Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-03
Standing by Ones Country.

IL is. of course, not to be expected that larger
view of the impending national contest is to be
taken by the 100 per cent candidate or the 100
per cent partisan The self-seeking of the one and
the biased blindness of the other stand too stouty
in the way. But the voter who thinks for himself
discarding stenciled dictation and manufactured
sentiment will be affected by other consideration
than the broad patriotic welfare of his nation.
Standing by ones country has magnificent daily
demonstration throughout the warracked nations
OF Europe in the pains their peoples bear the bur
dens they carry and the sacrifices in life and
treasure they make. Standing by ones country is
an ancient virtue but never more honored than
now II will inevitably play decisive part in the
approaching election.
What unreckoning folly it would be, indeed,
for any of the war pressed nations now to throw
over their timetested leaders all the more valua-
bic for their knowledge of what to do accruing to
them from already having done-from their expe-
rience in having met and writhed with conditions
and problems of cataclysmic proportions-and take
on an entirely new set devoid of practical knowl-
edge and offering plan of their own but con-
demning unreservedly everything done by their
predecessors Yet that is what Mr.. Hughes and his
band of 100 per cent denouncers asking the
people of the United States to do. They do not
say Stand by your country in the policies pursued
by it's head, which have resulted in undeniable
peace and prosperity" They say, Stand by us be-
cause we want to get in and after we get in we
shall give you-what? You'll get what you'll get
and you'll see what you'll see. But don't be SO
captious about details These are really irritating
things and amount to nothing compared to our
one great object, which is to get in.
The tree of the Wilson administration has borne
the fruit of peace, planted it has been rock-rm
in the policy neutrality and the preservation of in
ternational law 1t has borne too, the fruit of bust
has ole oh a
gram of social justice pillarng the continuance of
domestic weIl-being The nation under Wilson has
marked the course it will follow in this world up
heavaI 1t is plainly defined and its results have
been blessings. Stand by your country, as led by
Wilson, has therefore the sanction not only of
patriotism but also of the knowledge that the
country under his guidance has been right.
This thought recently had striking illustration
in the statement of Judson Harmon former Demo
cratic governor of Ohio and attorney general of the
United States under Cleveland Said he:
"If there were a Republican president in
the White House, 1 would vote unhestatingly
for his reelection. because these times
perilous that it is the unacceptable patriotic
duty of every American to stand by his gov
eminent. The people of all the nations en-
gagged in the great war are standing by their
governments and it is scarcely less our duty
TO do otherwise . The point is that
II is so necessary to back up the administra-
ton, whether it is Democratic or Republican,
that we must put aside both personal and party
prejudices for the moment"
There is the true expression of the larger out
look on the presidential contest of 1916. 1t is the
view that is swinging the West strongly to the
president and that is adding to his strength daily.
everywhere. This country is not a nation OF
picayunish souls Men of breadth drop trifing diff
ferences in the face of the big problems of their
countrys destiny. Nor in this crisis will they be
swayed from the patriotic call to stand by their
country either by Mr.. Hughes hammer shifting
upon sounding brass the tinl1ling cymbal of Mr..
Roosevelts bombast the busted drum of Sem
ator Lodges postscript canard. Stand by your
country has too firm a hold upon true Americans to
be shaken by the jar of discordant political tom
toms.