The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1916-06-01
A RINGING SPEECH
Hon. A. F. Pratt of Anoka, Makes a
H. Stirring Appeal to Young Men =,
= - to Come to the Front
Asks Them to Rally to the Support
of Leaders Who Have the Cour- :
49,. age of Their Convictions. .y--s.ss =

presided and sounded a clarion call to
young men to do their duty in the cam
paign this year. He spoke as follows:
''This year will be turning point in
the history Of the republican party. 1t
is time for new, vigorous and capa-
BILE leadership.
~ "This is no time for the dreamers,
The theorists, the demagogues or the
sslackers.' Impractical, timorous, time
serving or cowardly leadership can re-
suit, in nothing but disaster. --.
"This is the day for the patriotic,
the unselfsh and the unafraid, for the
man Of ability, vision and courage, the
day Of the big-man-for-the-job,' yes,
even of the big man-for-the-
job for in the strenuous days to come,
mistakes by those in the little jobs
may be serious and costly.
''Above all it is the young mans day
and the young mans opportunity. He
must bear the burdens and the re-
sponsibilities of the future, he will
suffer most from any mistakes made,
and profit most from the results Of
capable and courageous leadership. S..
"With the open door in the far east
tight closed in our faces, the commerce
of the Pacific controlled by a foreign
power, with our neighbors on the north
straining every nerve for life or death
as unit in the world war; with actual
war on our southern border, with
the echoes of the great war sounding
in our ears from the near east, and
= with all the new and mighty issues,
national, industrial, social and econo-
mic, confronting us as a nation, our
own country and the republican party
are today face to face with crisis not
equalled for generations in the past:
"Upon the patriotism, wisdom and
breadth of vision with which we shall
solve these problems, depend the fu-
ture welfare and prosperity Of our
country. -.
''These momentous issues have
arisen without our consent, many of
them against our will, but they must
be met.
"There can be no turning back; the
beliefs, theories land policies Of the
years gone by cannot be those of to-
day or tomorrow; we are no longer
insular, and never again may we
return to that condition; with or with
out our consent we have taken and
must continue to take our position as
an influence in world politics, with all
the risks and responsibilities involved.
We must meet the problems involved
in preparedness against war, or for
war, if war should come, in defense Of
just and lasting peace, and above all
the industrial, social and economical
situations which arise when again
there is peace throughout the world
and during the years to follow. And
the work and responsibilities of peace
will doubtless be by far the most
difficult and most important.
"We must realize that when peace
is concluded, we shall be met with the
most terrific industrial and CONNER
cial competition ever known, either
through the greatly increased influx
of foreign labor, or the import of
\ foreign goods, or both. Every posi-
bic effort will be made by the nations
now at war. to recoup their financial
losses by foreign commerce, and in
furtherance of that purpose will be
employed their almost matchless eff
cheney and industrial organization
perfected both in peace and in war.
$50 it is all important, not only~tc
discuss and thresh out these matters
in the coming campaign, but select the
right leadership for the tasks that
confront the young men Of today.
CAS- in the sixties the young men Of
the republican party stood behind Alb.
raham Lincoln for freedom and the
saving Of our country and it's institu.
tions, and in the early eighties worked
with Garfield, Blaine and Harrison il
the economical and industrial reor
ganization following the Civil war
and in 1896 and 1900 supported Nc
Kinley and Roosevelt in preserving
the faith and credit and honor Of ou1
nation, so should those Of today rail-,
in support of the new leadership which
must meet these new and vast prob
lens which have been so suddenly
thrust upon us. ~:
"The young men of our country ar
beginning to realize their responsible
tiles, their privileges and their duties