The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-07-11
REV. FEM
SPEAKS FOR
PRESIDENT

Thursday night. President Wilson
speaking through $4,000 Four Minute
men OF the country. delivered address
es to the American people. Rev. Don
Frank Fem represented the president
in Canon City and delivered the mes
sage at the Jones theatre. as follows:
You are met, my fellow citizens.
to commemorate the signing of that
Declaration of Independence which
marked the awakening of new spirit
in the lives OF nations Since the birth
OF our republic. We have seen this
spirit grow. We have heard the de-
mand and watched the struggle for
selfgoyernmen. spread and triumph
among many peoples We have come
to regard the right TO political liberty
Year after year, within the security
OF our borders. we have continued TO
rejoice in the peaceful increase Of
freedom and democracy throughout
the world. And yet now. suddenly. we
are confronted with menace which
endangers everything that we have
won and everything that the world has
won
In all its old insolence. with all its
ancient cruelty and injustice. military
autocracy has again armed itself
against the pacific hopes of men.
Having suppressed self-goyernment
among its own people by an orga MIA
tion maintained in part by falsehood
and treachery. il has set out TO i'm
pose it's will upon its neighbors and
upon US. One by one. Ii has compelled
every civilized nation in the world
either 10 forego its aspirations or to
declare war in their defense We find
ourselves fighting again for our ma
tional existence. We are face to face
with the necessity Of asserting anew
the fundamental right Of free men to
make their own laws and choose their
own allegiance. or else permit human
ity TO become the victim OF ruthless
ambition that is determined to de
stroy what il can not master.
Against its threat the iiberty-loy
ing people of the world have risen
and allied themselves. No fear has
deferred them. and no bribe of ma
teriai weli-bcinS has held them back
They have made sacrifices such as
the world has never known before.
and their resistance in the face of
death and suffering has proved that
the aim which animates the German
effort can never hope to rule the spir-
IL OF mankind Against the horror OF
military conquest. against the empti-
ness of living in mere bodily content
ment, against the desolation Of becom-
ing part of State that knows neither
truth nor honor. the world has so re-
voised that even people long domi-
mated and suppressed by force. have
now begun to stir and arm them
selves.
Centuries of subturation have not
destroyed the racial aspirations OF the
many distinct peoples OF eastern
Europe. nor have they accepted the
sordid ideals of their political and mill
tary masters. They have survived
the slow prosecutions of peace as well
rs the aEonies of war and now demand
recognition for their just claims to
autonomy and self-government. Rep
resentstives OF these races are with
you today. voicing their loyalty TO our
ideals and Offering their services In
the common cause. ask you. fellow
citizens. to unite with them in making
this our independence Day the first
that shall be consecrated To a deciar-
alton of Independence for all the peo-
pies OF the world