Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-26
Saturday, February rs, 1916.
The Presidents Letter.


ter Of President Wilson to Senator
Stone. It carries conviction and
breathes true Amencanism. We be-
lieve that in this position the Presi-
dent is right, and that the American
people can and will be brought to stand
loyalty with him in that position.
We do not agree with the President
in many things: we criticize his course
in some directions as we believe it is
our duty to point the right from the
wrong; but when he comes to our po-
sition. We likewise believe it is our duty
to say so. frankly.
In his famous speech at New York.
recently, Elihu Root said that there
can be no such thing as being neutral
between right and wrong, neutral be.
tween justice and injustice, neutral be.
tween humanity and cruelty, neutral
between liberty and oppression"
Is that not the meat of President
Wilson's letter to Senator Stone? Can
the opposition in his own party in
Congress, to the Presidents stand for
the rights of American citizens, cringe
before the brutality of power that is
mad with blood and determination
to sweep all before it? Is that an
American trait? In this we believe the
President stands as an American, head
and shoulders above his party.
Senator Stone, in his letter to the
President, said:
'As much and deeply as I would
hate to radically disagree with you I find
it difficult for my sense of duty and re-
sponsibility to consent to plunge this ma
ton into the vortex of this world war be-
cause of the unreasonable obstinacy of
any of the powers upon the one hand or,
on the other hand. of fool-hardiness,
amounting to a sort of moral treason
against the republic of our people reck-
lessly risking their lives on armed bellig-
erent ships. l cannot escape the convic-
ton that such would be SO mOnStrOuS as
to be indefensible."
We believe that sentence, if no other,
caused rising of the hair upon the
back of President Wilson's neck-does
it not on yours?
above the laws OF nations, that we
should supinely fawn before it. because
it has no love Of law. fear of God or
recognition Of human justice?
Are not our people, of whom Senator
Stone speaks as 'foolhardy" and 'reck-
less" guaranteed their rights by the
1F
guaranteed these rights by the Ameri-
can government up to within a few
months?
Let us ask Senator Stone if he wishes
to go down in history as an American
who advocated acquiescence in the pol
icy of any nation which chooses to fire,
any sort Of merchant ship carrying
passengers?
The President says:
ITO forbid our people to exercise
their rights for fear we might be called
upon to vindicate them would be deep
humiliation indeed. It would be an i'm.
piieit, all but an explicit, acquieseenes
in the violation Of the rights Of man.
kind everywhere and Of whatever ma
ton or allegiance. It should be de-
liberate abdication Of our hitherto
proud position as spokesman even
amidst tho turmoil Of war for the law
and the right. It would make every
thing this government has attempted
and everything that it has achieved
during this terrible struggle Of nations
meaningless and futile"
Would not Theodore Roosevelt have
said as much. months ago? Would
not Elihu Root. as Secretary of State,
have voiced the same Americanism
Would not John Hay or James G.
Blaine have been recorded as stand
ing there?
What can Senator Stone or any
Democratic obstructionist. say to that :?
Can free America afford to accept
single amendment Of right? With
the President, we think not.
Let us all stand forth for what we
are, in this grave situation.
Any compromise of American rights
means humiliation, but severance OF
friendly relations does not mean con-
fiict, as so glibly quoted. without the
exercise Of a pennyweight Of brains,
by this one and that.
II Germany wants war with the
United States, she does not want it
on an issue that will send her down in
history as the bloody defender OF
might versus right.
In his letter, We believe the Presi-
dent is right; and we further believe
that if the same strong and just
stand had been taken and maintained
from the first (unencumbered by the
assurance Of our Secretary of State to
the Austrian representative that this
=. ground was meaningless and for home
consumption) several Of these crises
would not have arisen between this