Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-06-09

right road into the dark and devious
ways which with all nations lead to
appeal for support to all who love
America, to all, whatever party name
they happen to bear. who are true to
the faith of the fathers, to Join with
US in this greas work OF redemption
ton and all ii means transcends in i'm
portance every other question and all
immediate and dominant issues are
bound up with il. Without that de-
feat every chance OF the right settle
ment of the mighty questions before
US. SO soreiy needed now and not later.
will depart.
Our First Duty az Americans
The ground thus cleared. it is our
first duty as Americans to re-establish
have been both shaken and invaded
shaken by the shock of war, invaded
by those who had their own selfish
purposes to serve even in the hour Of
the country's danger.
The earliest beliefs of men reveal
the trust of mankind in order, as the
divine conQueror Of chaos and eternal
night A famous poet tells US that
order is Heavens first law" and his
the civilization ever built up and
treasured by mankind has rested upon
the establishment Of law and order.
Law and order. the supports of true
lucIls. lHc NIiu lOUflUdtlOIlS Oh pros
perity and progress. have always ruled
in the United States and have been
very dear to the hearts Of the Ameri-
can people. They must never be
weakened or impaired unless we are
ready to see all that we have carefully
built up go down in ruin and men
forced once more into the struggle
against chaos, followed by the slow
and toilsOme climb out Of the dark
ness and anarchy TO the height of free
dnn, and G yr<onf n IN.
tain law and order and stable gov
eminent where justice rules and the
rights of all men. high and low, rich
and poor. shall be protected. we must
chosen by the people. and never must
there be permitted any government by
single man or BY group of men or
by an organized minority. Tyranny
turks in them all and true freedom
withers when they ascend the throne
There must be but one law in this
country and that is the law framed
by the men chosen by the people
themselves TO make the laws. The
chief magistrate must understand that
IL is his duty not only to enforce but
to abide by the laws. the laws made
by the representatives of the people
and when those laws are once made
they must be obeyed until the people
the people, expressed in lawful man
ner through the Government of the
United States. must be supreme for
the Government OF the United States
can neither suffer revolt nor submit to
any question OF its authority on the
part of any man or any group OF men
or any minority of the people When
free government fails, autocracy and
revolution and the downfall of civili-
cation as We have known it are at
hand. Progress will cease and the
decline TO lower stages of develop
ment Will have begun. True progress
must rest upon and proceed from the
sound principles which sustain all
the Republican party always has been
committed. Loyalty to the United
States and obedience 10 the people 5
laws are the corner-stones of the Re
public and should be sustained and up
neld by every man and woman in
every corner of our great land. Keep
these principles sacred ana untouched
and all the rest will follow.
Let me turn first 10 the economic
conditions. SO profoundly distorted
and confused by the war. which affect
our daily life, are essential to our
business and upon which our material
prosperity and all the benefits, both
mental and moral. which flow from it
when honestly acquired. so largely de-
pend Already q beginning has been
made by Republican Congress, work
ing under all the difficulties and oppo-
sition imposed by a hostile Executive
Many vital economic measures and es-
peclaIy protective tariff legislation
with Democratic Free Trader of So
cialistIc proclivities in the White
House. To accomplish such measures
as these We must have. as we intend
sympathy with a Republican House
and Senate Great reductions in ex-
penditures have been effected but we
have been met with resistance in some
of the departments and also by habits
OF waste backed by maladministration.
by sacrifice Of efficiency 10 political
purposes, never SO recklessly INDUCED
in before. and in certain cases by an
incompetency SO marvellous that it
cannot be due to nature but must be
the result of art. Yet despite all these
lettering conditions an amount of
work has been done which in days of
peace would have been considered re-
markable but now passes almost un-
noticed because great events have SO
crowded on each others heels in the
years of world war that the compre-
hension and appreciation of legisla-
tive accomplishment are well nigh
lost. Let me give a few examples of
what has been accomplished.
The estimates have been reduced
over billion dollars. The oil-leasing
and waterpower bills, two measures
of large effect and high Importance.
which have been hating and STUN
hands of Democratic majority. have
passed both houses but the President
has vetoed the water-power bill. We
have passed the vocational rehabilita-
ton act for the benefit of wounded
soldiers and several acts for the dis
position of war material. very neces-
sary 10 our finances. We have amend
ed and improved the Federal Reserve
cared for the soldiers of the Civil War.
straitened in their old age through the
rise in prices, by an increase in their
pensions The civil service retirement
faithful servants of the Government.
has been passed We have been
obliged to restore the Army and Navy
to a peace footing. work as difficult
this by two most important measures.
the Army and Navy pay-bill and the
law for the reorganization of the
Army on peace basis. Two of the
the shipping act for the upbuilding Of
the American Marine and the settle
ment of the affairs of the Shipping
Board and the law establishing the
and sound financial administration. are
conspicuous as our latest achieve
ments.
The budget bill was vetoed by the
resident at the last moment on the
ground that it interfered with his
power of appointment and removal.
The list Of beneficial laws, passed
under adverse circumstances. might
be largely extended did not time for
bid. But these are enough to show
the far-reaching results of the labors
OF this Congress. whose time is but
little more than half spent Some of
the master minds of the Democratic
party are now chirruping away like
incessant little birds that the Re
publicans have done nothing"
should be glad. emitting the two years
OF war when both parties worked to-
gether. to put the recorded accom-
plishment of the five years of com