The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-12-16
PRESIDENT SENDS
IN HIS MESSAGE
CHIEF MAGISTRATE CALLS ON
CONGRESS TO JUSTIFY DE-
MocRAcY BEFORE WORLD.
SETS FORTH NATIONS DUTY
Says II Is the Manifest Destiny of
United States to Lead in Making
Spirit of fright Makes Might Pre-
vail

Spirit of fright MaI<es-Misht" Pre-
vail.
Washington, Dec. 7.-AbandOnfng his
Intention to deliver his message to
congress in person, President Wilson
sent 1t in and the clerks of both houses
read it. Following is the full text of
the message:
Gentlemen of the congress:
When l addressed myself to per-
forming the duty laid upon the Presi-
dent by the Constitution to present to
you an annual report of the state of
the Union, / found my thought domi-
mated by an immortal sentence OF
Abraham Lincoln's, Let US have
faith that right makes might, and in
that faith let Us dare to do our duty
as we understand it," a sentence i'm
mortal because it embodies in form of
utter simplicity and purity the essen
tial faith of the nation, the faith in
which it was conceived, and the faith
in which it has grown to glory and
power.
With that faith and the birth of
nation founded upon it came the hope
into the world that a new order would
prevail throughout the affairs of man.
kind, an order in which reason and
right would take precedence of cOvet-
BUSINESS and force, and I believe that
I express the wish and purpose of ev-
cry thoughtful American when 1 say
that this sentence marks for US in the
plainest manner the part we should
oil 10 in fho nj
domestic affairs and in our exercise
of influence upon the affairs OF the
world. By this faith, and by this faith
alone. can the world be lifted out of
its present confusion and despair. It
was this faith which prevailed over
the wicked force of Germany. You
will remember that the beginning of
the end of the war came when the
German people found themselves face
TO face with the conscience Of the
world, and realized that right was ev-
erywhere arrayed against the wrong
that their government was attempting
to perpetrate. I think, therefore, that
it is true TO say that this was the
faith which won the war. Certainly
this is the faith with which our gal
liant men went into the field and out
upon the seas to make sure OF victory
This is the mission upon which de-
mocracy came into the world. Democ-
racy is an assertion CT the right of the
individual to live and TO be treated
Justly as against any attempt on the
part of any combination of individuals
to make laws which will overburden
him or which will destroy his equality
among his fellows in the matter Of
right or privilege, and I think we ali
realize that the day has come when
democracy is being put upon its final
test. The old world is just now suf-
fering from wanton rejection of the
principle of democracy and a substitu
ton of the principle of autocracy as
asserted in the name but without the
authority and sanction of the multi
tude This is the time of all others
when democracy should prove its puri-
ty and it's spiritual power to prevail.
1t is surely the manifest destiny of the
United States to lead in the attempt to
make this spirit prevail.
Two Things for Us to Do
There are two ways in which the
United States can assist to accomplish
this great object. First. by offering
the example within her own borders of
the will power of democracy to make
and enforce laws which are unuues-
tionably just and which are equal in
their administration-laws which Sc
cure its full right to labor and yet at
the same time safeguard the integrity
of property. and particularly of that
property which is devoted to the de-
velOpment of industry and the in
crease of the necessary wealth of the
world. Second. by standing for right
and justice as towards individual ma
tons. The law of democracy is for
the protection Of the weak and the in
fiuence of every democracy in the
world should be for the protection of
the weak nation, the nation which Is
struggling toward its right and to-
ward its proper recognition and priv
flege in the family OF nations.
The United States cannot refuse
this role OF champion without putting
the stigma Of rejection upon the great
and devoted men who brought its gov
eminent into existence and established
It In the face of almost universal op-
position and intrigue, even in face
OF wanton force, as, for example,
against the order in council OF Great
Britain and the arbitrary NapoleOnic