Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1917-03-05

centration and success upon the great
problems OF domestic legislation to
which We addressed ourselves four
years ago, other matters have more
and more forced themselves upon our
attention, matters lying outside our
own life as a nation and over which
We have had no control, but which,
despite our wish to keep free OF them.
have drawn us more and more ir-
resistibly into their current and in
fluence.
1t has been impossible to avoid
them. They have affected the life OF
the whole world. They have shaken
men everywhere with passion and
an apprehension they never knew be-
fore. 1t has been hard to preserve
calm counsel while the thought OF
our own people swayed this way and
that under their influence. We are a
cosmopolitan people. We are OF the
blood of all the nations that are at
war. The currents Of our thoughts
as we'll as the currents OF our trade
run quick at all seasons back and
forth between us and them. The war
inevitably set its mark from the frst
alike upon our minds, our industries.
our politics. and our social action.
To be Indifferent Of It. or indepen-
dent of il, was out Of the question.
And yet all the while We have been
conscious that We were not part OF
1t.
I'm that consciousness, despite
many divisions. We have drawn closer
together. We have been deeply
wronged upon the seas, but We have
not wished to wrong or injure In re-
turn; have retained throughout the
consciousness Of standing in some
sort apart. intent upon an interest
that transcribed the immediate is
sues of the war itself AS some OF
the injuries done US have become In
tolerable, we have still been clear
that We wished nothing for ourselves
that We were not ready to demand
for all mankind-fair dealing, jus
tice, the freedom to live and be at
ease against organized wrong.
1T is in this spirit and with this
thought that We have grown more
and more aware, more and more GER
tain that the part we wished to play
was the part OF those who mean to
vindicate and fortify peace. We have
been Obliged to arm ourselves &c
make good our claim to a certain
minimum OF right and Of freedom Of
action.
I'VE stand firm in armed neutral
ity, since 1t seems that in no othel
way can We demonstrate what II II
we insist upon and cannot forego
We may even be drawn on, by cir
cumstances not by our own purpose
or desire, to more active assertion
OF our rights as we see them, and |
more immediate association with th'
great struggle itself. But nothinl
will alter our thought or our pur
pose. They are too clear to be OBJ
scured. They are too deeply roote'
in the principles OF our national If
to be altered.
1--WE desire neither conquest no
advantage. We want nothing tina
can be had only at the cost OF an
other people. We always professe'
unselfish purpose and we covet tn
opportunity to prove that our pro
fessions are sincere
. There are many things still to d.
at home, to clarity our own polite
and give new vitality to the indus
trial processes OF our own life, an,
we shall do them as time serves
but we realize that the creates
things that remain to be done mus
be done with the whole world for
stage and in cooperation with tn
wide and universal forces OF man
kind, and we are making our spirit
ready for those things. They will
follow in the immediate wake OF tn
war itself. and will set civilization NJ
again. We are provlnclals NJ
longer
'The tragical events OF the thirt.
months Of vital turmoil through
which we have Just past made is cit
lzens OF the world. There can b,
no turning back. Our own fortune
as a nation are involved, whether W,
would have II 80 or not.
And yet we are not the less Am
I