Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-03-23
SENATOR HARTMAN POINTS
OUT OUR NATIONAL SINS

My previous communication on Ma
tional Sins having passed the censor,
| will now mention only few Of our
National Sins.
First: Our Treatment OF The Indian.
The foundations of our nation Was
laid in blood Because is seemed cas-
ier to kill the indian than to civilize
him, our forefathe1s proceeded to
tai:o the shortest route to obtain pos
session of his country. After more
than Il century of development in the
higher principles of humanity, our
administration rightly refuses to rec
ogni.c any government founded on
violence and built in blood. But this
cannot atone for past oifenses. The
sins of the fathers must yet be Wis
tied on the children.
Second: Omission to Even Mention
Gods Name in Our Constitution.
If the nations of the past have per-
ished because they refused to retain
Il knowledge of God, and if France
is now paying the penalty for lcgis-
lating God out of her government, can
we hope to escape after we have will
fully, deliberately and prcmcdta-
lively omitted to mention His name in
our fundamental law.
Third: African Slavery.
We paid part of the penalty of this
sin in the civil war and during the
years of reconstruction thercaf .er But
we have not yet paid the price for our
unreasonable prejudice against the
negro race. If Belgium is suffering
because of her sin in exploiting the
African in africa, how rluch less is
our sin for exploiting the African in
America?
Fourth: Our partnership in the Lia-
u0r Traffic.
Growing out of the national need
for revenue to meet the payment of
pensions for union soldiers, whom we
fought four years that the slave hold
er might hold ten millions Of human
beings as property, the internal rcve-
nue. tax on Intoxicating liquors was
imposed. This gave the government
IL direct interest in the commission
and perpetuation of this great evil
1t was to the interest of the govern
ment that the same ships which car
ricd out missionaries to tie heather
to civilize and elevate them, should
also carry Il cargo of rum to debauch
and destroy them. Has this sin been
repented of and forgiven? If not, we
must yet pay the penalty TT c pass
ing and enforcing of prohibition laws
will not wash out the slain of past
sins. If England must pay the pen
atty for her opium trade can TIE Unit
ed States hope to escape the penalty
of the liquor traffic?
Fifth: The Connective system in
Business Commerce and Industry.
Any system which enables the
strong to opprcss the weak is wicked.
1t is unbrotherly. 1t is unchristian.
That competition is the life of trade"
is lie. The Apostle James in the
fourth chapter tells us that wars and
fighting originate in human lust and
covetousness. We went to war in the
COS to maintain our property rights
and TO enforce our undoubted legal
rights to secede from the Union. We
are now going to war to maintain our
undoubted rights of commerce. We
need not lie about it by saying that
we are going to war to protect hu-
man life. We are going to fight for
the dollars. Let us not be deceived
by any false cry of patriotism, honor
and loyalty to the flag, etc. Let US
face the facts honestly and admit
that the Apostle James really knows
what he is talking about.
Now, Mr.. Editor, if this gets by the
censor | will discuss in my next pa
per, "a Christians Relation to the
War"
j. N. HARMAN.