The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-02-01

America, the business of the world
We can not longer be a provincial
nation.
Not That Question.
Let no man dare to say if he
would speak the truth that the ques-
ton of preparation for national de-
fense is a question of war or peace.
If there is one passion more deep
seated in the hearts of our fellow
countrymen than another it is the
passion for peace There is
no desire on the part of any thought
full and conscientious American to take
one foot of territory from another ma
ton in the world And l myself share
to the bottom of my heart that pro-
| found love for peace. l have sought
to maintain peace against very great,
and sometimes very unfair odds, and
l am ready, at any time, to use every
! power that is in me to prevent such
a catastrophe as war coming upon
this country.
$50 that it is not permissible for any
man to say with anxiety that the de-
fense of the nation has the least tinge
in it of desire for power which can be
used to bring on war But, gentle
men, there is something that the Amer
leans love better than they love peace.
They love the principles upon which
their political life is founded
They are ready at any time to fight
for the vindication of their character
and their honor. They will at no
time seek a contest, but they will at
no time cravenly avoid it. Because if
there is one thing that the country
ought to fight for and that every ma
ton ought to fight for it is the in
tegrity of its own convictions. We can
not surrender our convictions. | would
rather surrender territory than sur
render ideals. And because We hold
certain ideals we have thought it was
right We should hold them for others
as we'll as for ourselves.
One Purpose Proved.
America had been willing to fight
for the liberty of others as well as
for it's own liberty The world sneered
when We set out for the liberation Of
Cuba, but the world does not sneer
any longer.
"And, whether by one process Or
another, We have made ourselves in
some sort the champions of free gov
ernment and national sovereignty IN
both continents of this hemisphere.
So that there are certain obligations,
which every american knows, that we
have undertaken. The first and pri-
mary obligation is the maintenance
of the integrity of our own sovereign
| ty. i There is also the main
tenance of our liberty to develop our
political institutions without hindrance
and last of all, there is the determina-
ktion and the obligation to stand as
the strong brother of all those in this
hemisphere who will maintain the
same principles.
"May l venture to insert here a pa
renthesis? Have any of you thought
! of this? We have slowly, very slowly
indeed, begun to win the confidence Of
the other states of the American hem
isphere. If we should go into Mexico
do you know what would happen? All
the sympathy Of the rest of America
would look across the water and not
northward to the great republic which
We profess to represent.
The Real Danger.
"And do you not see the conse-
quences that would ensue in every in
ILternational relationship? Have the
gentlemen who have rushed down to
Washington to insist that We should
go into Mexico reflected upon the pol
itics of the world? Nobody seriously
supposes, gentlemen, that the United
States needs to fear any invasion Of
it's own territory. What America mas
to fear, if she has anything to fear,
are flank movements upon her reg
nant position in the Western hemls-
phere. Are we going to open the gates
or are we going to close them? For
they are the gates to the hearts OF
our American friends to the south OF
US and the gates to the ports within
their spirits and you have won the
only sort of friendship and the only
sort of safety that America covets. . :
But, gentlemen, we must find means
+o.6o tho things which are suitable to