The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-01-05

Unions reply VIII see that the Times
Union has not answered the Star. 1t
to one or two of the Stars
remarks and then went to talking
about something else. For instance,
it hasn't told, as the Star asked it to
do, wherein Geveland's foreign policy
shone with bravery and dignity in re-
gard to Britain, Mexico or any other
country.
The Times-Union's article, in fact,
is simply a protest against the opin-
ion so widely prevalent in this state
that it is not giving President Wilson
a fair deal. We will say for it that
it is giving him fairer deal than it
did year ago, but it is not straining
its capacity for fairness now. For
instance, we did not consider its
criticism of the presidents policy in
dealing with Great Britain fair, and
that is why we wrote the article that
excited the Times Unions protest. It
will be seen that in its answer, the
Times Union referred to this in it's
first paragraph, and did not allude to
it again, let alone answer it.
The Times-Union should know the
Star has criticised Mr.. Wilson's Mex
lean policy, not bitterly but as sharp
ly as it thought it should. The Star
hasn't joined the T.-U. in saying Mr..
Wilson was cowardly. It has said
that it thought he was mistaken, that
in some things he Numbered, that he
was entirely inexcusable in allowing
the firing across the border to go on
as long as it has-in fact it has said
a good deal of the things the Times
Union has said, and as some of them
were reproduced on the editorial
page of the T.-U., it is strange that
that paper now speaks of our need
ing to be pinned down to support our
own statements.
We do not consider President Will
son as inspired. We think he is
good man and great one. We ex-
pected him to make some mistakes
when he took Office, and we decline
to abuse him because he fulfills our
expectations. We think he has much
greater faith in the good that should
be in human nature than we have.
We are willing to admit that his be-
lief in this respect may work out bet
ter than we expect it to, and we sin
cerely wish it may, no matter how
much we doubt it.. After observing
the conduct of every president from
Hayes on as closely as possible thru
the press, and the opinions Of peo-
pie, we must say that we do not
think Mr.. Wilson has tried to en-
croach on the power of Congress any
more than any of them and not as
much as some of them. Mr.. Wilson
came into Office with the definite
pledges of a great party, as approved
by the people at the polls, to carry
out. He has, it is true, urged these
measures on Congress. He did not
could compel Congress to carry
them out. Congress could have re-
fused to enact any and all of them
into law, and would have done so if a
majority of both houses had not
agreed with the president. In nothing
that Congress has done has it had
more strenuous urging from Mr.. Will
son than in the matter of tolls re-
peal, in which he had the support of
the Times Union This alone disposes
of the T.-U's. argument on that. line.
Mr.. Wilson's Mexican policy cannot
fairly be judged by the events of a
few months. He is trying to bring
about permanent peace for that coun-
try and solid friendship between it
and this one. If he succeeds, the sue
cess will be worth all it costs. 1t has
seemed to the Star that Mr.. Wilson
should protect American citizens in
Mexico at any cost, that the Vera
Cruz incident was a series of blund-
ers and that forbearance long ago
ceased to be virtue on the border. But
Mr.. Wilson is not selfish, mercenary
nor cowardly. He is doing what he
believes to be best, and no matter how
much we disagree with him we don't
intend to abuse him.
In conclusion we will say that we
highly approve of and entirely en-
dorse what the Times-U Union said
Monday in regard to "Mr. Taft and
the Philippines" that we consider
the T.-U. mighty fine paper and
agree with it about forty times tt
where we disagree with it once; that
it has treated the Star very nicely
most of the time, and the Star ha:
tried to reciprocate; that it is wei
come to spank US when it sees fl
and we will light firecracker under
its coattail whenever we think tn,
occasion demands.
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