Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-29
THE PRESIDENTS DEFINITIONS


President Wilson has recently dc.
livered two utterancca which arc
destined TO live in history as a COM
poslte definition OF the attitude Of
the United states toward her own
rights and tho rights OF other ma
lions OF the world Ills letter to
Senator Stone IL perhaps the most
courageous act Of his administration,
because II came Immediately after
he had been informed that the mem
bers of congress Of his own party
were opposed to his position on tho
submarine question two 10 one. IL
noring political expedIency complete
~. the president wrote to tho Mia.
scuri senator as follows;
ITO forbid our people TO exercise
their rights for fear we might be call
ed upon 10 yindicate them, would be
deep humiliation indeed
Yet this In precisely the humilla-
ton the Organized members OF the
senate and house would subject the
country to. II they had their way,
ana u looked very much, for a time,
as II they would have their way
In an address deiIvcrcd AT the
dinner OF the Gridlron club. last
Saturday night the president made
il clear that this nation would not
engage in war except where preser-
vation OF national honor made war
imperative. There ~ little wonder
that his closing sentence brought the
correspondents, who compose the
club. and about three hundred MEM
brrs Of congress, who were the clubs
guests, to their feet cheering, The
president said;
4 would be Just as much ashamed
10 be rash az | would to he a coward.
Nalor Is self-respecting. Nalor Is cir
rumspcct Nalor strikes only when Il
il light to strike. Nalur withholds it.
SELF from all small implications and
atansiemcnts, aud waits for tho great
opportunity when the sword VIII flash
~ K It carried the light OF heaven on
its blade"
Fortunately the president has not
had TO rely wholly upon his own
party The republican members Of
both houses have stood by him al
most solidly. because lac Is right, and
enough democrats have stood with
him. including the speaker. 10 give
a safe majority against the Gore
resolution which would warn Ameri-
cans 60 keep off OF armed bclligcrent
merchant vessels
The president has taught his own
party patriotism in rs deepest sense.
lie mas stamped under foot the con-
temptihlc policy cf running away, Of
abandoning our rights in order to
avoid the possible necessity OF hav-
ing to fight for the preservation OF
those rights. lie has demanded that
congress leave to him the conduct of
the difficult and dangerous foreign
negotiations
When the situation was critical.
William Jennings bryan. from his
Florida winter home. began delugina
members Of congreas with kilograms
urging that the presidents views bc
disresarded ANA that a scuttlc policy
be adopted. In his telosram are the
following sentences
III would be a crime against civlh- |
2ation as well as against our own poO-
ple to oeeemc involved in this war and
thus lestn our army and navy 10 al
European mn.arch 70 use Ia settling
hts ouarieis.
~ congress has the right 20 de-
clare war. il certainly has the right to
promote peace by restraining citizens
from taking unnecessary risks. A
mayor keeps the people OF his city out
Of the danger zone during a riot can
our government afford 10 do less
when the world is Ia riot?"
Mr. BRYAN has always relied upon
lodging and nsatatlng to carry his
point lie has been dishonest in his
deductions His silver propaganda
failed because the people knew he
was wrong. He advocates free silver
no longer. No one else does. Has.
tory's verdict has been passed upon
Il.
In The present instance. the issue
is clear The question Is whether the
United states IS 70 stand firm for tho
rights OF neutrais. Tor international
law as II Is universally accepted. or
whether Il is going to allow Germany
10 override the law Shall We. as
the president puts II in his letter 10
Senator Jones. maintain our hither-
TO proud position as spokesman even
amidst the turmoil Of war for law
and right" or shall We abdicafe In
favor Of the Bryan policy OF scuttlcs