supported by
public sentiment men were compelled
to fight duels even when they did not
believe in the practice; they were
branded as towards if they declined.
The case of Alexander Hamilton is an
illustration in point. While I prefer
the ideas of Jefferson to the ideas Of
Hamilton, I recognize, as all must,
that Hamilton was one of the heroic
fought a duel and fell, and the last
thing he did before he left home for
the fatal field was to prepare a state
ment which he left to posterity, saving
that he did not believe in the practice,
but that he felt it necessary to con-
form to the custom in order to be use
full in crises which he thought he saw
approaching. The due1ist standard of
honor was this: If a man had wife
and she needed him, he had no right
to think of his wife; if he had chill
dren and they needed him, he had no
right to think of his children; if his
country needed him, he had no right
to think of his country. The only
thing he could think of was that he
must kill somebody or be killed by
somebody. According to the duelist's
standard of honor, it was more hon
ofab1e for d man to throw his wife and
children upon the care of commun-
ity than to allow what he called an
insult to go uncha1lenged. 1t required
moral courage on the part of many to
effect the change which has been
wrought on this subject, but the
! change has come and we not only have
a law against dueling in every State
in the Union, but we now call the
man a coward who sends the chal-
/ ienge, not the man who declines it.
t About fifty years ago great states
man Of Georgia received a challenge
from another statesman of that State.
/ Had the challenge been received a
century ago instead of half century
the one who received it would hardly
have dared to decline. But change
. was taking place and the challenge
:. was declined in an answer that has
!; become a part Of history. The chai-
, lenged party said: "No. I have a
family to take care of and a soul to
save and, as you have neither, we
! would not fight on equal terms,
Therefore, I will not fight" No naticn
is challenging US; no nation is trying
to draw us into war with itself. But
) if, in moment Of excitement, one OF
the madmen of Europe were to chal-
! lenge US, I think we would be justifie
? in answering in the spirit of the
: answer of that Georgia statesman
: dred millions of people to guard and
. priceless ideals to preserve, and we
: will not get down and wallow with
4 you in the mire of human blood, JUS
/ to conform to false standard of hon
4 orr
e Do not allow yourselves to be de
t ceived or misled as to the real issue
J. The question is not whether this IA
4 ton would defend itself if attacked
v We have potential power of defens'
5 such as no other nation has ever had
and other nations know it. There i
If no donger that an attack would b.
Il resisted, and we would not depen'
0 upon the jingoes. They would be to-
n busy making army contracts and loan
II ing money at high rates of interest t
J. reach the front. If we ever have
Il war, we will depend, as in the pas
d upon those who work when the coun
le try needs workers and fight only whe
if the country needs fighters.
IS The question, repeat, is not wheth
tx er we would be willing or able to dc
re fend ouselves if attacked. The res
IS question is whether we shall adoI
lie build our hope of safety upon pre-
r; arations which can not be made will
ce out substituting for the peaceful spir
is of our people the spirit of the mil
ry tarist and the swagger of the bull
is The spirit that leads nations to p,
re tnS1T ldlIu III puySIcdl lOrC0 Is u
la spirit that leads people into war.
p, is the spirit that expresses itself !
of threats and revels in the ultimatum.
e. II you would know what the da1
p gers of preparedness will be if pr
st paredness becomes national poll.
Id and is administered by those who a.
VI. leading in this crusade, just imagil
up what the situation would be tod:
ck with so many opportunities to get in
We trouble, if we had in the White Hou
rd a jingo with the duelist's standard
he Ehonor and anxious for fight. Y
re have reason to be grateful that j,
a have as President man who Low
to peace and is trying to find a peacef
Ia solution of all the problems that CO
front US.
va / ask you next to remember that
n. is an expensive thing to prepare