Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-11-01
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ACTING FOR PARTISAN ENDS
ALTOGETHER.

editorial in the New York Times.)
Until partisan obstruction raised its
head there was no visible occasion for
the President to appeal in his own
name to the people to elect Congress
of which the controllin majority shall
be gin sympathy with the attitude
and action Of the Administration"
He was challenged to take that course
practically forced to take it against
his inclination and all precedent, by
the hostile moves and untteranccs of
the opposition leaders. They have
openly eXhorted their Republican fol-
lowers to obstructive action against
the policies of the President. They
do not speak in the country's behalf;
the country approves and supports
Mir. Wilson's policies. Their words
utterly fail TO carry the conviction
that the public welfare is uppermost
in their thought; rather they force
the conclusion that III opposing the
President and seeking to obstruct his
action it is their hope and purpose
to gain Il sterile party advantage,
sterile that is, so far as concerns the
achievement of the great object to
which the country's heart is devoted
Senator Lodge attacks the fourteen
principles laid down by the Presi-
dent as the foundation of just peace.
Mr.. Roosevelt appeals to the "repre-
sentatives Of the American people
from one ocean to the other" ex-
pressing the hope that the Senate
will "declare against the adoption in
their entirety of the fourteen points
of the Presidents address of last
January" We think this uttcrance
has no parallel in American histo-
ry. The fourteen principles have had
the country approval. Repeated as
suranccs have been given that they
are acceptable to the people of the
Powers whose troops fight side by
side with ours. Responsible states
men of. those nations have approved
them Enemy Powers have given
notice of their willingness to make
peace on those terms. They are at
this moment the actual subject-mat-
ter of conference between this Gov
eminent and foreign governments.
Yet it is upon this grave and most
critical international matter that a
conspicuous Republican appeals to the
Senate to paralyze the arm of the
President, to rebuke him, to nullify
his acts, to stop his further advance
along the path upon which he has
deliberately entered.
They protest against negotiated
peace" they pirate about "condi-
tlonal surrender of the United States"
They insult the public intelligence.
The people of this country know that
President Wilson has called upon
Germany TO surrender, that he has
al In.
tice that would put the Allies in n
position TO make it impossible" for
Germany To resume hostiities. OF one
ASSISTANTS of the President ignore
altogether, the people are not ignor-
ant. 1t is that the fighting goes on,
that every day the enemy is relent-
lessly pressed further back toward
his frontier, that towns are redeem
ed, many prisoners and guns captur-
ed, that the war continues and prepa-
iations to throw greater and over
whelmng forces into the war know
no stay or relaxation. Under this
administration which they attack we
have sent two million troops to the
front, and we are making ready to
send two millions more. The men
who launch their partisan assaults
against an administration that has
accomplished these marvels of war
must have persuaded themselves that
they are addressing Il mindless null
titudc.
What answer will the plain people
give to Mr.. Wilson'S appeal? We
know what many of the politicians
say. They are sure the President has
made a mistake; he mas done an
unheard of thing; he has put the
White Hopse into politics. May not
the voter who rarely talks politics,
but quietly informs himself about the
state of the nation and the progress
of the war, reach the conviction, ra-
Their, that the Republican leaders
hav deliberately raised Il partisan
issue against the President in prep
aration for the campaign of 1920, and
that their success would seriously
hamper the administration in the ex-
ercise of the powers it has welded
with such tremendous effect for the
overthrow of dangerous enemy?
With Woodrow Wilson at the post of
power, the United States has turned
the tide of battle, has made sure the
defeat of powerful foe who no long
er ago than last spring made such
strides towards the ultimate victory
that the civilized world tremb!ed as
it read the battle news. When Get
tysburg was won, was that time
to elect Congress adverse to the
Administration of Lincoln on the is
sue deliberately raised by tying his
hands and reversing his policies?
The American people have united
ly, Loyalty, Fundamentally support
ed President Wilson throughout the
war. 1t is to be believed that at the
instance of calculating partisan lead
ers they will now declare for di-
vision of leadership and of counsel
at Washington? We are Of the opin-
ion that the Republican leadesr have
misrcad the minds of the people.
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