The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-07-01

would be enhanced by war OF coH-
nuest in Mexico Do you think that
any act Of violence by powerlui Nd
ton like this against weak anu uc-
structiye neighbor would reflect CHS,
tlnction upon the annals OF the Unlleo
Statesn
do YOU think it. Is our duty 10
carry self-defense 10 point or olcta,
lion into the affairs Of another people:
The ideals of America are "rltlen
plain upon every page Of American
history.
Gets Many Letters.
81 get a great many letters, my tel-
lowcitizens, from important and 1nhu-
entail men in this country; but | get
a great many other letters. l get .ies-
tiers from unknown men, from huInole
women, from people whose nauleS
have never been heard, and never VIII
be recorded, and there IS out Que
prayer in all those letters; MT
President, do not allow ANYBODY 10
persuade you that the people OF luis
country want war with anybody
~ got off train, and as | was DIG
ding goodbye to the engineer, ne sdIu
in an undertone, Keep GU: OF MeNlto.
And if one man has said that 10 me,
thousand nave Sdlu IL w AiS "S A
moved about the country.
III l have opportunity. TO engage
them further in conversation tneS say
OF course We know that you cahnoe
govern the circumstances Of the case
eltocetber. and it may be necessary,
hut for Gods sake do not do 1t unless
i is necessary | am for the time BE-
ing the spokesman Of such people,
gentlemen. have not read history
Without observing that the greatest
forces In the world, and the only per
manent forces are the moral forces.
We have the evidence Of very compe'
tent witness, namely, the trst Nalo-
leon, who said that as he looked PACK
in the last days OF his life upon so
much as he knew of human history,
he had 10 record the judgment that
force had never accomplished any
thing that was permanent.
Force will not accomplish anything
that is permanent, | venture TO say IN
the great struggle which is going on on
the other side. The permanent thlngs
will be accomplished afterWard ~hen
the opinion of mankind Is brought 10
bear upon the issues, and the only
thing that will hold the world steady is
this same silent, inSlstent, al-po"er-
full opinion Of mankind.
Force responds to Opinion.
Force can sometimes hold things
steady until opinion has time to form,
but no force that was ever exerteo
except in response TO that opinion was
ever conquering and predominant
force.
II think the sentence in American
history that l myself am proudest or
is that in the Introductory sentences
CT the declaration Of independence,
where the writers say that. 8 due re-
spect for the opinion Of mankind de-
mands that they state the reasons Tor
what they are about to do. | venture
10 say that a decent respect for the
opinions Of mankind demanded, that
those who started the present Euro |
pean war should have stated their real,
sons, but they did not pay any heed 10 |
the opinion of mankind, and the reck-
oning will come when the settlement
comes.
$50, gentlemen. AM willing. no mat
ter what my personal fortunes may
be, to play for the verdict Of mankind. |
Personally 1t will be a matter OF indif- |
ference to me what the verdict on the
7th OF November ~ provided ! feel
any degree of confidence that when a J
later jury sits ! shall get their judg. |
ment in my favor. Not my favor per
sonally - what difference does that
make but in my favor as an honest
and conscientious spokesman OF a |
great nation"