Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-19

would have the general support Of the
country. Summing up what he be-
licved tn be the view OF the American
people on the present situation. he said:
%Thcy want peace. but not peace at
any price. They want peace with
honor. the sort Of peace that Disraeli
tho most brilliant EnElishman since
Lord Byron--boastcd that he took
! home with Him from tho congress- OF
Berlin peace with honor
While peace la thc normal condition
! OF Americans. ana while they lovo It
most fondly and pray for it constantly,
they believe thoroughly that there ar.
things worth lighting for--.a belief
which they hav. demonstrated with
guns in their hands on all proper occ;,-
sions. They arc sure, If needs be. To
do so again. They believe that the
Revolutionary War and the War of
! 1872 were. on our parts. just and neccs-
sarv wars
They do not intend TO nee this coun-
! try turned into AN armed camp They
are unaltcrably opposed. always have
been and forever Will be until the re-
! public is on It's last legs. TO a large
standing army, because. while we have
never had Il big standing army here,
they know full we'll that In other coun-
| the instruments OF dcspotism
They are not willing to bankrupt
tho country in military and naval
preparations. Thcv arc. however. will
! Ing TO spend all that Is necessary for
the public defense
They almost TO a man ar,ains.
conscription in times of peace, but they
arc for i: should II become necessary
! in times OF war.
NO AMBITION TO POSE AZ
GREAT MILITARY POWER
I They have no desire or ambition TO
have our country pose as "a great mill
! tarE power. and they have no inten-
ton OF seeing 1t as helpless as China.
! These hard-hcadcd Americans be-
I iierc profoundly In the philosophy
I that an ounce of prevention is worth
pound Of cure They are against q
war OF aggression, but they Will ny
TO arms any day in a war for defensc
They do not covet their neighbours
lands and they do not intend that n
/ foreign foe shall set foot on the sacred
soil of the American republic.
They know that the navy consti
iutes the frs, line OF defense. and that
( II has proved "a very valuable helm I'm
every time Of trouble They know
mat coast fortifications constitute the
second line OF defense. and that OBJ
servation Of the war across the sea
proves that battleships cannot better
down weil-constructed land defenses
They know that regulars, with such
other troops as We c"n put into the
( field. constitute our third and last line
! Of dcfersc
In view Of All these facts. beliefs,
observations and desires. the average
American IL In favor OF reasonable and
adequate preparation by land and sea
not for the purpose of attacking any
nation on earth. for he believes with
Thomas Jefferson in peace. commerce
and honest friendship with all nations
entangling alliances with none
WANT TO HE ABLE
TO REPEL ANY Alta OK
/ What ne wants with reasonable and
adequate armament by land and sea is
to repel attack OF all! and every ma
! ton under the sun. should any nation
be so unwise as TO attack us. While
he Is not eager TO pay taxes, he is
willing TO foot the bills for reason
able and adequate preparedness. He
VIII consider the Hay bill reasonable
and adequate for our land forces.
~ great many people, am not
Q
Amcricans--a great many people here
at home sadly nisjudgc our national
character We are constantly told that
this IS the most pcaccable nation be-
meath the stars. While wc are the
most pcaceablc nation in the world.
w" ate, At the same kline, the mos,
! martial The proof OF that seeming
paradox is that ia Apiil. lSGl. there
were not 20,cnC soia.,. N America.
while in April. SIS. the continent
'rembled beneath the iron heel Of
100000 of the finest soldiers the sun
ever looked down upon, some in blue
and some in gray. SO it Will be again.
should the occasion arisc-whIch God
forbid. We were 100000 strong
then; we number 1eo000.300 now"
! CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS
BEGINS IMM.:DIATEIN-
| Consideration of amendments began
! Immediately on the close of debate.
| The only change made to-day was TO