The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-01-20
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peoples: We have lived SO long 8
this peaceful country; we have grown
Irich, extrayagant and absorbed in on,
domestic affairs; we. have forgotten
how we gained our independence and
cemented the Union. In the LIGHT q
these events, we as a people would be
criminally negligent if we were not ia
make reasonable preparations to de.
fend our institutions, our homes and
our country. ! do not mean by this
that we should substitute for popular
representative government military
oligarchy, but do mean that we
should be possessed of the means and
the spirit Of defense. We should Law
the foundations for the protection Of
the country; it is the surest way to
insure the preservation Of our insti-
buttons, and to secure. an honorable
peace. A nation not worth this sacri-
flee is not worth preserving.
shall not, attempt here to discuss
the details Of military preparedness.
This requires the opinion of experts in
the war department and navy depart
ment, and careful consideration Of
the whole field; but it may be profit
able to state some general principles.
We owe duty to protect American
citizens upon the high seas and in for
elgn countries; a duty the failure to
perform which no mere material adj
vantage can excuse. We have for
eign commerce which markets millions
OF dollars of our farm and manufac-
tured products, which is entitled to the
freedom of the seas, and which is
bringing employment and livelihood
to millions of our citizens. Lastly, we
have our homes, schools and institu-
lions of government to defend against
the ambitions, aggressions and pas
sions of other nations. These are du-
ties which no people can neglect and
for the performance Of which we must
answer at the bar Of history. We are
forcibly reminded of these duties bv
the conditions in Mexico to-day. I
shall not discuss this subject from a
partisan standpoint, for, whatever may.
be my feelings on the Subject, this is
neither an appropriate occasion nor
time for such a discussion. For more
than q quarter Of century American
citizens have been settling in Mexico,
developing its industries and investing
in enterprises in that country. Amer
lean enterprise and American capital
have added millions to the wealth, and
much to the prosperity Of the Mexi-
can republic. These American citi-
zens went to Mexico, not only with the
free will Of their own government, hut
upon the invitation and implied guar
antee of protection by the Mexican
government. For nearly five years a
condition of anarchy has existed in
that unhappy country American
lives have been sacrificed by the score,
American women outraged, and mill
lions of American property destroyed.
Conditions have. grown steadily
worse, until this last browning act of |
brigandage. We have turned a deaf
ear to the cries of American men, wo-
men and children for help; we have
denied them the protection other coun-
tries would have given but for the
world war. We have been tolerant,
almost to the verge of indifference. Is
it any wonder that the rowing, plumber
ing brigands, who call themselves gen
erals, defy our authority and laugh at
our protests?
There are duties to the world which
nations owe that cannot be ignored
without dishonor. We undertook the
Spanish American war for the protec-
tion of American citizens, and in the
interest Of humanity and good gov
eminent. We gave the peoples Of those
unhappy islands an honest, efficient |
government; we lifted them out Of the
slough Of disorder and anarchy.
There are those who, looking upon
our. acquisition Of the Philippines from
a purely material standpoint, shake
their heads and say we made a bad
bargain. We made no bargain at all.
We took the distracted, oppressed,
half-civilized peoples and gave them a |
government and schools, established
and thrift, reduced disease,
and are slowly building a nation,-a
far nobler task than would be merely |
exploiting their natural resources.
This was necessary in the Philippines;
they could not govern themselves; we
could not undertake their deliverance
and leave them where they were. We
could not honorably turn them over to
another country, and we have no right
now to abandon them and leave Thorn |