Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-10-07
APPEAL TO PEOPLE
The appeal follows:


APPEAL TO PEOPLE
The appeal follows:
My Fellow Countrymen: The IS
sues of the present campaign are of
such tremendous Importance and of
such far-reaching significance for the
influence of the country and the de-
velOpment of its future relations and
L have necessarily had so much to do
with their development that 1 am sure
you will think it natural and proper
that l should address to you a few
words concerning them. Every one
who sincerely believes in government
by the people must rejoice at the turn
affairs have taken in regard to this
campaign This election is to be a
genuine national referendum. The
determination of great policy upon
which the influence and authority of
the United States in the world must
depend is not to be left to groups
of politicians of either party, but is
to be referred to the people them
selves for a sovereign mandate to
their personalities. They are to
instruct their own government what
they wish done.
"The chief question that is put to
you is, of course, this: DO you want
your country IS honor indicated and
the treaty of Versailles ratifedg Do
you in particular approve of the
league of nations as organized and
empowered in the treaty9 And do
you wish to see the United States
play its responsible part in it9'
Ann xr0rr rrrcr mo
"You have been grossly misled with
regard to the treaty and particularly
with regard to the proposed char
acter of the league of nations by
those who have assumed the serious
responsibility of oppoing it. They
have gone so far that those who have
spent their lives, as l have spent my
life in familiarizing themselves with
the history and traditions and poll
cies of the nation must stand amazed
at the gross ignorance and impudent
audaeity which has led them to at
tempt to invent an 'Americanism of
their own, which has no foundation
whatever in any of the authentic ira.
ditiOns of the government.
Americanism as they conceive it
reverses the whole process of the last
few tragical years. 1t would substi-
tute America for Prussia in the policy
of isolation and defiant segregation
Their conception of the dignity of
the nation and its interest is that we
should stand apart and watch for OPP
portunities to advance our own inter
ests, involve ourselves in no response
bility for the maintenance of the right
in the world, or for the continued
vindication of any of the things for
which we entered the war to fight.
The conception of the great creators
of the government was absolutely OPP
posite to this. They thought of Ameri-
ca as the light of the world: as ere
ated to lead the world in the asser
ton of the rights of peoples and
the rights of free nations; as des
tined to set a responsible example to
all the world of what free govern
ment is and can do for the mainte
nance of right standards, both national
and international. This light the
opponents of the league would
quench. They would relegate the
United States to a subordinate role
in the affairs of the world.
NOT sHUN RESPONSIBILITIES
"Why should we be afraid of re-
sponsibilities which we are qualified
to sustain, and which the whole of
our history has constituted prom
Use to the world we would sustainS
This is the most momentous issue
that has ever been presented to the
people of the United States, and
do not doubt that the hope of the
whole world will be verified by an
absolute assertion by the voters of
the country of the determination of
the United States to live up to all
the great expectations which they
created by entering the war and en-
abling the other great nations of the
world to bring it to victorious con-
clusion, to the confusion of Prussian-
ism ana everything that arises out of
Prusianism. Surely we shall not
fail to keep the promise sealed in the
death and sacrifice of our incompar-
able soldiers, sailors and marines who
await our verdict beneath the sod of
France.
"Those who do not care to tell you
the truth about the league of ma
tions tell you that Article 10 of the
covenant of the league would make
if possible for other nations to lead
Us into war whether we willed it by |
our own Independent judgment on
not. This is absolutely false. There
is nothing in the covenant which in
the least inteferes with or impairs
the right of congress to declare war
Dr. not declare war, according to its
judgment, as our consti-
tuition provides. Those who drew the
covenant of the league were careful