The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-07-01
For War in Mexico, Only
as Last Step, Says Wilson


first Napoleon, who said that as he
looked back in the last days of his life
upon such much as he knew of human
history, he had never accomplished
ianything that was permanent.
Force will not accomplish anything
that is permanent, | venture to say, in
the great struggle which is going on
on the other side of the sea. The per.
manent things will be accomplished
iafterward when the opinion of mankind
is brought to bear upon the issues, and
the only thing that will hold the world
steady is this same silent, insistent, all
powerful opinion of mankind.
Force can sometimes hold things
steady until opinion has time to form,
but no force that war ever eXerted in
trespOnse to that opinion was ever a
conquering and predominant force.
Il think the sentence in American
history that | myself am proudest' OF
is that in the Introductory sentences of
the Declaration of Independence,
where the writer's say that due re-
spet for the opinion of mankind de-
mands that they state the reasons for
what they are about to do. ! venture
to say that decent respect for the
opinions of mankind demanded that
those who started the present Euro
pean war should have stated Their
reasons, but they did not pay any
heed to the opinion of mankind and the
reckoning will come when the settle
ment comes.
Asks Verdict of Mankind.
so, gentlemen, am willing, no mat
ter what my personal fortunes may be,
10 play for the verdict of mankind.
| Personally, it will be matter of in
difference TO me what the verdict on
1.-The seventh of November is, provided
II feel any degree of confidence that
when later jury sits | shall get their
| Judgment in my favor. Not my favor
ACKNOWLEDGMENT difference does that
make? But in my favor as an honest
and conscientious spokesman OF great
national convention.
There are some gentlemen who are
under the delusiOn that the power Oh
a nation comes from the top. 1t does
mot. 1t comes from the bottom.
Power and virtue of the tree does
not come from the blossoms and fruit
down into the roots, but it comes from
the roots in the obscure passage OF
of the earth where the power is de-
rived which displays itself in the bios
SONS and the fruit; and | know tha'
among the silent, speeches. masses OF
the American people is snowy coming
no the sap of moral purpose and love
of Justice and reverence for human
itv which constitutes the only virtue
ond distinction of the American peo-
pie.
Look for your rulers Of the futures
Can YOU pick out the families that are
to produce them? Can you pick out '"e
localities that are going TO produc~
them
Talks of Abraham Lincoln.
"You have heard what has been saiu
about Abraham Lincoln. 1t is singular
how touching every reference to ADfs-
ham Lincoln is. 1t always makes you
feel that YOU wish you had been Their
10 help him in some fashion to fight Tue
battles that he was fighting sometimes
almost alone.
.Conld YOU have predicted, if you had
seen Abraham Lincoln's birth and poy'
hood. where that great ruling 1igu'e |
of the world was going to spring from
81 have presided over a UNIVERSITY
but 7 never deceived myself by suppos-
ing that by university processes you
were producing the ruling forces vi
the world. | knew that all a uni'ei'
sitv could do if il knew its business
was to interpret the moral forces u
the world and let the young man "ho
sat under its influence know the very
trnth of truths about where II came
from. and that no man could proouee
II unless he held in his Dloou e''
corpuscle spring into Delighted ms
with the mention of ideals when nave
lifted men slowly. Oh. so slowly.
ND the arduous grades which have re-
sisted the progress since the world De-
gan.
so. gentlemen. have not come mere
tonight to do anything but remihu
that you do not constitute the Unitea
States. that | do not constitute the
limited States: that it is something big :
ger and greaer and finer than any OF
As. that it was born in an ideal. anu
only by pursuing an ideal in the race
of every adverse circumstance VIII IL
continue to deserve the beloved name
which we love and for which we are
ready to die. the name America"