The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-08-12

for president. delivered his acceptance
speech last Saturday, and the issues
are now clearly drawn. Gov. Cox de.
clares himself in strict harmony with
the administration Of Pres. Wilson,
not only on the league OF nations but
on every other important Issue. He
commends his stand in trying to usurp
the constitutional authority of con-
gress. He criticizes Sen. Harding's s
declaration that if elected he would
reestablish the policy of government
by party ard promises that if elect
ed he will be governed in performing
his executive duties, by his own best
judgment. In other words he would
ignore the will Of the people, as man
ifested in the election of their chosen
representatives, and would follow his
own individual judgment. This is the
attitude Of the entcccat. He asserts
that we are now at the forks Of the
road, and must choose which way we
shall go. He Gays We want change.
In view of the fact that we have been
following the democratic trait fer the
past eight years, most people axe say
ing amen to thie declaration. In
making the choice he eays, "One road
leads to higher citizenship. treer ex.
preston of the individual and fuller
life for all. The other leads to reac.
tion, the rule of the few over the
many and the average mans chances
to go upward. 1t is well understood
that under the Wilson administration
there has been absolutely no regard
for the expression of the Individual. 1t
has not even been the rule of the few
over the nany. but the attempted
rule of onz man over all. As Mr..
Cox promises to follow the same pol.
icy, it is evident that if "freer ex
preston of the Individual is to be
attained. it must come through his
defeat.
In discussing the league of nations
he urges ratification of the Versaill-
es treaty. and if reservations are a.
dopted they shall be only interpreta.
tive. He fails to realize that the
treaty will be interpreted by an in.
ternational court, or council. aud if it
has been ratified by US as drawn, our
own expression as to what it means
will be useless. The only reserva.
tions that will be effective are those
that plainly define the limit of the
obligations that we will assume. In.
answer to the charge that our bows
might be drawn into military service,
he says "every high school youngster
in the land knows that no treaty can
override our constitution, which re-
serves to congress, and to congress
alone, the power to declare war;"
1t is also true that every schnol boy
knows that our boys were forced into
service in rorthern Russia, and also
in Siberia, although congress has
never declared war on Russia. They
also know that our army and navy
were pressed into service in Mexico,
although congress mas never declared
war on Mexico. They know our boys
fought the Turks although we have
not declared war on Turkey. The
president, as commander in chief of
the army cap, and under President
Wilson has. exercised autocratic pow.
er in these matters. 1t will be much
safer to have our treaties and our
laws SO plainly drawn that a comman
der in chief with the autocratic views
of Pres. Wilson or like .Mr. Cox who
promises to follow "his own best fl.
nal Judgment can not force our bows
into service without an act of con-
gress.