The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-29

his words for he had already interfered
for purely political reasons in the cleo
ton contests in Wisconsin. Illinois,
Michigan and many other States. Now
he openly by formal announcement re-
pudiates all pretence OF putting the pub
lie welfare above party. Now he de-
clares that this Is a party war. and that
the Republicans. although he admits
that they have been unauestionably
pro-war,' are TO be excluded from any
share in controlling the war.
Nor II this all. He makes his ap-
peal on behalf OF the Democratic party.
But he is careful to qualify It so as to
exclude all Democrats who put loyalty
to the nation or even loyalty to their
party principles ahead OF adherence to
the Administration. He In no way-dis-
eliminates between Democrats who are
pro-war and those who are anti-war.
He asks the exclusion from Congress OF
the man who 10 Observation-Disclosures,
without the slightest reference to
whether he IL pro-war or anti-war, loyal
or disloyal, patriotic or unpatriotic. The
one. test he imposes Ia loyalty to himself.
The President OF the United States re-
pudiates the position of being President
OF all the people, and substitutes for II
the position of partisan leadership OF
one political faction; while even in this
faction he makes servile adherence to
his Administration the test OF member
ship and OF the moral right OF any man
to do his share In the great work of
national self-government.
Contrasta Lincoln Record.
Contrast with this the position of
Abraham Lincoln. In the darkest days
, OF the civil war Lincoln declined out
right to make any party appeal or to
n ~,
that OF loyalty in the prosecution Of the
war and loyalty to the Union and to
liberty. In March. 1868. he advocated
! sending to Congress only unconditional
supporteFssof the war making no refer
ence to any party; and in June OF that
year. In answer to some correspondents
who signed themselves as Democratic
he expressed his regret that they had
not called themselves American citi-
zens.' saying In this time OF national
peril would have preferred to meet
YOU upon a level one step higher than
any party platform and in August in
the only political letter he wrote that
year, he appealed to all those who main
tain unconditional devotion to the
Union and in this appeal he explicitly
included his own political friends with
those or his political enemies. whom no
partisan malice or partisan hope can
| 1dlSe 10 tne nation NE
HE thus explicitly based his appeal
to pro-war men. without asking about
their attitude toward himself. Again
and again he appealed to all loyal men
and to all friends of union and liberty
and In 1854 he accepted his nomina ton
as coming from the Unconditional Union
men,
No Party Test Applied.
Lincoln made no party test He ap-
ipealed to all loyal men OF all parties
He asked that the test OF fitness for
Congress be, not adherence TO his per-
sonal Administration, but unconditional
support of the war. Mr.. Wilson applies
the most rigid party test He explicitly
repudiates loyalty t0Ithe war as a test
He demands the success OF the Demo-
cratic party. and asks the defeat OF all
pro-war men II they have been anti
Administration. He asks for the defeat
of pro-war Republicans. He does not
ask for the defeat OF anti-war Demo-
Gratis. On the contrary, he supports
such men II although anti-war they are
administration. He does not ask
for loyalty to the nation. He asks only
for support of himself There is not
the slightest suggestion that he disap-
proves OF disloyalty 10 the nation. ! do
not doubt that he does feel some dis
approval of such dlsloyalty: but ap-
parently this feeling on his part is so
tepid that It slips from his mind when
he contemplates what lie regards as the
far greater sin OF failure In adherence 10
himself.
The above statement about President
Lincoln sufficiently answers the claim of
the Democratic organization that Presi-
dent Wilson at this time occupies a posi-
ton corresponding to President Lincoln.
a claim which Is entitled precisely to the
consideration we would give to a state
ment that President Buchanan In 1850
and 81 stood where President George
Washington did in 1889 and 80 because
each announced that he was for the
Union.
The same organiza ton also processes
to see n similarity between my plea in
1898, at the time OF the Spanish war
for Republican Congress because the
Republican party was pro-war and Mr..
Wilson's plea at the present time against
a Republican Congress in spite OF the
fact that 1t is pro-war.
Explains Conditions of 1898.
When ] spoke in 1898 the peace pro-
posal had been signed, but not the final
peace treaty. The Democratic party
through every Democratic state conven-
ley's war policy and two-thirds of then,
had declared in their platforms for free
silver and for the nomination for Presi-
dent Of Mr.. William j. Bryan, the anti
imperialist and pacifst.
The New York State Democratic
convention denounced McKinley's Ad-
ministration as a disgrace to the nation
So did the Connecticut convention and
the New Jersey convention and every
other Democratic convention with which
| was then familiar. and ! was familiar
with the proceedings OF most OF them
The Democratic conventions OF Ne
braska, Arkansas. California. Colorado
Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan and
Tennessee had denounced President Nc
Kinley's Administration for trying to
raise war loan OF 20O.000,O00
when Mr. Ferris, the chairman OF
the Democratic Congressional commit
tee, says that when William Mckinley
was commander in the war with Spain
the people never failed him he IL quite
right. but he omits to mention the fact
that this was because the people re-
pudiated the Democratic party. and tina
the best and most loyal patriotic Demo
Gratis were foremost hi this reputation
Was for Complete victory.
SUCH were the conditions when
| asked for the election OF a Republican
Congress because the Republican party
was pro-war. because It stood for the
Liberty loans OF that day. and because
it stood for the peace OF overwhelming
victory-and because, after having en-
forced unconditional surrender in Cuba
Porto Rico and the Philippines. 1t In
, | sisted upon the peace of Overwh elm n &