Macon beacon., 1917-09-07

k-l ltisAtA III It's history Uetore. Hank
deposits grew out ~ proportion graz
aries were filled with tha products = ths
soil ana foreign countries were demand
ing the fruits OF our industry in eVst
increasing quantities
But We had no merchant marine no
Ships IN which 10 TRANSPORT our goods
and wares after they had been sold
ocean freight rates became first eNOr-
bitsnt, and then prOhibitive- The meJ
chant marine Il the belligerents were
becoming impaired, the people OF for
eign countries were crying for toodstuffs
and other products. but We could get them
only as FAR as the seaboard and thea :
they remained. pyramiding and clngeSt-
ing every available wharf. The lack Of
ships forced the price II cotton TO SA
cents pound and lumber to less than
the cost of production.
In this trying situation. President WI
son, with Statesman-like vision, saw that
n the prosperity Of our people was 70
be maintained that the means o! ocean
transportation must be had, ships must
either be constructed. leased or bought
He submitted ths question to Congress
and asked for an appropriation of $50
100000 to procure ships. The measure
passed the House oi Representative
overwhelmingly, but when il reached the
Senate small coterie of Senators np
posing II 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
il to vote, but this little handful Of
men stood unmoved by the crying needs
OF the country. and the almost uuani-
nous sentiment of Congress In favor Of
the bill. and by their ell-pianned fiji
clustering tactics defeated the legislation.
MIssissippians humlIIated.
1t was sad day for the farmers apd
manufacturers of Mississippi. who has
their cotton and lumber ready for ship
M NV no nnh
denied them relief by killing that bill
And those feelings Of disappointment in
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 It 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
ana paid for by the agents Of the shipping
trust the night the filibuster ended.
l shall not soon forget that spectacle
OF those Democrats who stood with 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
American people. l can see now those
willy standpat Republicans coming over
on the Democratic side Of the Senate and
affectonately 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 doxsn
associates. the junior Senator from MIS-
siSsippi had not given open evidence II
and notwithstanding their humiliation
over his action in assisting in the de-
feat of the ship purchase bill, he yet re-
tanned the esteem and confidence of his
friends-friends who felt that he would
yet stand by his party and the Prssi-
dent in an emergency. Few men ever
had so strong a hold on the people VI
his state, and few men ever had 50 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
their means in his behalf. All wished
him well and hoped that no act of his
would cause them to feel that their con-
fidence had been misplaced. Therefore,
1t was with feelings OF genuine regret
and disappointment that the news was
read by Mlssissippians 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
never before risen, came up to tax the
craftsmanship of the President and his
workers-questions Of the most delicate
character and far 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
IS 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
he 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
danger
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
of preparedness than did the Junior Son
ator from Mississippi Not satisfied with
opposing the programme with his voice
and vote in the Senate, he gave to the
press a statement that challenged the
Presidents patriotism. Among other
things he said: Whatever may be the
Presidents motives, the effect of the po-
sitiOn taken by him yesterday is an un-
fortunate surrender to predatory inter-
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;
it had never been denied or questioned by
any country at any time in tire history
of the world. The President gave ad-
herence to that policy as did every pa
triotic statesman and the American pao-
ple--but the junior Senator from Missis-
sippi, who said, that everyone from Presi-
dent to page who stood for such a doc
trine. should be impeached.
Dissenters Denounced.
Germany had no more right to stop
American citizens from travelling on seas,
going about their peaceful missions, than
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 Pres-
dent was making an earnest effort to set
tie our differences with England so eager
vas the junior Senator to hamper and
cmbarrass him that he repeatedly issued
statements criticizing the Presidents ef-
forts Among other things, he said
President Wilson Is a rare combination
Of erudition, of long-headed determination
and of hesltan. timidity. The victims Of
the Lusitania tragedy are dead. \ delay
of 4 month or two in settling claims for