The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-14

blood and iron, but the president of the United States has acted on the be- lief that the leader of nation who plunges his people into an unnecessary war, like Pontius Pilate vainly washes his hands of innocent blood while the earth quakes and the heavens are dark ened and thousands give up the ghost"
 Republican Party FaIsesto It's Tradi-
 tions.
 Speaking of the opposition to the presidents peace policy, the speaker continued:
 :'By opposing what we stand for to- day. the Republican party opposes what Hamilton stood for a century ago. The founder of the Republican party and the founder of the Democratic party, plac cing their country's happiness above every other consideration, forgot par tisanship and made American neutral ity a national creed. We who follow Jefferson stand where Jefferson stood, but we look in vain for a sign from the present leaders of the Republican par ty to show that they follow where Hamilton led. Where Hamilton coun- seled. moderation they denounce it. Where Hamilton thought only of coun- try they think only of self. Where Hamilton placed patriotism above par tisanship they place partisanship above patriotism. How then do they dare to speak for the great body Of American citizens who form the rank and file of the Republican party? Do these. leaders believe that their Repub- licanism is a better Republicanisna than Hamilton's, their Americanism a purer Americanism than that of Washington :?
 elf Washington was right, if Jeffer- son was right, if Hamilton was right if Lincoln was right, then the presi- dent of the United States is right to- day. If the Republican leaders are right then Lincoln was wrong and Jef- ferson was wrong and Hamilton was wrong and Washington was wrong"
 The Justification of our policy of neu- trality is expressed by MT. Glynn in these words:
 Before this declaration every war was a world war; since this decIara- ton nearly every war has been local war. Before this declaration war was whirlpool, ever increasing in area and in its whirl dragging down the nations of the earth; since this dec lara ton war has become a sea of trou- ble upon which nations embark only I necessity of geographical position, of financial obligation or political alli- ance.
 Neutrality Kept Us at Peace.
 Neutrality is the policy which has kept US at peace while Europe has been driving the nails of war through the hands and feet of crucifed human ity.
 3HThe praises of this policy are not written in the ruins of American homes, not on the wreck of American industries, not in the mourning of American families; they are found in the myriad evidences Of prosperity and plenty that make this contented land From every whirling spindle in America, from every factory wheel that turns, from every growing thing that breathes it's prayer of plenty to the skies, from every quiet school, from every crowded mart, from every peace full home goes up song of praise, 8 paean of thanksgiving to hymn a ma ton's tribute to the statesmanship that has brought these things to pass'' The issue raised by Democracy's op- ponents of the vigor with which our neutrality has been enforced is dealt with by the records of history:
 'fWhen Grant was president, during the war between Spain and the Span ish West Indies, a Spanish gunboat seized the vessel Virginfus flying the American flag and a Spanish com mandant in cold blood shot the captain of the Virginius, thirty-six of the crew and sixteen of the passengers.
 "But we didn't go to war. Grant set tied our troubles by negotiation just as the president of the United States i is trying to do today
 When Harrison was president the people of Chile conceived a violent dis like to the United States for our in l Sistence upon neutrality during the Chilean revolution. When this feeling was at its height one junior officer from the United States warship Baltt more was killed outright in the streets of Valparaiso and sixteen of our sail I ors wounded. of whom one afterward died.
 Nesotiation Better Than War.
 "But we didn't go to war. Harrison settled our troubles by negotiation just as the president of the United States is trying to do today.
 When Lincoln was president this country's rights were violated on every side. England, Russia. France and Spain were guilty of such fragrant vio lations that Secretary of State Seward advanced plan to go to war with all of them at one and the same time.
 ''But we didn't go to war. Lincoln settled our troubles by negotiation just as the president is trying to do today.
 "When Piera& was president the Brit ish minister in this country and three of his counsel violated our neutrality during the Crimean war. We gave thase representatives of Great Britain their passports and sent them home.
 But we didn't go to war. Piercs settled our troubles by negotiation jR, as the president of the United States is trying to do today.
 When Van Buren was president 2 detachment of Canadian militia, during