Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-20
MIR. ROOTS SPEECH


Root Saturday night before the
New York State Bar Association
deserved wider publicity than it has
received. Doubtless this was due to
the fact that it was made at late
hour and was eXtemporaneous Be-
yond question, it was one of the great
est efforts of the noted speakers dis
tinguished career. 1t covered a broad
range of subjects, varying from his
own early experiences in the law to
the wide field of world affairs with
which Mr.. Root has had so much to
do in recent years. The address teens
with sane and wholesome advice for
the nation at large and is so full of
meat that it is difficult to extract here
and there one theme more important
than another, but his thoughts con-
cerning preparedness are so timely
and so vital that they ought to be read
by every American.
Preparedness" means more than
mere armed force, in the opinion Of
Mr.. Root, who brought his hearers to
their feet with cheers when he said:
We must be prepared to defend
our individual liberty in two ways.
We must be prepared to do ii first
by force of arms against all eNter-
nal aggression. God knows I love
peace and l despise all foolish and
wicked wars, but do not wish for
dishonor or injustice or poltroonery.
| want to see in my country the
spirit that beat in the breasts of
the men at Concord Bridge, who
were Just and God fearing men,
but who were ready to fight for
their liberty. And If the, hundred
million people of America have that
spirit and it is made manifest they
won't have to fight.
But there is another way in
fend it, and this is necessary to the o
first: We must be prepared to de-
fend it within as against all indif-
ference, and false doctrine. against
all Willingness to submit individual
independence to the control of prac-
tical tyranny, whether it be of
monarch or majority.
Now there are certain circum-
stances which tend toward weaken
ing the allegiance of the American
people to the fundamental princi-
pies upon which the law of America
is based. One of them is that the
changes in conditions have re-
quired and are constantly requiring
mental regulation and control in
order to prevent injustice; and we
naturally turn in the creation of
these new and necessary regula-
tions to those governments which
have been most efficient in regula-
tion, and those are the governments
which sacrifice Individual liberty
for the purpose of regulating the
conduct of men; and so the ten
dency is away from the old .Ameri
can principles toward the principles
OF bureaucratic and governmental
control over individual life: a dan
gerous road for free people to
travel. to attain necessary results,
and the danger is that in alta ininS
those results the true principles OF
liberty be lost sight of.
Another circumstance which we
ought not to lose sight of Is the fact
that vast number of people have
come to the United States within
very recent times from those coun-
tries OF Europe which difTer SO
tions of law and personal freedom
from ourselves.
Back of any plan of prepared
ness" must stand the spirit of the
people, brave, Outstanding and ready
for any sacrifice; ready to combat foe.
within as well as without. Mr.. Roo
has expressed most admirably the
thought that has been in the minds
| of those who have given the future
of the nation earnest and patriot,
consideration. More than ever h,
stands before the people as wis'
and experienced statesman, n saf'
counsellor and a patriotic champion
of the republic.
Tonight is the night, and the bis
Chestnut Street Auditorium is tn,
place. The big Charity Ball will fur