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Show Editorials Truths of History UNDER the heading, " A Comparison," the St. Louis Mirror has the following: "The opposition to Woodrow Wilson is making the same kind of a fight that was made on Lincoln when he stood for the second term. Lincoln was ac-c ac-c u s e d of vacillation, procrastination, tempo-rization, tempo-rization, pusillanimity, phrase-making, playing politics. Now all these things have blended into what the panegyrists panegyr-ists call 'his sublime patience.' Woodrow Wilson Wil-son may not be a Lincoln, Lin-coln, but he has been patient. His patience won his point with Germany. Ger-many. His patience has kept us out of war. On the war issue the opposition oppo-sition has simply nothing noth-ing to oppose to Wood-row Wood-row Wilson. Would Mr. Hughes have had less ; patience or more with Germany, with Mexico? y On either horn he must 1 impale Jiimself. There 9 is no escape by a mid- I die way." 1 That surely is far 1 fetched. Who except I Charles Sumner, Carl 9 Schurz and a few oth- 1 er of the never satis- i fled crowd made such accusations against Mr. Lincoln as the Mirror charges? The issue when Mr. Lincoln was last nominated nomi-nated was whether the Southern Confederacy could win by the ballot what it had practically lost in the fiery trial of 1 war. Sheridan had made his ride from Winchester; Winches-ter; Sherman was drawing draw-ing his lines around Atlanta; At-lanta; Farragut had taken Mobile by storm; Lee was practically bottled bot-tled up in Richmond; all danger of foreign intervention inter-vention had passed. Then the copperheads m of the north met in na- 1 tional convention and H solemnly declare? that M the war for the Union M was a failure; that M President Lincoln was H a failure; that all the M war's mighty sacrifices M had been unavailing; M that the country was H bankrupt and called for H a shameful truce until M terms of settlement M could be agreed upon. M That and like arraign- i ments mode the issue M of 18G4. It was an ap- peal to the cowardice 111 and cupidity of the men stlfl of the northern states, -M at once the most abject , M and sinister appeal that '! a malicious and cow- '11 ardly and treasonable Wlfl crowd of renegades ever made to a bravo ! people. After the adop- ! tion of that platform ?IJ Mr. Lincoln was really ' M no longer an issue. Any M man in his place would H have been elected, not M by so large a majority, but by a sufficient one. 'M But there was some- thing more to that elec- i H tion. From before his H first inauguration, Mr. ! H Lincoln had been the H object of attack, not I H only by the scurvy ijH press of America and jJH England, but by that yH select few led by Sum- iH ner, Phillips, Schurz IH and the others who felt H that one of their num- H ber should have been H president in Mr. Lin- H coin's place. But when JH the election of 18G4 FH came off, Mr. Lincoln gH had delivered his Get- H tysburg address and it JM had begun to dawn IlH upon the minds of mil- IH lions of his countrymen IH that God directed the H destinies of nations IH and that no mistake IB was made when Mr. H Lincoln was first elect- II ed. It is unnecessary IH now to discuss what H Mr. Hughes or any an- II other man would have IH dono with Germany or II Mexico, had that man IH been in Mr. Wilson's II place. !l It is easy to believe 'R that some other man in Hm his place would long ago, instead of calling upon Bm Americans in Mexico to come out of that country, B have given every bandit in that land no- H tice that Americans there in good faith must he W protected in life and property, or this country H would try to protect them; it is easy to believe H that some other man would have asked nothing H but justice from Germany and would have se- H' cured it. The issue this year, so far as Mr. Wil- H son is concerned, is what he has dono, what he H has failed to do, and what record he has made H with an obseqious congress to back his every h v It is that record that the people will this year H cither endorse or reject. As It Looks In Europe IN all the battle fronts of the old world the - news is most absorbing. When great nations H are in a deathlock and men are dying by the tens H of thousands daily, no outside people, no matter H how far removed from the actual center, can re- H main indifferent. The French are as they have H been now for almost two years, grimly fighting H for life, and what they have dono during those H two years will make a picture that will thrill all H the ages. H The British, who had learned to rely too much H upon their fleet, were all unprepared for the H battle storm that in a day burst upon Europe. H But, true to their traditions, they sent out as H great a defensive force as they could and went H resolutely to work to put their nation into real H fighting form. That is now in great part perfected, H so nearly so that they have now taken the offen- H sive in France, and are making history for them- H1 selves which -will endure forever and are supply- H ing decisive proof that the spirit which has ruled H with them for centuries is still dominant. H Italy is more than holding her own on the Aus- H trian border. H Russia is performing miracles. Russia has H i been sore ever since the settlement of the Russo- B ( Japanese war. In that war, instead of encounter- B ing a fox as she thought she would, she found H that it was the biggest kind of a gray wolf and H her forces and supplies were both meager in that H region and they were five thousand miles away n from their base. Moreover, they had permitted Hj their fleet to deteriorate until it was no longer a , fighting force. H i The Japanese took Port Arthur from them; B ' an irreparable loss, destroyed or captured their H ships, won from them three most decisive battles B and pressed them back almost to the temoprary H base they had established in the east, when H the proposition for settlement was made by Pres- B ident Roosevelt. Though he had but one little H narrow-gauge railroad over which for iflve thou- H sand miles to receive supplies, the general in H command protested against any settlement, de- M daring that he would win 'the final battle for B which ho was then nearly prepared, and would ' then drive the Japanese back to their base and ' win back all that had been lost. i But affairs in Russia had become so threaten- H ing, that th3 Czar and his advisers consented to M the terms of peace which had been determined M upon by the peace commission which had been H in session at Portsmouth, N. H., to which place H it had been invited by President Roosevelt. H But Russian pride had been most seriously H wounded and her leading people felt that they H( had received an undeserved blow in the face from H a pigmy. H However, they went to work. They took meas- H ures to quell the discontent at home, began to re- Hi i habilitate their fleet and make it effective, began ' at once to double track the road to Asia, and to H I improve their home transportation facilities. They H began to absorb Mongolia and they are the most H wonderful colonizers in the world. They are in '4 that respect like the story told of Richard Brins- H'' ley Sheridan, who one night, when in no condition condi-tion to help, was appealed to by a man in the gutter gut-ter to help him up. Sheridan tried to steady himself, him-self, but could not, and between hiccoughs, said: "My friend, I can't do it, but I will lie down beside be-side you." Last year, like Great Britain, they were unprepared un-prepared for a world war. They had not the trained men, the needed guns, or ammunition, so the Germans swept them from before them. But this year they have trained armies, effective guns and ammunition, and they are fast recovering recover-ing all they lost. The grandfather of the present kaiser often enjoined upon his son and grandson that whatever what-ever else they did, never to awaken the full wrath of Russia. We suspect thei kaiser thinks of that now-a-days. Meanwhile the central powers are fighting a mighty defensive war, and so far at least as northern Germany is concerned, have no thought that they cannot repel any assaults made upon them. And men are dying by thousands daily the bravest and the best and there are no symptoms symp-toms of an early peace. July Twenty-Fourth A MARKED anniversary in Utah; always to be a marked anniversary. The weary Pioneers; the outstretching desert around them; the sense of utter isolation in their hearts; the overshadowing mountains that held out no promise; the lake, the heavy waves of which broke with moans upon the shore; not one omen of cheer on earth or in the air save in the sunbeams that smiled down upon them and the breeze that came to their faces like a caress it was not a winsome picture. But they knelt upon the desert in thankful prayer and then, rising, together lifted up their voices in the sacred song of a praise-service. It was in that way that Utah was dedicated. It was that which made July 24th a marked, anniversary; it was that which will keep it a marked anniversary anniver-sary as long as the tide of the years continues to ebb and flow. The changes wrought in the three score and ten years that have rolled away since, amount to a transformation, but the change but accentuates the honors due the day, for those changes take on the majesty of a visible answer to prayer. The day deserves special honors. Wherever the graves of those Pioneers can be found they should be garlanded with flowers and grateful hearts should find voices to chant again in loftier strain that praise service. Colombia uDURSUANT to a government decree, all pub-- lie offices in Colombia are to record data of general interest, and all companies and individuals indi-viduals in that country are to be required to supply sup-ply all the information needed for an annual compilation com-pilation of statistics. This annual statistical ro-port ro-port will cover the foreign and domestic commerce com-merce of the country, finances, manufactures, transportation, public works, population, education, educa-tion, and other fields of economic and scientific interest." Colombia affects to be very sore toward the United States because, as she charges, the United States stole the state of Panama from her. Like most other questions there are two sides to that one. The facts were these: She induced Panama to join the confederacy of states of which Colombia Co-lombia was the head, by making her promises which she never intended to fulfill, one of which was that if Panama on trial, was not satisfied, she should have full liberty to withdraw. From the first she treated Panama as a subject sub-ject state and took from her the annual revenues reve-nues from the Panama Railroad company. When our government was negotiating with Nicargua for a right of way for a canal, the Colombian Co-lombian minister in Washington, under instructions instruc-tions from his government, suggested that better terms might bo obtained from his government s for a right-of-way across the Isthmus of Panama. Out of this finally a treaty was made for such right-of-way. It was negotiated by our secretary of state, Mr. Hay, and the Colombian minister. It was ratified by our congress and then sent x , to Bogata to be ratified by the Colombian congress. con-gress. So certain was our government of its full consummation that a contract was made to likewise like-wise purchase the French company's rights and material on the isthmus; both agreements calling for large sums, the one to be paid Colombia, the other to the French company. But the Colombian legislature delayed ratifying ratify-ing the treaty. The French charter was about to lapse, so the Colombian legislature, evidently believing be-lieving that if the French charter lapsed because of limitation of time, it could double its demand on the United States, postponed ratifying the treaty, month after month, and finally adjourned with the treaty still "hung up." Then the state of Panama seceded and declared herself an independent inde-pendent power, and when Colombia sent an army to subjugate her, it found that President Roosevelt, Roose-velt, under the treaty which permitted this country coun-try to protect the Panama railroad, had a force at the isthmus which looked a little dangerous to attack. A little later the United States reorganized re-organized Panama as an independent government, which was quickly followed by France, England and other powers. The money was paid to the state of Panama and to the French company, and the building of the canal was inaugurated. . Ever since Colombia has been groaning with a disease that in many respects resembles acute appendicitis. But Colombia is a most magniflclent country coun-try and it is a joy to think what it would be under an energetic and aggressive people. It has millions of acres on which can be grown luxuriantly luxur-iantly every useful plant of the tropic and temperate tem-perate zones. It has rare mines of gold, and great deposits of several kinds of gems, deep bays and superb facilities for building railroads, and is so situated geographically, that she could easily extend her commerce over both the world's great oceans. Her rivers could supply power for all needed factories. She ought to be one of the very richest of states were her people alive to what they possess and had they the energy to brjng their resources to bear in dealing with the world's nations. Colombia had better forget her grouch against the United States and conclude that the lesson , she learned in that deal was a needed one, and go I to work to improve, in good faith the state. ; A Rule Still In Force TN Greece and Rome twenty-five hundred years ago, a -legend that had been repeated so long 1 that it had taken on the form of real history, told $ about the creation of the world and to it was added the further statement that when the work of creation was scarcely finished a great war with . the Titans broke out and raged with consuming i force for a long time, and further that it would be renewed from time to time through the ages until perfect harmony should be secured. When we survey conditions in Europe and the disgraceful conditions in Mexico that last clause seems more a prophecy than a legend. Surely it must have been a divine genius who foresaw that wars would be perpetual among menuntll all that was evil, all that was common and unclean was bred out of mankind. Our "peace at any price" advocates should recall that old legend and ask themselves if they think the time is really ripe to j conclude that all antagonisms can be settled with- . , out an appeal to other than moral forces. It is t not nature's way. Our earth, when first created, ' was intended for man's abode. But man at that time had no existence save in the mind of God, and the earth was rent by inconceivable storms, convulsions that shivered over and over its outer crust; glaciers were set in flow which were to grind their way for centuries along the mountain tops to make soil out of which should grow food for the animal life that was to. be it was an infinite in-finite preparation and all the forces employed were fierce ones. From the first man has been going through a like course of preparation and looking over the lands -where most enlightenment existed two years ago, the lesson that comes back to us is, that men and nations are yet a long way from accepting the rule of justice and mercy and love. 11 Japan TAKUMA Kuroka, who represented Japan at the Panama exposition, has written a long paper in which he scoffs at the idea that Japan is meditating medi-tating any invasion of any part of America. He is right at least at the present moment. Japan is doing too well just now to desire any foreign complications. She is growing very rich in supplying sup-plying Russia with war munitions, and then she is quietly bulldozing China into making her concessions, con-cessions, through which, as the nations will discover dis-cover when the present great war is over, will give her the trade of the Pacific and all the profits of the trade of both her own country and China. Moreover, she will absolutely rule both Korea and Manchuria, and that will be doing pretty well for a nation that has practically come on the map during the past fifty years. But it will be foolish for any power 'to conclude that she is not every minute prepared for war, both offensive and defensive. de-fensive. She is quietly building ships large and small for her navy, and as many commercial steamers as she thinks she will want; she will have a full supply of all kinds of guns, great and small; she is training men to handle submarines and aeroplanes; aero-planes; and every male child comes out of school a trained soldier. A new generation of fighting men has grown up j there since her great war with Russia, and they are all devoted to their native land and believe they are equal to any emergency that happens, and are all fatalists and so face any kind of peril with perfect philosophy. Japan is going to be a world concernment in the next few years. As To Government Preparedness HTHE calling of the volunteers to the Mexican border has developed some important facts. The boys were on hand promptly, but the government govern-ment was not prepared for their coming. It did not have the best guns and ammunition for them; no sufficient number of machine guns; the aeroplane service was found to be far behind that of the different states of Europe, both in number and efficiency. ' While the president has made preparedness a hobby and shouting the need of it for months, l what have the war and navy departments been I doing toward getting ready for a possible attack? Suppose the call had been made to meet some real fighting power, what kind of a fix would the country be in to meet the invaders? And what has congress been doing in the meantime? American inventive and mechanical genius is certainly equal to that of the old world. Has it been lying dormant for want of encouragement during the past two years? Has not congress sufficient suf-ficient solicitude for the country's welfare to occasionally oc-casionally look after such details as would first come in the event of a sudden war? . Or does congress look upon the preparedness clamor as merely a good campaign cry, and as a means to obtain a mighty appropriation to bo used 1 where it will do the most good? Were a real war to be sprung upon us a full million of men would be summoned on the first call. Is the government prepared to equip such an army? And if not, why not? Lost Their Big Chestnuts T ORD, how angry our Democratic friends are that the Progressives have practically declined to this year pull their chestnuts out of the fire for them. Such beautiful chestnuts, too, and so nice and hot, and to think that the Progressives refuse to put on asbestos gloves and haul them out just when the Democratic mouth is watering for them. It Is too bad. Four years ago "they stuffed tnemselves to satiety with those chestnuts. We have been hearing hear-ing from them ever since. This year it looks different and the new crop was so full of promise six weeks ago. It supplied their biggest promise for the campaign. No wonder they are angry. All men become peevish when their digestion Is out of fix and this year the Democratic Dem-ocratic stomach craved that special species of chestnut beyond all else. Who says they have not a right to be mad? The Shallow Bluffers Tjj7 W. Ellsworth, the veteran publisher, says "VV our great universities and colleges turn out critics, not creative authors and writers. The truth of that will not be doubted by any one familiar famil-iar with modern literature. We read criticisms every day of poems, of dramas, of the way dramas are presented, of art generally, and some of. us know by instinct that the critic, however gifted, is a prig who could not write a poem, or a drama, or fill any role in the presentation of a drama, or paint any kind of a picture, pic-ture, believes that, with a university diploma In his . pocket, he has a right to mutilate the work of great authors or artists, though in his own soul he knows he is a fraud with only the skimming of an education and not the least trace of genius in his cynical soul. Canals That Are To Be NEWS comes that high army and navy officers are urging the building of a ship canal to connect con-nect Delaware and Chesapeake bays. Such a work would require no special engineering skill; it would be a great convenience to our navy and our commerce if completed; but it is not yet quite time for it. When the hordes broken in hopes and fortune shall come to us upon the settlement of the European war, begging only for work through which to live, then Avill be a good time to commence com-mence that work, and that other work on making an internal waterway from Norfolk south to Charleston Char-leston and Savannah, to drain and enable a dismal swamp and a dozen other swamps along the way, and to supply an internal waterway for produce boats to carry products to market without having to send them in costly ships; such ships as are needed to face the storms that center off Cape Hatteras .and rago up and down that coast. If the government is wise it is already perfecting perfect-ing the plans for such works and estimating the cost and calculating the capacity which will be needed. Perhaps a canal across Florida will be included includ-ed and, the country west of the 'Mississippi river will never have full command of itself until a great canal shall be built from somewhere in the neighborhood of Pierre, South Dakota, to the Texan coast, to supply water for irrigation and transportation and to relieve the pressure when freshets play havoc in the upper Missouri and Mississippi rivers. MMMMMMMMH----MM aJMMIM T"7 idMllMilMBI !" M Man And Horse H A GREAT many people read with a pitying H laugh that Savage, the old owner of the great H pacing horse Dan Patch, died of a broken heart H when his horse died. It further said ho had given H t his best love to the horse and the horse had re- I clprocated the affection. Lucky Baldwin, whose H affection for anybody or anything was doubted, H died a few days after his great blood horse died I and those who knew declared that he had never tried to rally after his matchless racer passed on. H Baldwin had learned to doubt the sincerity of all I men and women, but the horse had never failed I him. Indeed, the horse had given him character H even as Dan Patch had given his owner. And H when a man and his horse become comrades H there Is no explaining the tie that binds them H together. The steeds of Achilles, according to the H Iliad were of divine origin and, according to the H same authority, one of them spoke to the great H fighter foretelling his demise. ' H The Arab's greatest horse was stolen. He H mounted his second best horse and gave chase. H He was about to overtake the thief, but then H he thought of what a shame it would be to have I the matchless horse taken by an inferior one, I and so cried out to the thief: "Prick her in the H left flank," whereupon the thief fled out of his H pursuer's reach. Since the battle of Lake Reg- H illis, Ave and twenty centuries ago, the horses H that Herminius and Mamlllls ride when they H killed each other, have shared equal honors with H their riders, and the years cannot lessen at all H the thrill of the words: H "Fast, fast with hoofs wlldwspurmng H The dark gray charger fled; H He burst through ranks of fighting men, H He leaped o'er heaps of dead." H His bridle far outstreaming, H His flanks all blood and foam; H He sought the Southern mountains, H The mountains of his home. H He rushed by tower and temple H And paused not in his race H 'Till he stood before his master's door H In the stately market place. H "But like a graven image, Wk Black Auster held his place, M And over wistfully he looked j, v H In his dead master's face. H The raven mane that daily H With pats and fond caresses $4 H The young Herminia brushed and combed ' .f H And twined in oven tresses, H And decked with colored ribbons H Frame her own gay attire, H Hung sadly o'er her father's corpse H In carnage and in mire." H Of course all that will be changed in this generation and the new Macauley will sing of H the new battles in a strain something like this: H Both chieftains rushed their autos H Into the dreadful Are, H ' And Jones he got a broken nose H And Smith a punctured tire; H And the watching gods declared the wreck H The worst they'd ever seen, H And all the air was redolent H With escaping gasoline. H The old glory is passing away, so is the horse H passing; it is time to repeat Miriam's song: "The H horses and their riders are whelmed in the sea." H The horse is passing and the hearts of men H are growing metallic and cold. To tap a human H breast nowadays is not unlike beating upon a tin H pan. H |