Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-02-13

as you deserved to be treated.
But it happens that it is not only
you, Senators, who are concerned by
these unprecedented and extraordin-
airy conditions,
1T happens, Senators, that the
people of the United States are con-
cernedA deeply and profoundly con-
cerned.
"Your rightful place in the govern
ment, the full exercise of the author
ity which the Constitution confers
upon you, the maintaining of your
constitutional partnership in deter
mining the relations of the Repub-
lie with foreign powers--these things
are so bound up and knit together
with the preservation of our own
rights and liberties that the free
people of the United States must
come to your help, must rehabilitate
and help to maintain your constitu-
tional authority in order to rehab-
iliate and maintain their own con-
stitutional rights and sovereignty.
with the partisan and personal
attacks which have been made up
on the President from time to time
by members of your body the ma
jority of the American people, SEN
ators, have had no sympathy at all;
indeed. they have resented those at
tacks.
"But with those outstanding MEM
bers of your body who have raised
their voices to defend your lawful
perogatives and the powers con-
ferred upon you by the Constitution
against executive and administra-
tive enroachments and aggressions
the majority of the American people
Senators, do sympathize. With
those men the majority of the A
merican people are in hearty agree
ment.
"And if the voice of the American
people. Senator's, could find express
ion, you would find it powerfully
exercised in support of those honor
able and courageous Senators who
have constantly sought to preserve
the peoples liberty and their own
dignity.
$50 that, setting aside any obliga-
ton OF patriotism and of public ser
vice, if you were guided by good
common sense and aetuated only
by self-interest, you would give the
voice Of the American people oppor-
tunity to make itself heard.
3" You would rid the press of the
autocratic and arbitrary masters you
have put over it.
you would tear off that muzzle
with which you yourselves have sti-
fed free speech.
"You would restore to every
journal in the United States and tC
4 every citizen in the United States
those rights and liberties of print
! ing, of speech, assembly and of petit
ton which are the four cornerstones
that sustain the whole edifice Of our
constitutional liberties and without
which there is no such thing as q
free man, and the very name of de-
mocracy is mockery.
"We feel sure that we can inter.
pref to you in a few sentences the
sentiment of the overwhelming ma
jority Of the American people.
"To begin with, the majority OF
the American people are strongly
opposed to making any alliances Of
any kind whatsoever with any for
eign nation; to any engagements
that will obligate the United States
to act as guardian Of foreign terri
tories; to any engagements that will
put upon US any part at all Of the f.
nancial burdens Of Europe; to any en-
gagement that will put upon us the
obligation of policing any part OF
Europe; in short, to any engagement
of any kind whatever that either di-
rectly or indirectly makes America
partner with any nation or any
other groups Of nations in Europe
in Asia or in Africa.
"The American people, Senators
are almost unit in believing in
and holding fast to the policy Of abb
solute non-interference with the af-
fairs of Europe, Of absolute nom
participation in the politics of Eu-
rope.
"Our people, Senators believe in
the wise counsel and the forsighted
policies Of George Washington.
Our people, Senators, believe
that the business of Americans is
to build up America, to attend to
the affairs of America, to make their
4 L.