The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-30
Says Policies Have Ruthlessly
Destroyed Our Prosperity.
WATSON SPARES NOTHING
He Says President Wilson Is IN
Utter Failure.
And His Mexican Policy Is the
Nations Disgrace.

In his speech DefOre tne hAusdS OoS
club in the Scottish Rite banquet hall
last night, former Congressman James
E. Watson of Indiana made one OF the
most forceful attacks on President Will
son and the Democratic party ever
heard in Kansas.
Be9inninr with a denunciation of
President Wilson's Jackson day speech
In indianapolis and ending with
ocaldinR criticism of the watcn1ui
waiting policy" in Mexico, Mr.. Wet
son administration from its beginning
up to the present hour. and every
Democratic measure was denounced
with all the eloQuence of the master
full and forceful speaker that Mr.. wat
son proved himself to be. "a
Woodrow Wilson" the speaker sato.
"is at the head of the organization
whose policies have ruthlessly de-
stroyed our prosperity, closed our rae
tories, turned out labor adrift. put our
capital on clutches and filled the whole
land with mutterings of discomfort.
In concluding he said: "On the whole.
IT is safe to say that Mr.. Wilson has
not been a successful president. but
let us console ourselves with the com
Portable assurance that ne mas oons
about all the harm he ever can do. ana
that his services will be no longer re-
quired after the 4th of March. 1917"
Mr.. Watson's we'll directed attacks
upon the Democrats and his optimistic
statements about the future of the Re-
nublican party were received with
much applause and enthusiasm by his
audience. Time after time. the speak
err was compelled to pause and let the
applause die Gown before continuing
His speech. which took up the greater
Part Of two hours, is given below IN
part as follows:
The Rep. Party of Today.
woodrow Wilson, president of the
United States, honOred Indianapolis
with his presence on a recent occa-
zion. But he did not go to the city as
president of the United States. He
went as the leader Of party. He went
as a partisan Democrat. He did not APP
pear there to espouse some great cause
for which his administration stands,
but to make a Democratic stump
party loyalty. His speech was to DEM
ocrats and for the benefit of the Demo-
cratic party and it had no other object
whatever.
ut was the first time in the history
Of this country that a president has
felt it necessary to leave the White
House in order to make a partisan
stump speech, in an off year. when no
campaign was being waged.
HE was probably impelled to adopt
he wanted to put out a feeler' for the
nomination in 1915; second. realizing
the opposition throughout the country
to many of his policies. and sensing in
advance the slump from the Democratic
party at the next election. he thought
1t wise to WOO and. if possible. to win
all former Progressives. in order to re-
pair the loss in his own ranks; and,
third, he wanted to salve the wounds
OF the battered and bruised Democracy
Of Indiana.
"He stated several times in the
IF hic onoeCh that tho indQnond.
ent voter is the salvation of the coun-
try and the hope Of our institutions,
and yet he frankly admitted that he
came here to induce all Of them to be-
come partisan Democrats. These two
statements are so glaringly inconsistent
that a mere repetition 1 8 sufficient to
show the weakness of the position he
assumes.
1--WE rarely have right to Judge any
man by any one public utterance. and
vet when made under all the circum-
stances that surrounded his Tomlinson
hall speech on that occasion, after all
the prepare ton. and all the advertis-
ing. and all the public expectation it
aroused. and all the opportunities pre-
scented for lofty statement Of national
questions and worldwide policies feel
that we are fully justified in saying
that Mr.. Wilson failed utterly to meas
ure up to the requirements of the oc-
casion. that he completely disappointed
the expectation OF his friends and that
We are warranted in the conclusion
that his two years of service in the
White House has weakened and not
strengthened, narrowed and not broad.
ened him.
Either that, or else the present con-
dition Of the country is so unenviab1e
and the record of the Democratic party
n so reprehensible. that even one OF
the brilliant attachments of the pres
ident could make no stronger defense
than the weak one he put up.
A Contract.
"And this leads Inc to note a few
points of difference both in Presiden
Wilson and the country since he made
his first speech. in Indianapolis thre<
years ago when he was seeking the
nomination. At a meeting presided
over by Governor Marshall, the ther
Governor Wilson spoke with unusua
80 RVA~