The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1916-06-16
PRESIDENT
PARAMOUNT issue
n..oratic Keynote Sounded by
ramuorary Chairman Glynn.
oerfNps NEUTRALITY POLICY
....,..s Defense Preparedness and
r,,t, M~llitarisn eugahoo-Dis-
....ss Domestic Policies and
Eulooizes Mr.. Wilson.

suIogizes Mr.. Wilson.
!. rou,s. Mo-, June 14.--Following
condensed version Of the address
..n,srsd at the opening Of the Demo
~ national convention today BY
s.rro,ary Chairman Martin H.
a,.nn former governor Of New York.
nsrtlemen of the Convention: The
nsmocratic party. in this convention
.s..mblsd, meets to perform q duty,
-, 10 Itself but to the nation.
Wa have entered this hall as Demo-
.,.,s. We shall deliberate and act here
u Americans.
n in this great crisis that acv con-
hcnts the nation, the American people
Altar. their apostasy will be visited
,,or the descendants Of their chill
irsuls children.
Disregarding the divisions that make
ana man a Tory and another a Wing,
ana man a Republican and another a
namocrat, Americans will cast aside
ns tnsel Of party emblems.
From the great, pulsing heart Of the
ution will come a patriot command
h crush partisanship and rebuke what
ger Is mean or blind.
And when. a century from now,
Americas children come to read our
history, we pray God that the history
re- are about to make may prove an
inspiration to their loyalty.
In the attainment Of this hope, the
,terancs of this prayer we who gather
here today have a responsibility that
pbers our emotions as 1t strengthens
our resolutions.
For two years the world has been
lare, That fire still burns, but thus
hr the United States has held the
dame at bay.
Must Support Principles.
What the people OF the United
States must determine through their
suffrage is whether the principles that
have been asserted as our national pol.
Icy shall be Endorsed or withdrawn.
This is the paramount issue.
For 200 years neutrality was a the
Dry; America made 1t a fact. To win
bis priceless right Of neutrality this
nation had to undergo a long and pain
iul struggle.
Where is the American hardy enough
10 challenge a policy SO firmly fixed
b the nations traditions?
The president Of the United States
stands today where stood the men who
made America and who saved Amer.
lea and made American neutrality q
national creed.
II Washington was right, II Jeifer.
son was right, II Hamilton was right,
II Lincoln raj right, then the presi-
dent Of the United States is right
today; Il the Republican leaders are
right then Lincoln was wrong and
Jefferson was wrong and Hamilton
was wrong and Washington was
wrong.
In all the history Of the world
there Is no other national policy that
has Justified itself so completely and
entirely as the American policy of
neutrality and isolation from the quar-.
fsls Of European powers.
Neutral Rights Asserted.
No American who knows the facts
can honestly oppose or criticise the
policy Of neutrality which the present
Democratic administration has pur-
sued.
Americas doctrine Of neutrality
never meant that this nation must
iush headlong into war at the first
INVASION Of its neutral rights. This
0oes not mean that America will not
resort to war when all other means
o. protecting Its neutral rights have
mled, but 1t does mean that America
Wl exhaust every peaceful means Of
protecting those rights before it takes
sae step from which there ia no ap-
peal.
me issue, raised by our opponents,
u inc yigor with which our neutral.
W mas been enforced Is q compare.
i've Issue which ian be decided only
" comparative results.
when Grant was president, during
Y, ne var between Spain and the Span
u west Indies, q Spanish gunboat
.sl1ed the vessel virginius flying the
flag and a Spanish com,
in cold blood shot the cap
ala OF the Virginius, SO Of the crew
lua 10 Of the passengers.
nut we didn't 60 to war. Grant
ny our troubles by negotiation.
waen Benjamin Harrison was
resident the people Of Chill con-
a violent dislike to the United
nases. One Junior ofncer from the
an ' states warship Baltimore was
aasa outright in the streets OF Val.
.saiso and Is Of our sailors wound.
oat we didn't go to war. Harrison
'lea our troubles by negotiation.
More Historical Facts.
"nen Lincoln was president this
rights we're violated on ev.
Y SIDE, England, Russia, France
- spain were guilty Of fragrant VIC.
out We didn't 60 to a Lincoln
un our troubles by negotiation.
l-, saen Fierce was president the
h minister in this country and
,.,,. u nis consuls violated our neu
- curing the Crimean war. We
\" eaese representatives Of Great
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