The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-20
MEXICAN SITUATION
fAvORs REPUBLICANS
Will Make This One Of the Features
Of Forthcoming Presidential
Campaign.
HIGH COST OF LIVING
WILL HURT DEMOCRATS
Senator Weeks. Presidential Fossibali-
~, Secs Brilliant Outlook For Re-
publican Victory. Next November.
Tariff Not Only issue.

Washington, Dec. Ex-senator John
W. Weeks, of Massachusetts,, one OF
the Republican presidential candt-
dates, far from agreeing with Presi-
dent Wilson'S recent assertion before
the Democratic National Committee
that the Republican party would have
no issue aside from thu tariff upon
which to make their campaign next
year. contends that the issues furnish
ed them by the present administration
tare 10 ample and so evident that 1t ID
matter OF choice as to which shall
be featured by Republican campaign
orators.
Frat in Importance. however, SEN
ator Weeks believes the present ad-
sn1intstration's failure properly to pro-
tect American lives ami property In
Mexico during the entire three years
lit has been In power Is the one short
coming that should effectively pre-
fciude return OF the Democrats to
power.
Il believe the Mexican issue is on.
OF those upon which the coming cam
patgn will be waged and won by the
Republican party said Senator
Weeks today. Certainly. the present
Administrations inefficient handling
OF the Mexican situation ever since
1t came into power is rich in vulner-
liability. In the Democratic national
platform for 1912 there appeared the
uneauiyocal statement that our prop
ersy should be protected throughout
the world and on our borders.
Protection TO Americans
Every American the Democratic
platform read. must be given the
full protection OF the United States
government, both for himself and his
property
That plank applies directly to
Mexico. and II 1t means anything II
should mean that Americans residing
In that country and those on the hor-
der should have had the fullest pro-
lection from our government. But
they have not had Ii. and AZ "A eonse-
auence many OF them have lost their
lives, and many of them have lost
their property without any reasona BILE
or effective protest on the part OF the
party In power. When the President
enthusiastically declares that the Re-
publican party viii have no issue on
which to make q campaign next year
he liz either forgetfui OF the long Pc
Rod Of utter neglect with regard to
Mexico, and the Americans who we're
unfortunately held there by their
property interests, or he has an ideal
Isle conception of the temper of the
xAmeflchns tHAt luis MIN INTO q iatsS
sense OF security against their Just In
dignatton that will make itself felt
within next few months
High Cost Of LlvinG.
Senator Weeks can see nothing but
a decidedly fertile campaign Issue in
the present high cost Of living. On this
point he said
The American people. feel arg
sured. will be quick to grasp the fact
that the Republican party has some
thing OF campaign issue In the fail
ure of the Democrats 70 reduce. or
even TO hold at tts former level, the
coat Of living. This was one of the
campaign slo9ans Of the Democracy In
1s17--the high cost Of lfving--and they
told the nuhlfc that II put into now or