Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-06-14
SENATOR HARDING
SOUNDS KEYNOTE
Address to G. O. P. Convention
by Temporary Chairman.
EARNEST PLEA FOR HARMONY
National Defense, Protective Tariff,
Square Deal for Business and
Straight Amerieanism Set
Forth as Country's Needs.

man OF the Republican national conyen.
ton today sounded the keynote OF the
party's campaign. His address was
In part as follows:
Gentlemen OF the Convention: 1t
is good to greet this representative
body Of that American Republican,
ism on which are centered the high
hopes OF the republic. l can believe
nay, know-thal vast majority of
the people of our United States is ex-
pecting the party sponsors here assem-
bled to write anew the sacred cove
nant of Republicanism, and reconse-
crate the party to the nations service
and the peoples advancement. That
same majority expects you to select a
standard-bearer who shall not only
typify our expression OF faith, but
shall so enlist the confidence and trust
of our American citizenship that the
work OF this convention will be con-
f1rmed Overwhelmingly at the ballot
Sox next November.
The country, wearied afresh by a
disappointing and distressing Demo
cratic administration, is calling for
Republican relief, and there is every
inspiration, every encouragement, ey-
cry confidence that the light of Repub-
hcan conscience, set afame in this
convention, will illumine the way to
the country's restoration.
We did not do very well in making
for harmony the last time we met.
The country has regretted. let us for
get-and make amends to our country
We did not divide over fundamental
principles, we did not disagree over a
national policy. We split over meth
DDS OF party procedure and preferred
personalities. Let US forget the diff
ferences. and find new inspiration and
new compensation in an united en-
deavor to restore the country.
The essential principles of Repub-
hcanism are unchanged and unchang-
ing; the lofty intent, the indestructi-
bic soul and the undying spirit of Re
publicanism are as dominant today as
IN the destined beginning so years
ago, or at any time during the inter
vening years. and they are empha-
sized today by the proof recorded to
Republican credit in the matchless
chapters of American progress.
The World at War.
Much Of the discussion of the hour
is hinged upon a world at war We
need not wonder thereat, because the
enormity of the conflict and the infu-
enees OF its upheaval have set man
kind in upheayal The traditions of
civilization have been broken and in
ternational laws have been ignored.
There is tidal wave of distress and
disaster, there are violent emotions
and magnified fears. There are the
extremes of incalculable sacrifices
and measureless new fortunes-not
all American There are new won
ders and new hindrances in COM
merce, changed balances of trade,
new marvels in fnaGce and utterly
changed economic conditions. These
have attended erharrassments in our
foreign relations as lifficult as those
which the individual citizen expert
ences whose every neigbbor is in
volved in deadly quarrel Everything
is abnormal except the depleted con
dition of the federal treasury, which
is Characteristic of Democratic con-
troll, and the facility of the admins
tration in writing varied notes with
out effective notice.
Amid these conditions has stood
this unarmed giant. typifying the
American republic, neutral and save,
to whom the neutral nations dave
turned for leadership. Our national
unselfishness had been proven, our
devotion to humanity had been es-
tablshed. our committsl to .nterna-
tional justice had long been pro-
claimed. The world had previously
heard the voice OF American fearless
ness, and all the conditions single us
out for leadership among the neutral
powers, but the administration at
Washington spoke with moro rhetoric
than resolution, and we cine to re-
alize what the warning rowers soon
came to know. that tt official Amer
ican voice lacked the volume of de-
termined expression that once de-
manded international heed. and we
lacked the strength of confidence In
our own defenses.
For National Defense.
Perhaps it is a reminder more than
discovery, but there has come to
us a conviction that this great nation,
rich In resources and strong in pa
triotfc manhood, has been negligent
concerning its own defense. We have
dwelt in fancied rather than real Sc
curity. Pride mingles with regret IN
this. because it suggests the mind OF
a nation so free from intended Of
tense that there was no cultivated
thought OF needed defense. Our right
eousness of purpose is portrayed in
our trust in unarmed safety. But
there Is a warning in bleeding Eu-
rope. and there is a call today for pru-
dent. patriotic and ample national de-
tense. There is no mistaking the SEN
timent. We are not thinking of the
historical, we need not be moved by
Mase,rn e. Nnupn Men.