The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-06-16

war, like Pontius lIlate vainly washes
his hands of innocent blood while the
earth quakes and the heavens are dark
ened and thousands give up the
ghost"
Republican Party False to Its Trad.
tons.
Speaking of the opposition to the
presidents peace policy, the speaker
continued:
"By opposing what we stand for to.
day the Republican party opposes what
Hamilton stood for century ago. The
founder of the Republican party and
the founder of the Democrr tic party,
placing their counuy's happiness above
every other consideration, forgot par
tisanship and made American neutral.
ity national creed. We who follow
Jefferson stand where Jefferson stood.
but we look in vain for sign from the
present leaders Of the Republican par
ty to show that they follow where
Hamilton led Where Hamilton coun.
seled moderation they denounce It.
Where Hamilton thought only of coun.
try they think only of self. Where
Hamilton placed patriotism above par.
tisanship they place partisanship
above patriotism. How then do they
dare to speak for the great body of
American citizens who form the rank
and file of the Republican party? DO
these leaders believe that their Repub.
licanism Is better Republicanism than
Hamilton's, their Americanism a purer
Americanism than that of Washington ?
III Washington was right, If Jeffer-
son was right, If Hamilton was right.
II Lincoln was right then the presi.
dent OF the United States is right to.
day. If the Republican leaders are
right then Lincoln was wrong and JEFF
ferson was wrong and Hamilton was
wrong and Washington was wrong"
The justification of our policy of Deu.
trality is expressed by Mr.. Glynn in
these words:
Before this declaration every war
was world war; since this declara
ton nearly every war has been a local
war. Before this declaration war was
a whirlpool, ever increasing in area
and In its whirl dragging down the
nations of the earth; since this dec
laration war has become a sea of trou.
bic upon which nations embark only
from self will, from self interest or the
necessity of geographical position, of
financial obligation or political ALI.
ance.
Neutrality Kept Us at Peace.
Neutrality is the policy which has
kept us at peace while Europe has been
driving the nails of war through the
hands and feet of crucified human
ity.
'The praises of this policy are not
written III the ruins of American
homes, not on the wreck of American
industries, not in the mourning of
American families they are found in
the myriad evidences of prosperity
and plenty that make this a contented
land. From every whirling spindle in
America, from every factory wheel
that turns, from every growing thing
that breathes its prayer of plenty to
the skies from every quiet school, from
every crowded mart, from every peace
full home goes up song of praise, a
paean of thanksgiving to hymn ma
lions tribute to the statesmanship that
has brought these things to pass"
The issue raised by Democracys op,
ponents of the vigor with which our
neutrality has been enforced is dealt
with by the records of history:
when Grant was president, during
the war between Spain and the Span.
ish West Indies, Spanish gunboat
seized the vessel Virginius flying the
American flag and Spanish com.
mandant In cold blood shot the captain
OF the Vlrginius, thirty-six of the crew
and sixteen of the passengers.
But we didn't go TO war. Grant set.
tied our troubles by negotiation just
as the president of the United States
Ia trying 10 do today.
when Harrison was president the
people of Chile conceived violent dis.
Ike to the United States for our In.
Chilean revolution. When this feeling
was at its height one junior officer
from the United States warship Balti-
more was killed outright In the streets
of Valparaiso and sixteen of our sail
ors wounded, of whom one afterward
died.
Negotiation Better Than War.
But we didn't go to war. Harrison
settled our troubles by negotiation just
as the president of the United States
Is trying to do today.
When Lincoln was president this
country's rights were violated on every
side. England, Russia, France and
Spain were guilty of such fragrant VIC
lations that Secretary of State Seward
advanced a plan to go to war with all
OF them at one and the same time.
But we didn't so to war. Lincoln
settled our troubles by negotiation just
as the president is trying to do today.
when Pierce was president the Brit
ish minister In this country and three
OF his counsel violated our neutrality
during the Crlmean war. We gave
these representatives Of Great Britain
their passports and sent them home.
But we didn't go to war. Pierce
settled our troubles by negotiation just
as the president of the United States is