Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-09-15

DOnSlOle position IN washington. Inc |
letter is part of a private letter to the |
writer's aunt, Mrs. T. R. Spalding of
Brooksyille:
- AS to the political situation,
those who are criticising President
Wilson simply do not understand the
situations which have confronted him.
Wilson has been and is one of the
greatest presidents this country has
ever had. He has adopted course
toward Mexico calculated to produce
maxim of good results which could
be accomplished by any other means
than war. He has done everything
that he could short of declaration of
war on Mexico to improve conditions
in that distracted country and along
the American border. Of course if
anyone wants war with Mexico, then
President Wilson has failed in the
opinion of militant individuals of this
sort, but how any sensible person can
favor war by the United States upon
that poor, distracted country do not
understand. Such a war would not
only produce no good results but it
would ALLEVIATE the good will and CO.
operation of all of the Pan-American
countries.
As to the Presidents German
policy, here again we find that he has
done everything he could short of in
volVing this country in European
war. If there is any American policy
which is absolutely fixed in our institu-
tions, it is that we shall not become
involved in qusrrels with European
nations. The present great wsr is
nothing more or less than a resort to
arms to settle European disputes. No
American question was involved or is
now involved. This war is the result
of European diplomacy or lack of
diplomacy and of European fears and
ambitions. If we became involved in
this war it would mean the loss of tens
or hundreds of thousands Of American
lives and billions of dollars of Ameri-
can property and when the war was
over we would find nothing was ac-
complished except that we had earned
the undying hatred of that nation
against which we had waged war. Of
course there are certain American
rights which must be asserted and it is
also true that situation could arise
which would necessarily involve US in
this war but nothing of that sort has
yet arisen and, | hope, will not arise
There are two methods of settling
international disputes, viz, ~ by
diplomacy and (2) by war. AS to
which is the better of these two
methods, think there can be no
doubt in the mind of the average intel
Iiget American and | thinb that the
~ 41olopoan war IS q very sad
example of the result of trying to set
tie international quarrels by war Who
can doubt that if the nations of Europe
could have foreseen and could have
felt everything that the war has pro-
duced they would have pursued a diff
ferent course? AS it is, a generation
OF the best men, mostly young men,
of all of the bellIgerent countries have
been and are being destroyed and
every one of these nations is being
bankrupted. A mortgage is being
placed not only on the present genera
ton but on the future generations and
all to no purpose because nothing will
be accomplished by this war except
what would have been better accom-
plished by peaceful methods, viz,
such methods as President Wilson has
used in dealing with other nations.
AS to what the result of the present
political contest will be no one can
foretell. Practically all of the Ger
man-American vote will be against the
president simply because he has as
serted American rights against Ger
many. There is also an element of the
Irish-Amercans against the president
because he has not induced congress to
declare war on England for the benefit
of Ireland. Although the Mexican
question is very much discussed do
not think it will cut much figure one
way or the other in the important
states such as New York and Indiana.
AS to the suffrage question, Presi-
dent Wilson has his own ideas. He be-
lieVes in and votes for suffrage him
self but he thinks that this is a ques-
ton to be settled by the various states.
In this position he is supported by
practically all of the prominent south
erners here in Washington. Southern
ers as q rule do not want suffrage be-
cause it opens the door for the vote of
the negro women. We do not want it
in Kentucky because the result there
would be the negro women would all
vote and the better class of white wo-
men would not mingle with them,and
stand in line at the polls and vote with
them. If lived in New York or Mas
sachusetts where there are practically