The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1917-04-12

! tnONSPAff APHiL IL, s91T.
country protesting the principles of
christianity could longer remain pas
sive. add exist as nation.
Our Preaident is preeminen.iy
man Of peace. He abhors war, as we
all do, He! exhausted every possible
means 10 prevent war. Even when
the imperial government offered him
the greatest insult that one great
ruler could possibly offer another.
ignoring him and his government, and
over his head going before American
people direct with notification that
the Lusitania would be destroyed. and
followed up that insult by the wiIlful
and premeditated destruction of in
nocent women and inoffensive chill
dren. still he did not throw down the
gauntlet Of war, but in magnanimity
of heart, and to prevent the awful
gauntlet Of war. gave the imperial
government another chance and still
mother and another. Until time
came when he could no longer toler-
ate these awful conditions without
confeastne 10 the world that We in
America had lost our manhood and
Edegeneszted into race too weak to
stand for the right, too feeble TO
suffer little for our conscience sake.
and too cowardly to die even in the
defense OF innocent women and tend
er little children.
President Did His Duty.
And when the event no longer could
oe honorably delayed he did just what
duty called him TO do. he did just
what every red-blooded American ex
pected and wanted him TO do. Our
flag has never yet been unfurIed in an
unjust cause. Our country has al
ways matie war after just and ample
proyocation only. and in the interest
OF humanity always and exclusively
And the old flag was never unfurled
in a juster war. The needs of hu-
manity never appealed TO our arms
with such force and insistancy as at
the present moment.
Inevitable as our entrance into this
war has bren.
Justified. by all the principles OF
honor. christianity and humanity as
IL is. still there have been some good
citizens who dfsapproved of our dec
iaration- They were and are entitled
10 their beliefs But now thar Wal
has been declared. real bona fide citi
zens Of fhs United States will t9rEet
their diffenrences, and their Ikkfsfs
ences. and stand by our President
aad our Congress.
II our representatives have made
mistake history win record ii. and
posterity may condemn it. but it is
not for US now TO either question Or
condemn n there are those who
favor peace at any price rather than
honorable and necessary war. they
are entitled TO their beliefs. But no
American citizen can at this critical
time fail 10 freely and cheertully sup
port the President and the Congress
in this war and honorably retain his
right to citizenship.
The War Is On
We have crossed the Rubicon. The
die is cast. The war is on And
every American citizen must stand
back of his government, or bear the
name traitor. Our forefathers who
fought and bled for this country and
turned II over to us as our rich herit-
age, adopted and handed down TO us
that greatest of all instruments. the
only protection the minority have, in
which Congress is given. the exclu-
siye prerogative of declaring war
by our votes We selected our repre-
sentatiyes and sent them to Wash
inEton. our credited delegates to ex-
ercise their best Judgment in our in
terest and for the good of the country
under the constitution.
And in their wisdom. and in the
exercise of their best judgment. and
with full knowledge of the eNigencies
and eventualities confronting this
country. they have declared for war.
And now right or wrong we will
back them with all the manhood and
all the resources of this country. The
rightfulness of our entry into the war
cannot now be honorably questioned.
We are at war. We are at war with
one of the mightiest powers of the
earth. And We must have but one
thought, single purpose must govern
our every action; TO acouit ourselves
with honor TO our country and credit
to our manhood. Anything short Of
this is treason We have an unex-