The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-06-05
APARTY issIrE

n PAkT1 ISSUE
Washington. May 3l--The RepubIi-
can Publicity Association. through It's
president, Hon. Jonathan Bourne. Jr.,
today gave out the following state
mcnt from its Washington head
quarters:
mo party has the right to appro-
pirate this ISSUE declared the Presi-
dent referring TO the league Of nations
In his New York speech of.March 5th,
and no party will In the long run dare
oppose t. But since its inception the
Republican party has been the party
of Americanism. To II has naturally
fallen the duty Of championing every
issue that had for its purpose the per-
petuation Of constitutional govern
ment and the guaranteeing Of the rule
Of the people rather than that Of indi-
viduals. In the Civil War ii was the
Republican party that rallied to the
defense Of the Union under the lead
ership Of Lincoln, elected to the White
House by Republican votes, and pre-
served the United States as the great
entity foreseen by the fathers OF the
country. In the Spanish war il was
the Republican again, this time head
ed by the martyred Mckinley, who
upheld our traditions and brought the
Nation safely to a victorious peoce.
In the industries Of peace, likewise, it
has been under the wise guidance of
national Republican leaders, reflected
In beneficient tariffs and other stimu-
lating legislation, that the wealth Of
America has been developed and made
available for our people and the
world.
When the elections were held last
November the voters knew that the
war was about to close. They were
aware of the fact that the men they
were to send to the Sixty-sixth Con-
gress would have to deal not only
with military and industrial demobi-
lization and other problems of recon-
struction, but would be called upon to
pass judgment upon the treaty of
peace with Germany and probably
upon covenant for a. league Of ma
tons, forecast by the President when
he gave his Fourteen Points to the
world. With that knowledge in mind
the people went to the polls and de-
liberately overturned the Democratic
majorities in both Senate and House,
and placed the Republicans in control.
1t is incumbent upon the party that
has been handed the reins of legisla-
ton to carry out the will Of those BY
whose mandate it is now in power.
The Republicans have the necessary
votes in both Houses, and nothing
need now be enacted that does not
have their approval. Hence if the
league of nations meets with defeat,
It will be because the Republicans de-
creed it, and their act win be as much
an expression of party policy as any
thing that ever transpired in Con-
gress.
"The Republicans are not going to
permit the Democrats, through their
President or otherwise, to deprive
hem of the glorious opportunity now
to prove themselves once
more the. bulwark against encroach-
nent upon our liberties. They have
shown no hestitancy in accepting the
assigned them by the
voters; in fact their assumption of the
ole of Defenders of the Nation is
'eally automatic. Senator Poindexter
correctly states the case when he says,
II the bulk Of the Republican mem
,ers of the Senate were opposed to
his covenant Of the league Of nations
Ind majority of the Democrats were
n favor Of it, it would automatically
'ecome a party question:
The signing of the Second Declare
ion of independence by 80 Republi-
ans of the Senate, in which they de-
reed the death of the league coven-
mt unless it was separated from the
reaty and materially amended, it
urther proof that the issue is in fact
party question. The truth is the
are in power; they have
nipple votes to defeat the league; they
intend to cast those votes in line with
heir traditional policy of unequivocal
Americanism; and when all Is over
hey are going to claim the glory of
laying achieved greater victory With
.atriotic logic than they ever won in
he past by the sword-a claim that
viii De ungrudgingly granted by a
'rateful people"
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