The Commoner
SEPTEMBER, 1914
If the people approve of the policies of the Wilson administration
they should vote for the senatorial and congressional candidates in the
coming election who will uphold the President's hands.
President Wilson's Appeal
for Neutrality
My fellow-countrymen:
I suppose that every thoughtful man in Amer
ica has asked himself during these last troubled
weeks what influence the European war may
oxert upon the United States, and 1 take the lib
erty of addressing a few words to you in order
to point out that it is entirely within our own
choice what its effects upon us will be and to
urge very earnestly upon you the sort of speech
and conduct which best safeguard the nation
against distress and disaster.
The effect of the war upon the United States
will depend upon what American citizens say
and do. Every man who really loves America
will act and speak in the true spirit of neutral
ity which is the spirit of impartiality and fair
ness and friendliness to all concerned. The
spirit of the nation in this critical matter will
be determined largely by what individuals and
society and those gathered in public meetings
do and say, upon what newspapers and maga
zines contain, upon what ministers utter in their
pulpits, and men proclaim ds their opinions on
the street.
The people of the United States are drawn from
many nations and chiefly from the nations now
at war. It is natural and inevitable that there
should be the utmost variety of sympathy and
desire among them with regard to the issues and
circumstances of the conflict. Some will wish
one nation, others another, to succeed in the
momentous struggle. It will be easy to excite
passion, and difficult to allay it. Those respon
sible for exciting it will assume a heavy respon
sibility, responsibility for no less a thing than
that the people of the United States, whose
love of their country and whose loyalty to its
government should unite them as Americans all,
bound in honor and affection to think first of her
and her interests, may be divided in camps of
hostile opinion, hot against each other, involved
in the war itself in impulse and opinion if not in
action. Such divisions amongst us would be
fatal to our peace of mind and might seriously
stand in the way of the proper performance of
our duty as the one great nation at peace, the
one people holding itself ready to play a part
of impartial mediation and speak the counsels
of peace and accomodation, not as a partisan,
but as a friend.
I venture, therefore, my fellow-countrymen, to
speak a solemn word of warning to you against
that deepest, most subtle, most essential breach
of neutrality which may spring out of partisan
ship, out of passionately taking sides. The
United States must be neutral in fact as well as
in name during these days that are to try men's
souls. "We must be impartial in thought as well
as in action, must put a curb upon our senti
ments as well as upon every transaction that
might be construed as a preference of one party
to the struggle before another.
My thought is of America. I am speaking, I
feel sure, the earnest wish and purpose of every
thoughtful American that this great country of
ours, whfch is, of course, the first in our
thoughts and in our hearts, should show herself
in this time of peculiar trial a nation fit beyond
others to exhibit the fine poise of undisturbed
judgment, the dignity of self-control, the effi
ciency of dispassionate action; a nation that
neither sits in judgment upon others nor is dis
turbed in her counsels and which keeps herself
fit and free to do what is honest and disinter
ested and truly serviceable for the peace of the
world.
Shall we not resolve to put upon ourselves
the restraints which will bring to our people the
happiness and the great and lasting influence
for peace we covet for them?
SENATOR FLETCHER
Florida will elect by direct voto of the people
a senator of the United States in November. Tho
democratic nominee is her present senior senator,
Duncan U. Fletcher. It is not thought any can
didate by any other party will bo nominated.
There will be no opposition to his election. His
majority of 10,309 in the June primary indicates
that his constituents value his splendid service
and appreciate his attainments and accomplish
ments. While Senator Fletcher has not yet completed
his first term, he is recognized as one of the
most intelligent, patriotic and efficient members
of the senate. Demonstrating his capacity to
meet the highest demands o! tho country, his
colleagues have placed him on a number of tho
most important committees, and he has been as
signed to work of greatest responsibility.
While carefully guarding the interests of Flor
ida, and absolutely devoted to her people, his
vision and understanding embrace the problems
of tho nation.
As the leading democrats on the special com
mittee to investigate the interior department and
forestry service (known as the Ballinger-Pinchot
controversy) his work on the committee in pre
paring the report, and his speech in support of
it, establish his position at the front. As a mem
ber of the committee selected to investigate the
Titanic disaster, he rendered important service
in connection with legislation which followed,
improving our navigation laws and tending to
promote the safety of life at sea.
As chairman of the American commission and
the United States commission, appointed by the
president, on rural credits, ho Is at the leadership
of a movement which means vast benefits to the
agricultural interests of the country. Senate
document 214 is said to be tho most complete,
authentic and reliable publication on the subject
of rural credits in print anywhere. It L a volume
of 916 pages, the work of these commissions. Tho
report of the United States commission to con
gress and the bill attached show the high char
acter of the efforts being put forth by Senator
Fletcher and its great importance to the whole
country.
Florida has very wisely decided to continue
him in the senate.
Outside of congress, Senator Fletcher con
ducts public undertakings requiring a stupend
ous amount of labor and vastly helpful to the
south.
As president of tlie southern commercial con
gress, and of the Mississippi to Atlantic Inland
Waterway Association, he has pushed forward
the forces which make for the upbuilding of the
south and in the spirit of the slogan, "A greater
nation through a greater south."
W. J. BRYAN.
With the full horrors of war brought within
the vision of the American people by the de
vastating conflict In Europe, one no longer hears
any more sneers directed towards the watchful
waiting policy of the national administration in
its dealings with the Mexican situation. When
history calmly and impartially writes down the
record of this country's dealings with this prob
lem, and pronounces its judgment upon the at
titude of the United States, Woodrow Wilson
will receive the full meed of praise for his pa
tience and wisdom that is now denied him in
part.
Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo has an
nounced that warehouse receipts for cotton, to
bacco, turpentine and rosin will be accepted as
a basis for currency Issues. " This was done so
that producers need not be compelled to market
their stuff at whatever price the speculators
cared to pay them, with the latter reaping all of
the benefit. This action was taken without con
sulting Wall street; which indicates where the
difference lies between a democratic adminis
tration's way of doing things and the way a re-
publican administration does things.
FIATISM REBUKED
The Now York World administers tho fol
lowing rebuke to one of tho leading eastern fi
nanciers: "Whon tho president of the National City bank
coolly proposes that bank notes shall bo substi
tuted for gold in maintaining tho 2G per cont. re
serve required by law, Wall street owes an apol
ogy to Kansas. Nothing that populism over de
manded in tho name of flat money surpassed
this, and all that Mr. Bryan ever wanted to do
was to cut tho standard of value In two. Ho
nover insisted that currency bo substituted for
specie.
"Tho bank notes are a liability against tho
banks that issue, and if a liability can bo turned
into a reserve against other liabilities, wild-cat
banking was a scientific currency system which
ought never to havo been destroyed.
"The Vanderllp excursion into populism Is ad
ditional evidence that the now banking and cur
rency law cannot too soon be put into operation."
It is not necessary to discuss the World's
misrepresentation of Mr. Bryan's position; It is
enough to know that it regards the Wall street
proposition as worse It Is some praise to be
referred to as advocating a system more safe
and sane than that which now receives endorse
ment in our groat money centers.
As neat a piece of back-tracking as was over
accomplished in a short time was that of the
Nebraska republican state platform convention.
The resolutions committeo Included a plank
amending the direct primary law so as to rein
state the state nominating convention. It was
received with applause by tho politicians who
composed tho greater portion of tho delegates,
and was just on tho point of being adopted when
speakers pointed out that maybe the voters
wouldn't stand for It. Then It was defeated by
an overwhelming vote. The republican papers
that reported the convention said that the ma
jority favored the plank but were afraid to adopt
It. This is given as Illustrating how really pro
gresslvo Nebraska republicans are.
Joseph L. Bristow, senator from Kansas, was
defeated in the republican primaries as a candi
date for re-election by Former Senator Curtis,
who was retired two years ago because of his
stalwart standpatlsm. Thus we see how thor
oughly progressive the Republican party, even in
radical Kansas, has become. The result carries
its lesson for the democratic, party, and that
lesson is that with the republican party headed
for Its old resting place in tho bosom of pluto
cracy, the democratic party must remain as it Is,
the real progressive party of the nation,,
Husband, what reason have you to believo
that you are more Interested in your children's
welfare than their mother is? And what ground
is there for the belief that she would be less
wise than you In tho use of the ballot for tho
safeguarding of the children's welfare?
ROOSEVELT SILENCED BY EVENTS
When ex-President Roosevelt opened the cam
paign in behalf of the progressives whom he is
supporting, he attacked tho foreign policy of tho
president and declared it to be "a disgrace to tho
nation."
He had scarcely committed himself wheu
Huerta fled from Mexico and CaTranza entered
the city In peaceful triumph. The success of the
president's policy "watchful waiting" silenced
criticism.
Then came the great European war that em
phasizes tho contrast between the war spirit of
Europe and the spirit of mediation and concilia
tion In tho western hemisphere. The ex-presf-dent
has announced his readiness to "uphold the
hands" of tho president during the war, which
Is. entirely patriotic and praiseworthy, but he
cannot throw as much energy into his words of
approval as he did into tho denunciatory phrase
with which he started out.
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