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The Commoner
FEBRUARY, 1919
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Independence for Armenia
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Abstract of an address by William Jennings
Bryan at the Armenian Independence Banquet,
Now York, February 8, 1919.
I am honored to be officially connected with
nn organization which has for its object the en
maEing of Armenian independence and am
nleased to participate in this dinner given to
advance the purpose of the organization.
If any people have earned the right to bo free
and independent, masters of their own destiny
and soveieigns in control of their own govern
ment it is the Armenians. For more than two
thousand years they have maintained their exis
tence amidst difficulties and under hardships that
would have crushed a wealcor people into the
dust They have not only preserved their race
integrity and ideals but they" have been the
heralds of the democracy founded by the Naza
rene Theirs have been "a voico crying in the
wilderness" but their day is here, oven
though the dawn of that day has been reddened
by the blood which they have so freely shed. The
high character of the Armenians in the. United
States compels ub to respect the country from
which they came.
Of all the nations of the earth none should be
so ready as the United States to extend recog
nition and speak the word of welcome because
ours is the greatest and most successful of re
publics. Its national existence extends over 142
years and its population has grown from three
to more than one hundred millions, while its
wealth has expanded until it is, today, the richest
nation in the world, with a future as boundless
as its present is bright and its past glorious.
STEADY MAItCH TOWARD MORE AND
MORE POPULAR GOVERNMENT
For 130 years it has administered its govern
ment in accordance with a written eonstitution
and the adoption, during that time, of 18 amend
ments show its ability to mould its organic law
to suit its advancing needs. These amendments
also prove the steady march of its pebple toward
more and more'pbpular government and that ap
proximation toward justice which 'is the object
of popular government. Our nation has taught
the world how to secure progress without blood
shed it has made revolution unnecessary by
making evolution easy. We have, through agita
tion and constitutional revisions, secured reforms
which were formerly obtainable only at fche cost
of blood and treasure. When the supreme court
annulled a statutory income tax the people
undertook Jo change their constitution so as to
specifically authorize an income1 tax and they
succeeded, though it required 18 years of patient
effort.
When they became convinced that alcohol was
a habit forming drug and injurious to those who
use it, as well as to thqse dependent upon the
users, they arose in their might and, by con
stitutional amendment, proceeded to banish this
arch-enemy frpm the land. When, after 103
years of experience, they became convinced that
the election of United States senators was a limi
tation upon the people's power to choose their
representatives and the cause of increasing cor
ruption they amended their constitution so as to
make the election of Unitod States senators as
democratic as the election of the members of the
hour of representatives. They are about to
adopt another amendment extending the fran
chise to women in the belief that the joining of
woman's conscience with man's judgment will
hasten the triumph of every righteous cau-je,
and they will, before many years, I am con
vinced, add a twentieth amendment reserving to
the people the power to vote, through a refer
endum, the acts of r their legislatures and,
through the initiative, secure such desirable
legislation as they are, ' not able to secure
through their representatives.
Our nation has proved that the sotting of a
good example, is the best service that one indiv
idual or nation can render another. The German
Philosopher, Nietzsche, preached the gospel of
lorce and set up the superman as an object of
"worship. "The will to power" ho placed above
ail other attributes. He died In an insane asylum
ana the monarch who sought to put Nietzsche's
Philosophy into practice pqcame an exile from
his own land,. seeking refuge under an alien flag:
our nation, relying oa example rather than an
iorce, is giving tbef world Jdeals vindicating
JUe wisdom of Carlyle, who in the closjng chap
ters of his French Revolution, declared that
thought Is stronger than artillery parks and at
last moulds the world like soft clay," wisely
adding, and "back of thoughts is love."
Our theory of government "an indissolublo
union of indestructible states" is the greatest
invention in government that the world has
known in the thousand years. It is a theory
under which a republic can expand definitely in
area and population without loss of efficiency.
Under our theory of government the nation, con
fining itself to national and international affairs,
is ablo to deal with all problems that concern
it whge the local communities, attending to their
immouiato affairs, not only govern themselves
more wisely than they could bo governed from
the national capital, but, governing themselves,
reliovo the national government of a burden
which would ere this have become insuppdrtable.
We long ago established the fact that a republic
could mobilize its resources in time of peace and,
by placing before its citizens more of hope, of
opportunity and of aspirations than have over
been placed before any other citizens, could
stimulate them to the largest endeavor. Within
the last two years wo have shown that a ropublio
can also mobilize its resources in time of war
it would have been, a disgrace to us and a blow
to our form of government if, when our republic
was brought face to face with an autocratic
government, the result had been such as to just
ify any historian in saying that tho oppressed
subjects of an ambitious Kaiser were moro loyal
to their government than were the free citizens
of this republic to officials whom they themselves
had chosen and to a government which had given
them more blessings than any other citizens have
'ever enjoyed.
Our nation is In a position to bo .the world's
teacher in democracy because it has, itself, lived
up to its teachings. It does not ask whether
people are capable of self-government; it de
clares that they are. Nearly 100 years ago Henry
Clay gave voice to this nation's conception when
he said: (t quote from memory without attempt
ing tQ he litejral) "It would bo a reflection upon tho
goodness of the Almighty to say that he made any
people incapable of self-goverment and left them
to bo the victims of kings and emperors." Tho be
liever in popular govornment cannot talco any
other position. People differ in wisdom, as they
differ in self-restraint, but no lino can be drawn
between peoples separating those capable ' of
self-government from- those incapable. Whenever
that line is attempted it finds its inspiration in
the fact that the so-called superior nations find
it profitable to exploit the so-called inferior na
tions on the theory that the government, forci
bly thrown over the inferior one as a net is
thrown over a bird is adminstered for tho
benefit of those held In subjection. This nation
does not stand for that Idea and has already
proven Its sincerity by the promise of independ
ence to tho Filipinos who, as a result of the
Spanish war, came temporarily under our control.
OUR NATION HAS BECOME THE
MOTHER-REPUBLIC
Our example has Inspired hope throughout the
world because our people fought for liberty
others have fought for it; because our people
adopted a constitution others have Adopted con
stitutions and tho influence spreads. Our nation
has become the mother(-ropublIc. I might com
pare Its influence in the western hemisphere to
the banyan tree our influence has reached out
until it has touched nation after nation and these
nations, rooted in the soil, have become sup
ports of the mother-tree. Our influence has ex
pended across the Pacific and China has adopted
a constitution like ours. Our example has called
republics into existence throughout Europe, why
not a republic in the land where the ark rested,
the land that gave us the olive branch as the
symbol of peace.
It Is appropriate that the Armenians, some
100 000 in numbers, who have come to this
country should be our ambassadors to carry
not only our greetings but our ideals to their
brethren In Armenia. Let them relate to
the martyrs of Armenia the thrilling story
of our nation's, life and progress; let them
tell how we build securely upon the solid foun
ition of a people's consent; how completely
we Stub? the Intelligence, the integrity and tho
mitriotism of our citizens; how every step has
Eefha step forward toward J -ore popiUar
nethods or govern, -y -; " wit
Slue of free speech and of a free press, built
upon tho theory of Jefferson that "error is harm
less when reason in left freo to combat it,' TH
thorn that freedom of apeoch I in necbwiary Id
thoso in authority as to tho citizens bctttttHi,
without it, the peoplo'8 servants cannot Know
the people's will. And do not forget to proclaim
tho value of religious tolerance. The right of
each individual to worship God according to th
dictates of his own conscience, without lot or
hindrance from his government, is one of the
basic principles of our republic. Tho blood of
millions of Armenian martyrs cries out against
tho imposition of religious tests lif'tho govern
mont to bo organized in Armenia, and thl san-
tlmontal protost finds support in actual ftxptri- .
enco In all tho lands whore religious frcadom "
enjoyed. Let thoso among us of Armenian blood
impart to their ituidrcd in Asia tho lesson that
thoy have learnod hero, transplanting there the ,,'
rtoww and fruit of our political system whlla ,;
tuny warn against tho noxious wc-ea ana tn
tares that tho enoniy would sow In tho wheat.
PLAN FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF
TERRITORIAL DISPUTES
AND MAY I ENTRUST TO THE FRIENDS
OF ARMENIA AN IDEA THAT HAS BEEN'
GROWING IN MY MIND FOR SEVERAL
YEARS-AND WHICH SEEMS TO ME TO BE
ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE PRES-
ENT SITUATION. THE DOCTRINE OF SELF
DETERMINATION IS FOUNDED IN THE
HIGHEST CONCEPTION OF JUSTICE BUT
ITS APPLICATION IS OFTEN RENDERED
DIFFICULT BY A MIXTURE OF POPULA
TIONS. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE
GOVERNMENT BY THE DOMINANT ELEMENT
OVER LARGE MINORITIES OF DIFFERENT
RACIAL CHARACTERISTICS IS 'ALMOST AS
DIFFICULT AS IT IS FOR ONE NATION TO
DEAL JUSTLY WITH ANOTHER SUBJECT
NATION. NO MATTER WHAT BOUNDARIES
ARE FIXED TO THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
THE TERRITORY SET APART FOR THE NEW
NATION WILL, NECESSARILY, BE OCCUPIED
BY REPRESENTATIVES OF MANY RACES.
AND AS THE ARMENIANS ARE SCATTERED
OVER A VERY WIDE AREA IT IS NOT
POSSIBLE FOR ALL OF THEM TO BE, IN
CLUDED IN ANY GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISION.
IT IS TO REMEDY THIS DIFFICLUTY THAT
I VENTURE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION. IT IS
THIS: THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
ARMENIAN REPUBLIC AGREE TO PUR
CHASE, AT ITS PRESENT VALUE, ALL THE
PROPERTY, REAL AND PERSONAL, BELONG
ING TO ANYONE OR ANOTHER RACE WHO
DOES NOT DESIRE TO LIVE UNDER THE
NEW GOVERNMENT. IN THE CASE OF
ARMENIA, THIS WILL HAVE SEVERAL AD
VANTAGES. IN THE FIRST PLACE, IT WILL
PERMIT THOSE TO LEAVE, WITHOUT FI
NANCIAL SACRIFICE, WHO, BEING UN
FRIENDLY TO THE 'NEW GOVERNMENT,
WOULD BE DISCORDANT ELEMENTS IF
THEY REMAINED, AND THE PROPERTY
THUS PURCHASED COULD BE SOLD TO
ARMENIANS IN OTHER PARTS OF EUROPE
WHO WOULD BE DRAWN BACK TO THEIR
HOME LAND BY THE PROMISE OF FREEDOM
AND PROGRESS. SUCH A PLAN WOULD NOT
INVOLVE ANY NET LOSS TO THE GOVERN , Jf;
MENT BECAUSE IT IS INCONCEIVABLE THAT
PROPERTY WOULD FALL IN PRICE UNDER
THE NEW CONDITIONS, AND ANY ADVANCE
IN PRICE WOULD MAKE THE TRANSACTION
PROFITABLE TO THE GOVERNMENT. IT IS
ENTIRELY PROBABLE THAT MOST OF
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER RACES
WOULD PREFER TO REMAIN, PARTLY BE
CAUSE OF BUSINESS ADVANTAGES, PART
LY BECAUSE OF INTER-MARRIAGE, BUT
LARGLY BECAUSE THEY COULD FIND NO
WHERE ELSE SO BRIGHT AN OUTLOOK FOR
THE FUTURE, IF THEY REMAINED CRIT
ICISM WOULD BE SILENCED; HAVING. THIS
PRIVILEGE OF LEAVING WITHOUT LOSS TO
THEMSELVES THEY COULD NOT COMPLAIN
THAT THE CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT DID
THEM ANY INJUSTICE. I BELIEVE THAT
ADOPTION OF SUCH A POLICY BY THE GOV
ERNMENT OF THE ARMENIAN REPUBLIC
WOULD NOT ONLY BE OF "VERY GREAT
VALUE TO IT AND TO ITS PEOPLE BUT
THAT IT WOULD GIVE TO THE WORLD A
JUST PRINCIPLE OF UNIVERSAL APPLICA
TION AND MAKE EASIER THE ADJUSTMENT
OF TERRITORIAL DISPUTES BNT EVERY PART
OF THE WORLD.
PERMIT ME, IN CONCLUSION, TO JOIN
WITH TID3 FRIENDS ASSEMBLED HSllU IN
WISHING LONG LIFE AND GREAT PROS
PERITY TO THE! REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA,
A.
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