Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-02

EFFECT OF EUROPES WAR ON NATIONAL ELECTION
Wars in which the United States engaged have made
more than president and this is true of the wars
in the making we'll in the contamination. campaign
in favor of the Mexican made Polk president while
General Taylor as hero of the Mexican struggle found an
of the Civil War not only gained two terms President but
also narrowly escaped breaking the antithrd term prece
den which had prevailed from the beginning OF our natona
existence Hayes and Garfield aided in their election
chief magistrate in succession by the fact that they had
with political honors from the Spanish American war was
Theodore Roosevelt Military gl%y helped make him Sue
for his succession to the White House the death of the
lamented Mckinley.
BY strange whgig of time the choice of president
of the United States 1916 result from the war in %
not because became popular hero by leading
the American nation into that struggle but because he help
ed keep out of that conflict IT, however, combination
Of circumstances finds this nation in trouble before the ma
tional election year from the coming November then the
will emphasize condition of unpreparedness and the
leader of the movement for preparedness protest against
with him. wv
Let us examine the conditions that would prevail in diff
coming year At the present time Theodore Roosevelt
the chief champion of preparedness to the pol
done left unone has succeeded thus far in preventing
the dragging of this nation into war with any European
selection Of Mr. Roosevelt the next presidential candidate
Of the leading s + qppT1n party the effort ito Gus 5 int
evitaby be forced to try to re-elect him.
Three suppostions permissible in that connection
until November 1916 with Europe still in the throes Of
great and with the United States remaining neutral
Another spposton that peace ends before the close
the presidential campaign Of 1916 with nation flying
the banner of triumphantl to the end third
position we find ourselves dragged into foreign
with greater degree of preparedness than appears
the surface with the Wilson administration still demanding
the support of the people in foreign conflict
moments reflection will show that whichever of
these three situations exists in the fall of 1916 the President
would like to see him defeated politically although there will
also be elements of Weakness Mr. Roosevelt has
ued that the republicans can not make an issue national
making Roosevelt the logical candidate against Wilson on
W ou are WITH or than
Wilson the democratic candidate and with other cand
date than Roosevelt his leading opponent the campaign
upon the individuality of the candidate Both of these men
YOU'D be their own platforms For any other set Of cad
their own declaration of principles.
conditions to continue until the 1916 election by pic
turing that election held at the present time and answering
Tor wo would be likely to be elected pIesdent
Wilson would be opposed by Mr. Roosevelt the candidate
of the united Republican and parties or by some
unknown That the conclusion that to from
out the " e nave ron @ @
fort
To-day some republicans would readily endorse Roose-
velt while other republicans would vote for Wilson the
issue of preparedness before they would
For example note the enthusiastic endorsement of Roose
velts Patsburgh speech by the tanch republican Troy
Times, while the Malone Telegram another republican pa
per- says in substance that people will naturally prefer
Roosevelt On the and preparedness issue alone the
Telegram questonaby voices the sentiments of the great
mass of the American people.
AS between the Republican and Democratic parties the
German population of 100000 unquestonaby have enough
votes ordinarily to hold the balance of power The Germans
have been bitterly opposed President Wilson although he
has dealt kindly with their nation They have in
been bitterly assaed by Roosevelt Under all the circum-
stances whom do believe the great of Americans
of German birth descent would support election to-
morrow between Wilson and Roosevelt who is ready to
fight Germany at the drop of the hat To ask such ques
ton is to answer it.
If the elimination of the tariff from politics were to be
made paramount issue Roosevet attitude would nques-
onaby win large support from the business of the
country The has overshadowed the tariff but mer-
chants everywhere asking for steady opportunity do
business The chances that with appeal old pro-
lection lines with another ripping up of high tariff little
later certainty heavy vote would to the non-partisan
tariff champion It is doubtful however, whether any pos
be candidate in sight at the present time except Roose
welt could beat Wilson, and unless he could explain away his
antGerman utterances only Roosevelt be could
hardly issues at the front Wilson would probably
beat two chief opposing candidates again in 1912.
Wilson is strong to-day he would certainly be strong
still with the at end and with the United States