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The Gomtricmer
16
VOL. 16, NO. 7
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separating questions of fact from questions of
law, and by affording time for passion to sub
side and for tbe peaceful forces of the country to
operate, will make war a remote possibility.
Surely this plan will appeal to the women of
the United States as it has appealed to the men.
It not only has the approval of the president,
but it has been endorsed with practical unan
imity by the senate. It goes farther than any
other peace plan has ever gone and has been en
dorsed more widely and more rapidly than any
previous plan.
Do not be surprised if you find this plan mis
represented; misrepresentations may usually be
regarded as an admission of the correctness of
the position opposed. If the opponents could
answer the arguments advanced in support of
these treaties they would rely upon their answer;
when they can not answer they are driven to the
necessity of substituting something which they
think vulnerable. Finding themselves unable
to defend Mwar at any cost," they accuse peace
advocates of favoring "peace at any price." To
show how Inexcusable this misrepresentation is,
I need only remind you of the fact that all of
theso treaties SPECIFICALLY RESERVE to the
contracting nations the right to act independ
ently on the subject matter AFTER tho investi
gation is concluded. The world is not yet ready
for the arbitration of all questions, but the, ne
gotiating of these treaties shows that the world
is ready for the investigation of all disputes., Ar
bitration contemplates a decision which will be
binding upon the parties to the arbitration; In
vestigation merely provides for the securing of
more accurate information upon which the par
ties may act. Those who are interested in the
prpriiotion of peace believe, however, that the
investigation of all questions, while reserving to
the contracting parties the right to engage in
war if they' so desire, will, in nearly every .jass
aVert War, because investigaton is almost sure
to result in the finding of some amicable basis
of settlement. '...,-.
Surely tlie time has come when tho doctrine
of' touman brotherhood Is sufficiently, understo)d
and 'widely 'enough accepted to justify tlie .hjpe
iliat the Wbrld Will soon cbme to the acceptance
of this plan 6r some other plan of ; promoting
Universal peace. This nation can render no
highfer' service to the world than to maintain
such.')t' position of neutrality as will enable it .to
mediate With the warring nations, when they
are ready to accept mediation, and, when . the
warJs overtQ exert its great influence toward
inakingithis, the last great war. ., ,. ,
lAy-poetfrt vividly describing r scene of the aivU
Vfwai!,JtellB'Of a soldier who, thrusting his bayonet
'through vone of the opposing line, was lovor,
'MMielmed with grief to find, as he drew his bay
onet forth that he had killed his brother, it. is
not too much to hope that the day will yet come
iwhen men .will so, recognise, the tie that, binds
him to all his fellowmen tha.t he will, find, it
possible tq settle all his disputes without '.reei-t
.to blood; and 4n the bringing of this day wppie'rt.
Vlastmt the cross and first it the sepulchre," wil
play an i important part.
J"' t SOCIETY REGRETS WITHDRAW AIj , j
v. 'The political excitement aroused by the res
ignation, .of. Secretary Bryan was accompanied
during the past week by general expressions of
4r3gret. in, the 'social 'world, because of the with
drawal Pf , Ir. and Mrs. Bryan from the head
of the cabinet circle. Their home in Calumet
Place has been the scene of many notable gath
erings, some oi them of historic importance, and
. all of them Climated by the spirit of cordial
hospitality. ' ", , :
. During the. trying period following the out
break of the war, when nice discretion and tact
rwsre indispensable requisites in the wife of 'the
'American premier, Mrs.. Bryan discharged with
Charming grace he social duties imposed upon
her. She had previously won. the praise of offi
cial society by her generous attitude in the un
fortunate misunderstanding that threatened to
develop between tthe cabinet women and the con
gressional inruiu. j? qy wpmeu ynu nave occu
pied the conspicuous position to which Mrs. 'Bry
an, was enunu uuvb iuuuu iiuu iiuiu. sucn sm
cerd friendships, .nd the entire assembly ot, sp-
, cietyjT-aamlnistraye, diplomatic, congressional
arid residential will regret the departure qf
, Mr. and Mrs. Bryan.
Secretary Bryan, althbugh he vfa's beset bv
iinkntfclfl Wies, especially sihee .the outbreak
Vol Wxt'was a conscientious host and a delightful
Jtatite'cora'paniph. The hunioi' which Was never
Tmermltted' to obtrude upon official propriety
1oun,d appropriate expression among his friends
in privacy, and gave them a glimpse of a most
attractive side of Mr. Bryan's character. The
strong attachment of both Mr. and Mrs. Bryan
for home ties, home duties and home friends
gave an atmosphere to Calumet Place that was
quite distinct from austerity, even upon formal
occasions. This was appreciated and often com
mented upon by members of the diplomatic
corps, who felt that the welcome officially, ex-,
tended to them was based upon personal, re
gard. Virginia Tatnall Peacock, in Washington
P0St. 'iJLii
" ;
REASONS WHY BRYAN RESIGNED n
From Raleigh, N. Q., News and Observer,
Secretary Daniels paper.
"God bless you" were the words whicn caino
simultaneously from President Wilson and Sec
retary of State Bryan as they closed their con
ference when Mr. Bryan paid his last official
call on the president just before the telegraphing
of the note to Germany which brought about the
resignation of the secretary of state. Those
words. came from impulses in the hearts of two
men who understood each other, both open
minded, big-brained, t patriotic Americans.
Mr. Bryan withdrew from the cabinet with the
good will, with ,the confidence and with the ex
pression of "more than deep regret" and "with
a feeling of personal sorrow" of the president.
This is the view of the, man most concerned
in the resignation of Mr. Bryan, and these are
the expressions .which came from the man to
whom Mr. Bryan had given his reasons for re
signing from the cabinet. These are circumr
stances which should be kept in mind in con
sidering that resignation. Some critics of Mr.
Bryan are trying to manufacture different
reasons why he resigned and are trying tb fore
cast what will be the political results1 because
he returned to President Wilson the commis
sion of secretary of state, and are engaged in
the suggestion' of ulterior motives, in place of
holding Mr. Byyari a,s the honest man 'he is, and
taking him at' his Word'. ' ' " '.
What are the reasons? ' ' ' ' ' ' T
The answer to that questibn is' not difficult.
1, Mr. Bryan's reasons are so straightforward
that there is riot justcause for speculation. ' -As
stated by himself in his letter to President Wil
son they are as folldws:
"Obedient to your sense of duty and actuated
by the. highest motives, you have prepared for
transmission to the German government a' note
in which I can not join without Violating' what
I deem to be an obligation, td my dtiuntfy arid
.the issue involved is of such m'dment 'that'to re
main a member of the cabinet would be 'as un
fair to you as it would be to the' cause which
is nearest to my heart, namely the prevention
of war. Alike desirous of reaching
a peaceful solution of the problems arising out
of the use of submarines against merchantmen,
we find ourselves differing irreconcilably as' to
the methods which sliould be employed. It falls
to your lot to 'speak officially for the nation; T
consider it to be none tlie less my duty to en
deavor as a private citizen to prbmote the end
which you have in view by means which you do
hot feel at liberty to use." i
Mr. Bryan believed the note might cause war
and that a different note might, make war iiri
possible. When these two great men, Wilson anft
Bryan,, with the same objects in view, could not
agree, Mr Bryan, acting as he always does from
strong and honest convictions, resigned. We
mav feel that he should have remained ip the
cabinet as we do but no matter what may be
the opinions on that noint, the country will never
be persuaded that Mr. Bryan could be anything
but an unselfish patriot.
2. Mr. Bryan and Mr. Wilson are agreed upon
the great constructive legislation enacted by
congress, and co-operated to secure it. It. is
.our firm and fixed opinion that Mr. Bryan has
n,o object except to advance such principles, and
.ho can do much to advance them. Many 'be
lieve he can serve them better 'as a private cit
izen than with the limitations which office im
poses. At any rate all tho twaddle about Mr '
Bryan s having in view politics or helping other
parties is the silliest nonsense. He is hot that
kind of a man. He is too great to be made
greater by office, too honest tb lose the confi
dence of the American people in his integrity by
laying down office. T,iy Dy
Mr. Bryan is a man fully' known by the neo-
fSZ l!" V that hny -ffit
u ., Vuunw uu maue upon the fadtn inf
the assumptions and the conjectur66rbHtics
who draw unon their imaginations; orth dec-
laratiops .of those who. have never been ablp t
rise above small prejudices and recognize V
true Bryan. He has set forth the reasons for hi
resignation, he has set forth his purposes ami
those who esteem honesty and truth and rS
will accept these in their words and in their
spirit. They will recognize that what Mr. Bryan
has done has been because of convictions which
are implanted in him, that he is obedient to his
sense of duty, and is actuated by motives which
he holds high above personal aggrandizement or
popular applause.
The fact that the food producing units of Eu
rope are engaged in war and that the nations
there are securing as much food from America
as they can pass through the various blockades
has given the producers of this country a splen
did opportunity to reap a golden harvest. As a
result, on some- articles of food, there have been
slight raises beyond the prices obtained after tho
democratic tariff went into effect. The repub
lican press is now using this as a taunt that the
democrats have failed to reduce the cost of liv
ing, and sapient editors point out that it proves
that a protective tariff does not make high
prices afnd that the tariff is but an infinitestimal
factor in retail prices. Unconscious humor is a
never missing element in a high tariff debater.
According to this logic a high tariff that is levied
in order that a manufacturer may get moro fo
his products than if there were no tariff does
not increase prices and has very little effect on
them Who is supposed to posses the most per
fect faith, .the manufacturer- or.' the consumer?
Senator John W. Weeks, the Massachusetts
statesman who recently viste'd the west in an ef
fort to find out whether his presidential aspira
tions would' receive' kindly treatment in that
section, returned in an enthusiastic mood. He
says that he found "business men certain that
the lease of bower now held' by democracy would
be terminated heidt year,"' arid says "they feel
that cbndijtibns are safer and more substantial
with a' republican president 'arid cbngreBs." It
wtiuhl rib'f' tifc r 'difficult 'to pick' but' the kind of
meh(Mr. Weeks; interviewed. Tha'sort'of busi
ness1 men always did feel safer with a republican
president and congress, but they are no longer
running politick in thek United States.
The revelations at the hearing in Annapolis,
where a co,ur,t qf, inquiry has been trying to find
out who was responsible for, the, epidemic of crib
bing and. oheating at the naval , academy, rather
shock .those gentle souls who supposed from the
speeches .of naval officers that honor was the
principal study Not, the least,' repulsive feature
of the whole proceeding has been the fact that
the- cheating aroused . no great resentm nt
among the corps and that the o.nly honor men
tioned in. the transaction was that Which forbade
telling how examination papers, were stolen and
distributed. .,.',.
Nebraska Will vote on prohibition in 1016,
and some of the weekly newspapers are printing
matter sent out by the liquor dealers' associa
tion intended to show that crime, poverty and in
sanity are less In those states" where the saloon
id licensed than where it is prohibited'. Anybody
who believes that using as a beverage that which
disturbs a man's moral centers, reduces his earn
ing capacity and makes him' a nervous wreck will
not increase crime, poverty and insanity should
immediately furnish his address to those smooth
gentlemen who deal In green goods.
It would seem an act ofeconomic folly for the
voters of the United States to run all the risKs
attendant upon the putting of the government
again into the hands of the unregenerated wins
of the republican party merely to re-inaugurate
an era of high tariff. At least so long as tno
British fleet, by barring German manufactures
from the, American market, is maintaining a
tariff wall higher than aify republican 6tatean.an
has ever dared suggest be built.
A stock' dividend of 250 per cent has been de
clared by the1 New Jersey Zinc company, wincn
now boasts of a ten million dollar stock issue.
A democrat is naturally timid about pointing
this out as one proof that the last tariff law aw
riot throttle business, because he knows that
republican is certain to reply by saying that iu
dividend might easily have been 350 per cent u
the people had riot been "mfsled" into electwb
Wilson. . - ; ,-.'
