Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-21

BryAnt:s Pond, Me-, April D-Hon.
Bert NJ. Fernald, former governor OF
Maine. and now candidate for the Repub-
lican nomination to the U. s. Senate was
the principal speaker this evening at
meeting Of Oxford county Republicans.
He dealt largely with the tariff and
took the chief products Of the farm for
illustration. He said:
Fellow Citizens:
am aware that any discussion OF pres
ent day issues Of our country is apt to
be mostly concerned with the problems Of
peace ana war. / have no doubt that In
your minds at this moment rise ques-
tions such as these: Shall we make
ready with fleets and army? What shall
we do in Mexico? And are we to be en-
quilted in the great war Of Europe? In
the wise determination Of these issues, in
which the administration of President
Wilson has failed to large degree. as it
seems to me, lie in great measure our
national integrity, safety and self
respect
But it is not my purpose to devote
much time today to these subjects.
Every man feels deeply upon these mat
tiers. and many of us view with alarm
what we believe to be the mistakes of a
y Mexico; the weakness up to this time of
u the foreign policy, SO far as 1t touches
y the murder of our citizens on the high
- SEAS and the duty Of the nation at once,
M without further inconsequential conversa-
g ton in the White House, or futile debate
Ss in Congress-, to prepare for defence
x against possible foreign aggression. That
2 preparation looking to the definition of
a an absolute power to preserve our rights,
~ is one Of the most important of the imme-
= date issues. l believe that our present.
y helpless condition instead of tending to
" peace invites war. l believe that navy
= qualified to command respect. and ar
y, mics equal to our needs can do more TO
= effect arbitration at The Hague or else
where, than all the conventions Of the
3 ages. And !, for one, am not afraid to
- advocate the spending of the money of
r. this nation properly to equip America to
= stand alongside other world powers in
= the next great coming Confederation of
= the World. which shall. we hope, end all
=. wars forever. l believe that this is the
- general attitude of the rank and file of
= the Republican party. 1t was the eX-
= preston of the great Republican con-
4 vention at Portland, which declared for
y complete readiness to meet all contin-
= backed to the limit the appeal and en-
= couraged the hope for saner counsel and
:. wiser policies in the courts of all ma
= tons.
|. Pity the Wilson Mexican Policy.
!. I need not go farther into the general
3 discussion Of the foreign policy of the
= Wilson administration, than to say that
= In my opinion, the Mexican policy of the
9 present administration merits nothing
Y but pity. 1t has been largely a misuse
= Of the executive power of this nation.
? The pulling down Of the strong in an eff
4 fort to set up the weak, and a steady
= progress in bad policy, one mistake after
i. another. until now We are in Mexico
4 with our troops, sacrificing lives for rea-
8 sons which most of our publicists declare
= to be the personal and sordd purposes
ID of American conspirators. can say
nothing more true or more appropriate
ON this point than was recently said in
sSSecathing terms by ex-President, Roose-
= velt or in these words which eX-Secre-
= tary Root said in New York the other
- day: For the death and outrage, the
~ suffering and ruin of our own brethren.
the hatred and contempt for our country
- and the dishonor of our name in that
n land, the administration at Washington
~ shares responsibility with the inhumap
e. brutes with whom it made a common
- cause"
~ But, as 1 have said. it is not my pur-
~ pose to discuss these questions here to-
- day. l can discuss them briefly, so far
@a as any statement of my personal opin-
I ions are concerned, by saying that l was
81 pleased by the platform of the Maine
Fl Republicans at Portland, March %. and
~ am in hearty accord with it, on all these
q issues. It's enunciation of principle in all
= respects were in harmony, as it happened,
n with my own. From the statement of
III position on foreign policies to those upon
- State issues. and particularly in its clear
II and adequate consideration of the at
present somewhat obscure. though none
~ the less important issues Of the tariff, a
non-partisan tariff board, a readjustment
81 Of the tariff, all these were initial de-
- clarations of my own last January, and
vi therefore, will make no apologies for
- asking you to turn aside with me for a
r. moment to consider these subjects. as
SAhey touch US where We live-right here
TN Maine, and in the other New England
states. In brief, l am going to ask your
asrAttention, therefore. while we discuss a
u few things that we all know about; which
y we who own farms and till them, or are
q concerned in allied trades or industries
!, dependent on agriculture, know absolute
I. ~ to be true.
Z An Old Fashioned Subject.
Z have been told that this subject is
Is old-fashioned, that it has been obscured
q by the greater world progress. but l say
4 to you that such observation is but tenn
y porary. This world war will cease The
n world war will cease The trumpets will
: sound recall, and the men from the
~ trenches of Europe will return to the
= farm and the factory. Then, my friends,
: you will see this issue takes its place
8 again, not in your newspapers alone. not
: alone in your policies, but in your dinner
x pals. on your table, in your bank ac-
= count, and in the perplexing problems of
= the solvency or the bankruptcy Of your
( business. No man knows how soon this
: may come. There is need to be ready
|. for It's coming. There is a preparedness
4 for peAce AZ we'll as for war, and If that
! peace means the dumping upon this land
= anew Of all, the products Of farm and