The Ocala banner., 1922-03-31
LEST WE FORGET"

When our forefathers were fight.
ing against the tyranny of an English
King, Lord Catham, the elder Pitt,
spoke in the House of Lords and the
eloquence of Edmund Burke rang in
the House of Commons, against the
war on the American Colonies.
In the long, long, wars prosecuted
by Pitt, the younger. as prime min
lister of England, against Napoleon
hundreds of speeches were made in
parliament for cessation of hostilities.
Such is the liberty of English
statesmen So it was during their
Boer war, within the memory of many
of us. SO it was until the fateful day
that war was declared on Germany in
1914; when cabinet officers Immediate
ly resigned and new cabinet was
formed yet no man was discredited
for resigning.
1t must be said as a splendid trib-
ute to the intelligence of the English
people that, as liberty loving ma
tion, no statesman has ever there
after been rebuked by them for such
freedom of speech and action.
Benjamin Harvey Hill and Alexand-
er H. Stephens, of Georgia: Trusten
Polk, of Missouri; Wade Hampton,
of South Carolina; John Minor Bolts,
Of Virginia; and A. H. H. Stuart, and
many other Southern men pleaded
with their people in opposition to our
terrible Civil War until the hopeless
hour of fratricidal combat. These are
proud names in Southern history.
So it was then in the North that
many splendid men stemmed until the
last the swelling tide for war.
Never, after the smoke of battle
cleared away, was any such man re-
buked by his people.
1t is essential to the life of all free
people that their statesmen be permit
ted to oppose until the last hour any
declaration of war without any fear
OF punishment thereafter for such op-
position.
This is the proud boast of England
and America, while other hapless ma
tons have led such statesmen to the
guillotine, or the Tarpeian rock.
Judge of the nations, spare us vet.
Lest We forget, lest we forget"
lt may be OF small Importance and
passing interest to our people whether
Bryan, or Trammell, will sit in the
Senate for the next few years, but we
must not forget principles on which
rest our hope for continuance of
free government.
| am astonished that some of our
press and intelligent citizens are
heard to say, in substance, that they
will not support Bryan because he quit
wilson's cabinet in the face of war
with Germany.
Now the facts are that BRYAN ouit
the cabinet in June 1915 and in 1916
made many speeches for the re-elec-
fion Of Wilson on the platform, "He
kept us out of war;" and war was not
declared until April, 1917.
After the successful campaign in
1916. on this platform, it is not re-
corded that Bryan ever said a word
to embarrass Wilson in dealing with
Germany.
Senator Trammells published state
ment of the 2Sth. inst, may suggest
the key which unlocks the riddle of
my astonishment, for | infer from
his statement that the state is in.
tested with Pennsylvanians and re.
publicans, all of whom are bent unon
fraud and deception; and perhaps
from these same mendacious sources
come these reports that Bryan quit
the cabinet in the face of war with
Germany.
Be that as it may, my friends. in
the sporting gusts of passing politics
let us net overlook the traditions
which sustain the liberties and the
freedom of the American people.
'I.o. all our pomp of yesterday
IS with one Nineveh and Tyre:
Judge of the nations, spare us yet.
Lest we forget, lest we forget"
Sincerely yours,
VIM. HOOKER.
10 II