The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-09-05

Ahte utNfiDH
We can no longer indulge our tradi-
tlonal provincialism. We are to play
a leading part in the world drama
whether we wish It or not. We shall
lend, not borrow; act for ourselves,
not initiate or follow: organize and
initiate. not peep about merely to see
where we may get In.
We have already formulated and
agreed upon a policy Of law which will
explicitly remove the ban now suppos-
ed to rest upon cooperation among
our exporters in seeking and securing
their proper place IN the markets OF
the world The field will be free, the
instrumentalities at hand. 1t will only
remain for the masters Of enterprise
among us to act in energetic concert
and for the government Of the United
States to insist upon the maintenance
throughout the world Of those condi-
tons of fairness and of even handed
Justice in the commercial dealings Of
the nations with one another upon
which, after all, in the last analysis
the peace and ordered life Of the world
must ultimately depend.
Ban Unfair Composition.
At home also we must see to it that
the men who plan and develop and di-
rect our business enterprises shall en-.
joy definite and settled conditions of
law, policy accommodated to the
freest progress. We have set the Just
xTn sd oil
kinds Of unfair competition under the
ban and penalty Of the law. We have
barred monopoly. These fatal and ugly
things being excluded, we must now
quicken action and facilitate enterprise
by every just means within our choice.
There will be peace in the business
world and, with peace, revived conf
dence and life.
We ought both to husband and to
develop our natural resources, our
! mines, our forests, our water power.
/ wish we could have made more prog
ress than we have made in this vital
matter and / call once more, with the
deepest earnestness and solicitude,
upon the advocates of a-careful and
provident conservation, on the one
hand. and the advocates Of a free and
inviting field for private capital, on the
other, to get together in a spirit Of
genuine accommodation and agreement
and set this great policy forward at
once.
We must hearten and quicken the
spirit and efficiency of labor through
out our whole industrial system by
everywhere and In all occupations do
! ing Justice to the Iaborer not only by
paying living wage, but also by max
ing all the conditions that surround
labor what they ought TO be. And
we must do more than justice. We
must safeguard life and promote
health and safety in every occupation
In which they are threatened or i'm
periled. That is more than justice,
and better, because it is humanity and
economy
! We must coordinate the railway sys-
| TENS of the country for national use
and must facilitate and promote their
development with view to that CO.
ordination and to their better adapta-
ton as whole to the life and trade
and defense Of the nation. The life
and industry of the country can be
free and unhampered only If these ar
teries are open, efficient and complete.
! Thus shall we stand ready to meet
the future as circumstance and inter-
national policy effect their unfolding,
prhathar cbano,ac corna oil
come fast and without preface
| have not spoken explicitly, gentle.
men, of the platform adopted at st.
Louis, but 1t has been implicit in all
that have said. 1 have sought to in
terpret its spirit and meaning. The
people of the United States do not
need to be assured now that that plat
form is definite pledge, a practical
program. We have proved TO them
that our promises are made to be kept.
Dawn of Greater America.
We hold very definite ideals. We
believe that the energy and initiative
OF our people have been too narrowly
coached and superintended; that they
should be set free. as we have set
them free to disperse themselves
throughout the nation; that they should
not be concentrated in the hands of a
few powerful guides and guardians. as
our opponents have again and again, in
effect if not in purpose, sought to con-
centrate them. We believe, moreover
who that looks about him now with
comprehending eye can fail to believe?
that the day Of little Americanism,
with its narrow horizons, when meth
DDS of protection" and industrial
nursing were the chief study of our
provincial statesmen, are past and gone
and that a day of enterprise has at last
dawned for the United States whose
field is the wide world.
We hope to see the stimulus of that