The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-06-08
is OUR QUARREL JUST?

ed citizens. who holds a prominent.
not to say affectiona;e. place in the
city's annals, say that we had no just
cause TO declare that a state of war
exists between the United States and
Germany
This gentleman declares that ii IS
his belief that if the matter were left
to a free, untrammelled and unmo-
Tested vote of the people of the coun-
try that at least three-fourths of the
votes would be registered against any
| such declaration.
Judging the pulse-beats and heart
throbs of the people by the public
press, by the resolutions passed by
our various legislatures by the public
demonstrations being held in all
parts of the country. and by the over
whelming test vote in the congress
without saying that our friend is mis-
taken in his views. and occupies
very small space among a very small
minority of our people.
Even a very large number of the
socialists of the country are not in
agreement with him.
For example, Mr.. George Richard
Lunn of Schenectady. \. Y, who be-
came nationally famous a few years
ago as the first socialist mayor ever
elected in the empire state and who
now occupies a seat in congress as
a democrat, made one of the notable
speeches on whether or not we had a
just grievance against the German
government, and ought or ought not
to declare that a state of war exists
between the two governments
Mr.. Lunn made the following nota-
bic utterance:
1--WE have only two ways open to
us. One is to accept war, thrust
upon us by the repeated aggressions
of power which recognizes no law
but its own imperial will. The other
is to adopt the policy of absolute sub
mission.
The latter course to my mind is
unthinkable We simply cannot and
must not submit Let anyone on the
other side persuade me that we can
preserve our principles, that We can
stand by the ideals of our fathers and
not forfeit anything in the way of ma
tional honor or sacrifice the princi-
piles of democracy in government. and
1,-;1I
want to vote yes 8 | hate war |
hate war as Washington hated war.
I hate war as Lincoln hated war. |
hate war as President Wilson hates
war; but there is no other way Il S'
Madmen are destroying civilization.
Tyrants are threatening every princi-
pie and ideal of democracy We must
resist"
So we ask: If we have not just
cause to go to war with Germany,
have we ever had a just quarrel for
any of our wars?
Did our forefathers have { just
quarrel with the mother coLntry IN
1916, the result of which iias made
this nation veritably a very beacon
light for the nations of the earth as
a government of the people by tho
people. for the people,"
Let us ask what was the pretcXt
for our revolutionary war? A tax on
tea, was it not? And yet tea was a
beverage no more popular with the
adult male population then than now,
and quart month" would amply
have been sufficient.
But back of the pretext vital
principle was involved taxation
without representation.
The people living on these shores
believed, and Justly So that they had
ME right and were capable of self
government.
This right was denied them, and
they were governed from across the
water as we shall be governed again,
if the kaisers ambition is realized.
What brought on our second war
against the mother country-the war
of 1872?
The impressment of our sailors.
Free trade and sailors rights" was
so popular slogan that even Henry
Clay, the idol of the wings, affection
ately breyetted by them as the father
of the doctrine of protection to our
infant industries" had the slogan in
serted as one of the planks in his
platform.
England sunk none of our ships,
destroyed none of our property-she
only encroached on our rights.
And why did we go to war with
| Mexico in 1S47?
Merely about a boundary dispute.
And what about our war with
Spain?
The battleship Maine was sunk in