Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-09-07

Fo0H HUTHn1nB VIII HutIVIIy,
the whole country became alive with com
mercial and Industrial progress never ex-
perienced In its history before Bank
deposits grew out of proportion. gran
aries were filled with the products OF the
SOIL and foreign countries were demand
ing the fruits of our industry in ever
increasing quantities.
But we had no merchant marine, ne
ships in which to transport our goods
ana wares after they had been sold.
Ocean freight rates became first exor-
chant marine OF the belligerents were
becoming impaired; the people OF for
eign countries were crying for foodsttfffs
ana other products, but we could get thsm
only as far as the seaboard and there
they remained, pyramiding and congest-
ing every available wharf The lack Of
ships forced the price Of cotton TO six
cents pound and lumber to less than
the cost OF production.
In this trying situa ton, President vii,
son. with statesman like vision saw that
n the prosperity of our people was to
be maintained that the means of ocean
transportation must be had, ships must
either be constructed. leased or bought
He submitted the question TO Con9ress
ana asked for an appropriation OF $780,
O0O, 600 to procure ships. The measure
passed the House OF Representatives
overwhelmingly but when II reached the
Senate small coterie OF Senators OPP
posing it conspired to encompass its de-
feat by filibuster. For days and weeks
those patriotic Senators, who believed in
the wisdom Of the measure tried to bring
it to a vote but this little handful q
men stood unmoved by the crying needs
nous sentiment of Congress in favor Of
the bill, and by their well-pianned fill
clustering tactics defeated the lasislsfio-a.
MlssIsslppans HumlIlated.
1t was a sad day for the farmers and
manufacturers of Mississippi. who had
their cotton and lumber ready for Ship
ment. when that little bunch of Senators
denied them relief by killing that bill.
And those feelings of disappointment ON
the part of Mississippians were changed
to humiliation when it became known
that one of the most conspicuous actors
In this tragedy was the Junior Senator
from Mississippi At first 1t was hard for
them to believe that this pretended friend
OF the people had thrown his influence
against the passage of this measure.
Many a bottle Of champagne was broken
and paid Tor by the agents OF the shipping
trust the night the filibuster ended.
shall not soon forget that spectacle
of those Democrats who stood with a few
standpat Republicans on that memorable
day and fought, whether consciously or
unconsciously In behalf of the shipping
trust and against the interests of the
willy standpat Republicans coming over
on the Democratic side of the Senate and
affectionateiy placing their sympathetic
arms about the shoulders of their Demo-
cratic aids and whispering honeyed words
Of appreciation in their ears, as they
knowingly winked their eyes and returned
to their Republican seats.
Up until the time the ship purchase
bill was put to death by the junior SEN
ator from Mississippi and his half dozen
associates. the junior Senator from Mis-.
sissippi had not given open evidence If
any personal hatred OF Woodrow Wilson,
and notwithstanding their humiliation
Ger his action in assisting in the de-
feat Of the ship purchase bill, he yet re-
tanned the esteem and confidence of his
friends-frienas who felt that he would
yet stand by his party and the Presi-
had so s,rong a hold on the people If
his state. and few men ever had SO great
an opportunity to win his enemies by
rendering patriotic service to his state
and nation
His friends had state offices in their
gift; they had expended their energy and
him well and hoped that no act of his
would cause them to feel that their con-
fidence had been misplaced Therefore.
it was with feelings OF genuine regret
and disappointment that the news was
read by MississippiaDs that this honored
son was one of the men who had sub
marined the old democratic ship Of state
and Joined hands with the friends Of
predatory wealth.
Men False to Party.
1t was not long before the war was en-
croaching upon our rights, as we'll as
the rights OF other neutral countries In
ternational law was being challenged, and
put to the test new questions that had
craftsmanship of the President and his
co workers-questions of the most delicate
character and reaching import. Our
position as a neutral was being made
more difficult with each passing month,
and the President again peering into the
future, saw how unprepared and unpro-
tected We would be in case of war, to
meet the attacks of other nations, and
as the sentinel on the watch tower. with
sparks flying everywhere,~ he sounded
the warning to prepare. He came to
Congress and asked for an enlargement of
our army and increased appropriations
for the navy and our coast Notifications.
SO strongly did he feel on this question
of such Importance to the country, that
ne left his office in Washington and went
through the country, informing the peo-
pie of the situation and, like Revere,
sounding the warning Of approaching
But In Congress again opposition lifted
its head against the manifest needs of
the nation. One OF the most determined
attacks was organized and fostered in
the Senate of the United States, and no
man worked harder, more bitterly and
more persistenty against the programme
of Preparedness than did the junior Sen
ator from Mississippi Not satisfied with
opposing the programme with his voice
and vote in the Senate. he gave to the
press statement that challenged the
Presidents patriotism. Among other
things he said: ''Whatever may be the
Presidents motives, the effect of the po
siton taken by him yesterday is an I'M
ests."
Then the question arose whether our
citizens might travel the high seas. carry
on their legitimate business and go forth
on their legitimate errands international
law had always guaranteed that right;
II had never been denied or questioned by
any country at any time in the history
of the world. The President gave ad-
herence to that policy as did every pa
triotic statesman and the American peo-
ple-but the junior Senator from Missis-
sippi who said, that everyone from Presi-
dent to page who stood for such doc
trine should be impeached.
Dlssenters Denounced.
Germany had no more right to stop
American citizens from travelling on seas.
| going about their peaceful missions. than
| I have to stop you from travelling on the
| public road in going from your country
| place to trade in town Both are high
| ways and open to the public
While Germany was killing American
| citizens on the high seas, and the Presi-
| dent was making an earnest effort to set,
| tie our differences with England. so eager
| was the Junior Senator to hamper and
| cmbarrass him that he repeatedly issued