The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-09-16
NINETEEN TwENTY-FpTURE

Yes, this average man, this presi-
Dental candidate, who appealed for
the highest office in the gift of the
people after the manner of a candl-
date for constable, is changed man.
He has learned the difference between
the latitude of a candidates privilege
of criticism and Misrepresentation,
and the specific and unyielding re-
sponsibilities of power. No longer
does he hint at or suggest that the
United States is without impressive
obligations in her relations with the
world. 1t would do very well to tell
the voters that we did not go to war
for the sake of either humanity or de-
mocracy, but merely that we might
assert, physically, our defiance of
menacing foe that had trampled upon
our national rights. But today, from
the precincts of the White House, he
speaks Of our solemn duty, Of the
equality of our leadership and the
great things that our influence may
accomplish in world affairs. The pro-
vincialism of Marion, O., is passing,
but the story of the deception of the
people remains-the story of the day
when this provincialism was made as
sertive in such seductive fashion as
tn delude and mislead the electorate
of America.
First. he discovers that our troops
cannot be withdrawn from the Rhine
land, without placing the peace of the
world in jeopardy. He finds out thai
the small army we maintain there
must remain until there is some deli
mite understanding between the Unit
ed States and Germany and maybe al
forwards. Possibly. had the Treaty
of Versailles been ratified, either with
or without reservations, conditions
might have been, so stabilized as TO
have made it possible to withdraw the
troops. But the time has not yet
come. Here goes glimmering one oil
the seductive pictures of the return oil
our boys in khaki from Rhineland,
pictures painted by Republican ora
tors, who denounced the statesman
shin that kept them there as alto
pether vicious. Of course, the former
President, Mr.. Wilson; the former Sec
rotary of State, Mr.. Colby; the form
err Secretary of War, Mr.. Baker,
could have told Mr.. Harding different
| ly. but he had to learn, and he has
learned. and the troops are there still,
despite the campaign pledges OF Re
publican orators, from Harding down!
For years, the treaty making repa-
ration to the Republic Of Colombia for
wrongs committed by the United
States in virtually stealing the terri
tory of Panama, during the Roose-
Welt administration, has been pending
in the Senate. Mr.. Harding, as a Sen
ator. has helped to block its ratitica-
tion. As a member of the Foreign
Relations Committee, he helped to
smother the treaty, over and over
again. The Senator is transmitted IN
to the Executive, the head of a great
nation. with place in the sun, and he
finds to his amazement that the rat
ifcation of this treaty, at this juno
ture. is the keystone in the arch OF
our relations with South and Central
America. He finds that Colombian
antagonism to the United States, be-
cause of the delay in ratifying TINS
treaty, which was solely due to Mr..
Harding's Republican colleagues IN
the Senate, was proving costly TO
American business, and that foreign
ers were creeping into the country
and acquiring vast concessions Oh
boundless wealth, in oil and mineral
wealth that might have accrued 10
American benefit, had it not been for
the Republican obstructionists in the
Senate-including Warren G. Harding
of Ohiol Instanter, the word goes
forth: s'Ratify the Colombian Treaty,
] even, though it was negotiated by