The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-06-16

paean OF Thanksgiving to hymn ma
/, tion's tribute to the craftsmanship that
has brought these things to pass"
The issue raised by Democracy's' op-
ponents of the vigor with which our
neutrality has been enforced is dealt
with by the records. of history:
when Grant was president, during
the war between Spain and the Span
ish West Indies, Spanish gunboat
seized the vessel virginius flying the
American flag and a Spanish com.
mandant in cold blood shot the captain
i of the Virginius, thirty-six of the crew
and sixteen Of the passengers
But we didn't go to war. Grant set
tied our troubles by negotiation just
as the president Of the United States
is trying to do today.
when Harrison was president the
people of Chile conceived violent dis.
like to the United States for our in.
sistence upon neutrality during the
Chilean revolution. When this feeling
was at it's height one junior officer
from the United States warship Balti-
more was killed outright in the streets
of Valparaiso and sixteen of our sail
Ors wounded. of whom one afterward
died.
Negotiation Better Than War.
But we didn't go to war; Harrison
settled our troubles by negotiation just
as the president of the United States
i is trying to do today.
"When Lincoln was president this
country's rights We're violated on every
side, England, Russia, France and
Spain were guilty of such fragrant vio-
lations that Secretary of State Seward
advanced a plan to go to war with all
Of them at one and the same time.
, 'But we didn't go to war. LINCOLN
settled our troubles by negotiation just
rs the president is trying to do today.
when Pierce was president the Brit
ish minister in this country and three
of his counsel violated our neutrality
during the Crimean war. We gave
these Representatives OF Great Britain
their passports and sent them home
But we didn't so to war. Pierce
settled our troubles by negotiation just
! as the president Of the United States is
trying to do today.
when Van Buren, was president a
detachment of Canadian militia, during
the internal troubles in Canada, board
ed the United States ship Carolina in
the American waters Of Niagara river.
killed an American member of the
crew, fred the ship and sent her adrift
over Niagara falls.
But we didn't go to war. Van Blu
rem settled our troubles by negotiation.
just as the president Of the United
States is trying to do today.
when jefferson was president Eng
land seized hundreds of our ships and
Napoleon hundreds more.
"When Adams was president France
preyed upon our commerce. She ex-
tended her seizure, searches and con-
GscatiOns to the very waters of the
United States themselves until she had
piled up in our state department
charges of over 1900 violations Of neu-
trality's law.
But we didn't go to war. Adams
settled our troubles by negotiation. just
as the president of the United States is
trying to do today.
when Washington was president
and, neutrality first declared, war
, convulsed Europe our ships dared not
TO cd
and business depressed. American pas
sengers and American crews were
thrown into prison and deprived of
legal rights.
But we didn't go to war. Washing
ton settled our troubles by negotiation,
just as the president of the United
States is trying to do today"
Advocates of War COMPOUNDED.
In concluding this issue Mr.. Glynn
asks:
do the critics of the present admin
| istration believe that Lincoln should
have risked national disaster by using
the sword rather than the pen in press
| ing the Alabama claims? Are they
willing to brand Grant as a coward
/ because he kept us at peace with
Spain?'
In answer to those who say that
President Wilson's policy does not sat
isfy any one Mr.. Glynn replies: He
means that it does not satisfy those
, who would map out new and untried
course for this nation to pursue. but
they forget it does satisfy those who
believe the United States should live
up to the principles it has professed
fora century and more.