The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-06-11

and with all the resources OF Scurrll-
ity and hatred Long, sad and dreary
months they have been to the great
and lonely man in the White House
who has been struggling back TO
health and the service of his people
from beneath the weight of grievous
affliction. No word of protest has
come from him; no sign that he wine
ed or that he suffered. His envious
detractions, like ravening wolves,
have bounded him necessarily by day
and by night"
Our esteemed and very excellent
| friend, Mr.. Richard H. Edmonds, edi-
tor of the Manufacturers Record, who
is an unfriendly and ever constant
critic of the president and the demo-
cratic administration, says that Mr..
Colby is a "discredited defender" be-
| cause of his views on prohibition, as
| il ones views on prohibition rendered
one a taboo
In letter to the Record, Mr.. R. B.
Slaughter, of Robinsville, N c., writ
es very strongly and vigorously as
follows:
1.-THE approaching presidential cam.
paign will be the occasion for the
most enviOuS, bitter and partisan at
tack upon the president and his ad-
miniStratiOn that has ever recorded
in the political history Of the United
States, and while his detractors and
traducers exercise the right to attack
him, they must concede to his friends
the right to defend him, and I am glad
that there Is man like Mr.. Colby
in Washington that has the capacity
to measure arms with the ablest
critics and assailants of the president.
"The bitter partisan editor of the
New York Tribune, in reply to Mr..
Colby. has attacked the president un-
merclfully and says that Mr. Colby
has raised an issue. An issue has
been raised sure enough, not by Mr.
Colby. but by the partisan press and
politicians of the country, and the de.
tenders Of the president, however dis
credited they may be in the eyes of
the editor OF the Manufacturers Re.
cord, will meet the issue.
1t is any wonder that Washington
took pains to warn his fellowcountry-
men against the baneful effect of the
spirit of party?" He spoke from ex-
perience, when he told them that ut
serves always to distract the public
c0ncfls and enfeeble the public ad.
ministratiOn." He admonished the
American people against the evils of
an 1nflamed and pernicious partisan
ship
In his reply Mr.. Edmonds says that
Mr.. Colby made what he calls "bad
break" in his views of the efficiency
or prohibition in the navy yards of
the country that renders him an unfit
and "discredited defender of the pres
ldent, which, to say the least, is a long
and exceedingly weak reach for some
excuse to bolster up his criticism of
the able secretary of state.
Further along Mr. Edmonds saws.
Mr.. Slaughter quotes George Wash.
n1gton as warning his country against
the beneful effect of the spirit of
party" but why did not Mr.. Slaughter
also quote General Washington as
warning the nation against entangling
foreign alliances, for on that point he
spoke with the authority of a world
vision. He knew the politics and the
spirit which had moved European ma
tons through the centuries and the
advice which he then gave it Just as
applicable today as it was at that
time. The diplomats and politicians
OF Europe and Japan and of other
countries which would have a domi.
nant voice in the League of Nations
are equally as dangerous TODAY to
American sovereignty and indepen.
dence as they were in the DAYS of
Washington"
1t is no exaggeration to say that the
strongest minds of the nation feel
that Mr.. EdmOndS is mistaken in sun.
n0Slnp 10 I Nf
involve the United States in "entanl<.
ling alliances" with foreign nations
It's very purpose is to prevnet those
entangling alliances. Its purpose is to
'unravel the ''tangles' which hitler.
to have "entangled" us in these "aIli.
ances"
We repeat that to smooth them ont
and prevent the world from being ON.
quilted in the awful vortex of sucb
wars as the one we have lust passed
through which has caused the limited
states TO leave so many of her honor.
cd dead on foreign fields.
What may we ask, has been the his.
tory of the "tOld Order?'
We cite an instance:
The editor of this paper lost his
rather In a war; he was himself in a
war; his oldest son was in war
ana his youngest son was in still an
other war.
SO it will be seen that here within
nfetlme were four wars three of
which were foreign wars.
What story!
Ought not heroic efforts be made to
prevent conditions that are likely to
involve is in similar wars in the fu.
ture?
Then trying to make the ignorant