Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-04-30
|TTMAN MAKES
RINGING SPEECH
Congressional Record Carries
: Patriotic Address of U. S.
Senator of Nevada

uIcS5 ny EoChdbOA OAA SAS
17lth anniversary OF the birth of
that patron saint of Democracy,
Thomas Jefferson. rings with the true
spirit OF Nevada patriotism:
yellow citizens, I appreciate the
honor Of being invited to address
this great forum upon the occasion of
the patriotic celebration of the great
patron saint of Democracy. I am
deeply grateful that 1 am permitted
through your courtesy to speak frank
ly, II not fully, with regard to our
dangers and our duty.
'In this moment OF action we hear
too much of the horrors OF war and
the value OF life and too little OF the
misery OF political slavery and the
priceless blessings of justice, liberty,
and equality. fear lest we forget
how and by what sacrifices our fore
fathers won and established the be-
nign principles OF democracy and
our sacred duty to maintain these
principles with our lives.
"The settlement of our country
originated in the expressions Of au-
tocracy and the birth of our nation
was conceived in the blood of mar
tyrs and patriots, fearlessly and free
ly given that you and might live in
political equality and under the consti.
tutional guaranty Of the freedom of
speech, the privilege to worship our
God as we see fit, and the right to
rule ourselves.
"The fight we face today, as grave
as II may be, is not to be compared
with the heroic struggle made by
our forefathers for the natural rights
OF free people. Their patriotism,
self-sacrifce, and martyrdom not
only secured the happiness we now
enjoy but set an example to the lib
erty loving people of the world that
has resulted In the characterization OF
nearly every government on earth,
and 1t is now up to US to make the
Job complete.
God has been with US in every
fight for liberty, and now in the
darkest hours God will not desert
US. In 1776. that the principles OF
democracy might be proclaimed and
instituted in the world, He gave us
Thomas Jefferson. In 1860. that our
Union might be preserved, He raised
from among the people Abraham
Lincoln; and today, in the bewilder
ment of world war. the duration
Of which no man can foresee, when
the fate of humanity hangs in the
balance and the dread darkness o.
the hour strikes fear to the soul, II
His divine wisdom and mercy II,
has granted unto us and the caus,
OF humanity the invincible leader
ship OF Woodrow Wilson. {"
as there citizen in this countr,
who is SO cowardly or so unpatriotit
who would have had tho presiden
humble the great democracy that h,
represents at the feet of PrussiaI
autocracy by admitting that our pro
testations against the crimes com
mitted against our people on thu
high seas were but empty words, ant
that our warning to the German gov
eminent that we would protect thu
lives of our people against bruta
murder was but the cowardly bluf
Of nation not only unable to main
tain but unworthy of the honor ant
privilege of self.government7
And II we had surrendered this
right where would we stop In oul
flight? Would we surrender the
right of American citizens to receive
the protection of the laws of every
country wherever they may be-
Would we stand to sec our citizens
murdered and their property confis
Gated In every foreign country II
violation of the laws of every civil
lied nation because, perchance, tn,
defending OF such right might In
volve us In war and cost the loss o.
human life? And yet, II we sur
rendered the flrst right by reason o.
fear, II IS certain that the othei
rights of American citizens would b,
eNHtNN WANh NOhtNihpN
at will. No people who were afraid
TO die for their rights ever long re
tained them. Whenever the time
comes that Americans will submit to
the violation OF their rights any.
whore on earth through fear OF a
tyrannical military autocracy then
we will witness our nation decay to
It's Inevitable doom; we will behold
the degcncracy OF our people and
see the Gre OF democracy, which was
lighted In this coratry and which
aashsa across the world Illuminating
tho darkest spots, shoulder and die.
Fellow citizens, l believe that we have
a hiShef duty on earth to perform
than, 70 live and fatten and die in
isolation within the lin
tied area that may be allotted TO us