The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-02-02

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competition with the world. The best
brains In the world afraid to match
brains with the rest of the world!
We have preferred to stand behind
pI otecting devices. And now. we are
thrust out to do, on q scale never
dreamed of in recent generations in
America, the business of the world.
We can no longer be a provincial
nation.
Let no man dare to say if he
would speak the truth that the ques-
tion Of preparation for national de-
fcnse Is question Of war or peace.
II there is one passion more deep
seated in the hearts of our fellow
countrymen than another it is the
passion for peace There is no
desire on the part of any thoughtful
and conscientious American to take
one foot of territory from any ma
ton in the world. And I myself
share to the bottom of my heart that
profound love for peace. have
sought to maintain peace against
very great, and sometimes very un-
fair odds, and am ready, at any
time. to use every power that is in
me to prevent such catastrophe as
war coming upon this country.
$50 that 1t is not permissible for
any man to say with anxiety that the
defense Of the nation has the least
tinge in 1T of desire for power which
can be used to bring on war. But,
gentlemen, there is something that
the Americans love better than, they
love peace. They love the principles
upon which their political life is
founded.
They are ready at any time to-
fight for the vindication Of their
character and their honor. .rhey will
at no time seek contest, bat they
will at no time cravenly avoid It.
Because If there Is one thing that
the country ought to fight for and
that every nation ought to fight for,
It is the integrity of its own convic- ::
tions We can not surrender our
/ would rather, surren-
der territoy than surrender ideals.
And because we hold certain ideals
we have thought it was right we
should hold them for others as we'll,
as for ourselves. ta
America had been willing to fight
for the liberty Of others as we'll as'
for Its own liberty. The world sneered
when we set out for the liberation of
Cuba. but the world does not sneer
any longer.
And, whether by one process or
we have made ourselves in
some sort the champions Of free gov
ernment and national sovereignty In
both continents Of this hemisphere
So that there are certain obligations.
which every American knows, that we
have undertaken. The first and pri-
mary obligation Is the maintenance
Of the integrity OF our own SOW.
creignty. There is also thc'
or our liberty to develortl
our political institutions without him
drance. and last of all. there is the
determination and the obligation to
stand as the strong brother of all
those In this hemisphere who will
the same principles.
May venture to insert here a
Have any of you thought
of this? We have slowly, very slowly
indeed, begun to win the confidence
OF the other states of the American
If we should go into
Mexico do you know what would
happen. All the sympathy Of the
rest Of America would look across the
water and not northward to the great
republic which we profess to repre-
sent.
"And do you not see the conse-
quences that would ensue In every in
tcrnational relationship? Have tho
gentlemen who have rushed down to
Washington to insist that we should
so into Mexico reflected upon the pol
itics of the world? Nobody seriously
supposes, gentlemen, that the United
States needs to fear any invasion Of
Its own territory. What America has
to fear, II she has anything to fear.
are flank movements upon her reg
nant position In the Western hemis-
phere. Are we going to open the
gates or are we going to close them