Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-01

keep out Of Mexico, and if one man
has said that to me thousand have
said it TO me as | have moved about
the country.
If | have opportunity to engage
them further in conversation they say.
OF course. we know you cannot gov
ern the circumstances of the case al.
together. and II may be necessary. blu,
for Gods sake do not do it unless II
is necessary.
II am for the time being spokes.
man of such people. gentlemen. ]
have not read history without observ.
ing that the greatest forces in the
world and the only permanent forces
are the moral forces
Force Will not accomplish anything
that is permanent, | venture TO saw
in the great struggle which is going on
on the other side of the sea. The per-
manent things will be ACCOMPLISHED
afterward. when the opinion of man.
kind is brought to bear upon the issues.
and the only thing that will hold the
world steady is this same silent. in.
Sistent all-powcrful opinion of man.
kind.
Force can sometimes hold things
until opinion has time to form blu,
no force that was ever eXerted eXcept
IN response TO that opinion, was ever
"A ronquering and predominant force
i think the sentence in American
history that myself am proudest of
is that in the Introductory sentences
of the Declaration of independence
where the writers say that a due re-
spect for the opinion Of mankind de-
mands that they state the rea sons for
what they are about 70 do. venture
to say that a decent respect for the
opinion Of mankind demanded that
those who started the present Euro
pean war should have stated their
RI
to the opinion OF mankind, and the
reckoning will come when the settle
ment comes
WILLING TO PLAY
FOR VERDICT OF MANKIND
SO, gentlemen. ] am willing, no mat
ter what my personal fortunes NAV be,
TO play for the verdict of mankind
Personally, IL Will be a matter of in
diHerence 10 me what the verdict on
the 'th Of November is. provided l
feel any degree OF confidence that when
a later jury sits shall get their juds-
mcnt in my favor. not my favor per-
sonally--what difference does that
make?-hnt in my favor as an honest
and conscientious spok esman of n great
national conscience
There are some gentlemen who are
under the delus.on tl.nt the power OF
a nation comes from The top 1t does
not. II comes tom the bottom"
The power and virtue of the tree
10 not come from the blossoms and
the fruit Down at the roots in
the obscure passages of the earth
the power is derived which displays
itself in the blossom and fruit: and
| know that among the silent. speech
less masses OF the American people is
slowly coming up the great sap of
moral purpose and love of Justice and
reverence for humanity which consti-
tutes the only virtue and distinction
OF the American people.
Look for your rulers of the future
Can YOU pick ont the families that are
going TO produce them? Can you pick
ont the localities that are going TO
produce them? You have heard what
was Just said about Abraham Lincoln
II Is singular how touching every
reference 10 Abraham Lincoln is. It
always makes YOU feel that You wish
YOU had been there to help him in
some fashion 10 fight the battles that
he was fighting. sometimes almost
alone.
Could YOU have predicted If YOU had
seen Abraham Lincoln's birth and bow
hood where that great ruler of the
world was going to spring from?
have presided over n university. but
, never deceived myself by supposing
that ny university processes YOU were
producing the ruling forces of the
world.