The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-06-09

| ing to the astonishment, sometimes
! the envy, sometimes the admiration OF
J the world and ofttimes inspiring others
by our example, there ever will be mod
/, ifications and additions to meet the
public need and conform to popular
| ideals. We do not fear to initiate nor
! fail to originate, but there can be no
| discard about underlying foundations
i or essential walls or proved arches or
stately columns. Mine is deep con-
viction that the founding fathers were
divinely inspired, and the wisdom of
representative popular government is
| proved IN the surprising achievement.
1t is not alone the miracle of ac-
complishment which deepens our rev.
| erence; it is not alone the conviction
! that we have builded the first SEEM
ingiy dependable popular government
| on the earth and exalted all its citi-
! zenship, which adds to our faith, but
t, we are the oldest of existing civilized
nations, with one passing exception,
continued under one form of govern
ment, and under that form we have
developed the highest standard Of liv-
ing in all the world. Surely we must
be right.
Recalling that the mightier forward
strides have been taken under half
century Of Republican control, after
: we led in fixing the indissoluble ties
of union, the retrospectiOn, the con-
temptation and the anticipation COM
bine to fill the Republican breast with
pride and hope and trust and faith
| and magnify our obligations in this
crucial year of our national life.
Much Of the discussion of the hour
is hinged upon world at war. We
need not wonder thereat, because the
enormity Of the conflict and the influ-
ences Of its horrors have set mankind
in upheaval. The traditions Of civiliza-
ton have been broken, and the inter
national laws have been ignored.
! There is tidal wave of distress and
disaster; there are violent emotions
| and magnifled fears. There are the
! extremes of incalculable sacrifices and
! measureless new fortunes, not all
American. There are new wonders
, and new hindrances in commerce,
changed balances of trade, new mar
wells in finance and utterly changed
economic conditions. These have at
tended embarrassments in our foreign
relations as difficult as those which the
individual citizen experiences whose
every neighbor is involved in deadly
quarrel. Everything is abnormal ex-
cept the depleted condition of the fed
eral treasury, which is characteristic
of Democratic control and the facility
of the administration for writing va
ried notes without effective notice.
Unarmed America.
Amid these conditions has stood this
, unarmed giant, typifying the American
republic, neutral and sane, to whom
the neutral nations have turned for
leadership. Our national unselfishness
had been proved, our devotion to hui
mainly had been established, our COM
initial to international justice had long
been proclaimed. The world had pre-
viously heard the voice Of American
fearlessness, and all the conditions
! single us out for leadership among the
neutral powers, but the administration
at Washington spoke with more rheto-
ric than resolution, and we came to
realize what the warning powers soon
came to know-that the official Ameri-
can voice lacked the volume of de-
ed international heed, and we lacked
the strength Of confidence in our own
defenses
1t Is too early to estimate the debit
and credit account of the European
war with civilization. Out Of measure
! less cost and inestimable heroism must
come a rebirth Of individual spiritu-
atty, reawakened national hopes, new
liberties and new baptisms in patriot
ism which must prove some compensa
ton.
For National Defense.
Perhaps it is a reminder more than
discovery, but there has come to us
conviction that this great nation, ricn
in resources and strong in patriotic
manhood, has been negligent concern
ing it's own defense. We have dwelt
! in fancied rather than real security.
Pride mingles with regret in this be-
cause it suggests the mind Of a nation
so free from intended offense that there
was no cultivated thought of needed
defense. Our righteousness of purpose
is portrayed in our trust in unarmed
safety. But there is Il warning in
bleeding Europe and there is call to-
day for prudent, patriotic and ample
national defense. There is no mistak-
ing the sentiment We are not think
| ing of the historical We need not be
moved by preparedness which is par
tisan in conception. We need not be-
lieve in defense propaganda inspired
by those who aim to wax fat in the
| production of arms and munitions be-
! cause there is none. I deplore the
teaching that an anxiety about our ma
| tional defense is inspired by greed.
We rejoice in free speech and untram-
meled opinion, but patriotism is lily
promoted by the imputation of false
| motives, whether aimed at those who
| believe in defense or those who doubt
| its wisdom. Such a teaching rends the