Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1916-08-02

firm American policy would have
been strongly supported by our peo-
pie, and the opportunities Of the
development of bitter feeling would
have been vastly reduced.
ct is a great mistake to say that
| resolutions in protecting American
rights would have led to war. Rather,
in that course lay the best assurance
of peace. Weakness and indecision in
the maintenance of known rights are
| always sources of grave danger. They
| forfeit respect and invite serious
wrongs, which in turn create an un-
| controllable popular resentment. That
| is not the path of national security
Not only have we host of resources
short of war by which to enforce our
| just demands, but we shall never pro-
mote our peace by being stronger in
! words than in deeds. We should not
have found it difficult to maintain
peace, but we should have maintained
peace with honor. During this critical
period, the only danger of war has
lain in the weak course of the adj
ministration.
"The nation had no Interior pur-
poses,' he said, land we denounce all
plots and conspiracies in the interest
of any foreign nation. Utterly intol-
cradle is the use of our soil for alien
intrigues."
Referring to preparedness, Mr..
Hughes said: 1--WE are peace-loving
people, but we live in world of arms.
We have no thought of aggression and
we desire to preserve our democratic
ideals without the wastes of strife. So
devoted are we to these ideals, so in
tent upon our normal development,
that / do not believe that there is the
slightest danger of militarism in this
country Adequate preparedness is not
militarism. 1t is essential assurance
of security; it is a necessary safeguard
of peace.
at is apparent that we are shock
ingly unprepared. There is no room
for controversy on this point since
the object lesson on the Mexican
border. All our available regular
Il
there or in Mexico, and as these have
been deemed insufficient, the entire
national guard has been ordered out
that is, we are summoning practically
al our movable military forces in order
to prevent bandit incursions. In view
of the warnings of the past three years
it is inexcusable that we should find
ourselves in this plight.
1--WE demand adequate national de-
tense; adequate protection on both our
western and eastern coasts. We de-
mand thoroughness and efficiency in
both arms of the services. 1t seems
to be plain that our regular army is
too small l believe further that there
. should be not only a reasonable in.
crease in the regular army, but thai
the first citizen reserve subject to cal
, should be enlisted as federal army
, and trained under federal authority
, In our proposals there is, l repeat, nc
! militarism. There is simply insistence
upon common sense in providing rea-
sonable measures of security and
avoiding the periils of neglect We must
, have the strength of self respect, a
strength which contains no threat but
) assures our defense, safeguards ouI
rights and conserves our peace"
Mr.. Hughes declared that the coun-
try is deeply interested in the organ
ization of peace. New conditions
which it must meet would follow the
end of the war;
1--WE are undisciplined, defective In
! organization, loosely knit, industrially
unprepared Our opponents promised
to reduce the cost of living. This they
have failed to do, but they did reduce
the opportunities of making a living
Let us not forget the conditions that
F existed in this country under the new
tariff prior to the outbreak of the war
Production had decreased, business
was languishing, new enterprises were
I not undertaken; instead of expansion
there was Curtailment and our streets
were filled with the unemployed II
was estimated that in the city of New
York over 100000 were out of work
ut is plain that we must-have pro-
tective, upbuilding policies. 1t is idle
, to look for relief to the democratic
party which as late as 1912, declared
in its platform, that it was a funda-
mental principle of the democratic
party that the federal government un-
der the constitution had no right OF
power to impose or collect tariff du.
ties except for the purpose of reve-
nue. We are told in its present plat
. form that there have been 'momentous
changes in the past two years, and
hence repudiating its former attitude
the democratic party now declares fol
"a non-partisan tariff commission
"The republican party stands for the
principle of protection. We must ap.
ply that principle fairly, without
abuses, in as scientific manner as
! possible, and congress should be aided
, by the Investigations of an expert body
, We stand for the safeguarding of oul
, economic independence for the devel
/ opment of American industry, for the
, maintenance of American standards O
living. We propose that in competi
: tive struggle that is about to come thu