Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1915 — MR. TAFT AGAIN. [ARTICLE]

MR. TAFT AGAIN.

Judging by the language of certain newspapers,. and a few—very few — more or less public men, one might think that, there was real danger lest the American people should condone Germany’s recent violation of the law of nations the law of humanity. They need feel no anxiety on that score. But we think that they might well ask themselves whether by their heated utterance they are not making the task of Mr. Wilson vastly more difficult. Apparently these fierce warriors have little idea of what the duties of a President are. Not venturing to instruct them, we feel that we may well turn them over to a man who has once been President, and who is now a school-master—-the Hon. William H. Taft. I n his trsly great speech at Philadelphia

Wednesday night, Professor Taft said: We inlust bear in mind that if we have a war, it is the people, the men and women, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters who must pay with lives and money the cost of it, and therefore they should not be hurried into the needed sacrifices until it is clear that they wish and know what they are doing when they wish it. For this reason every Presl dent, with a respect for his oath arid the rule of the people, will in moments of popular excitement and just indignation pointing to war, act as a brake, —will caution against haste—will hunt for some escape from the horrors of war consistent with dignity and patriotism, knowing that if no other alternative exists congress, in its constitutional power, after time for deliberation has disclosed the real popular opinion, win act. A demand for war that can not survive the passion of the first days of public indignation and will not endure the test of delay and deliberation by all the people, is not one that should be yielded to. The lecture is brief, but it is also clear and weighty. We commend it

most heartily to “the gentlemen-in-a-hurry.’’ No man fit to be President of th cl’nit ed States would assume any oilier attitude than that outlined by jir, Taft, and thus iar maintained : y .Mr. Wilson. One of the great disbetween our political system and that of G< r;tmny is that with us the people can not—if the President is true to dur system—be cc omitted to war by the government without being first consulted, and giving their consent. „ Had Mr. Taft been a member of the Wilson cabinet, he could not have supported the President more heartily, or shown greater confidence in him. Fortunately the support is due, and the confidence deserved. The country, therefore, is to be doubly congratulated. For in Mr. Wilson it has precisely the sort of President that ft should have at such a time as this, and in Mr. Taft it has an exPresident who has fairly earned their gratitude and respect by his wise and patriotic words in these critical days. Both men are bravely and conscientiously performing the duties that their positions tnrphsWbh the m A nation, like a man, ought to bo able to leeJ a sense of outrage and anger without at once rushing to arms. The war now raging, in Europe ought surely to have taught us that lesson—-as we believe it has.—lndianapolis News.