New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-11

have seen him turn the government depart
ments over to the spoilsmen as no other Presi-
dent has done in twenty years.
We have all heard him declare for pitiless
publicity, and have seen him conduct the most
secret Administration of our time.
We have all heard him announce himself as
President of all the people, and have seen him
as the most partisan President of his genera
ton fout and oppose the Progressives, whom
row, because he needs them, he seeks TO con-
cilate and enlist.
Worst of all is this: When every principle
of freedom and equality for which our
fathers fought was at stake in the great war,
when our whole country eagerly awaited the
leadership of the President, Wilson lodged.
He refused TO take sides the greatest
moralissue of our time. He advised our peo-
pie to be neutral even in thought" unde-
cided between right and wrong. While our
friends abroad were fighting for the principles
we held equally with them he taught US that
profits and ease were better than self-respect.
President Wilson has done our nation the
most serious injury that any leader can do to
any people by making US finch with him from
a great moral decision. Thereby he weakened
our hold as a nation the principles which
alone can make any people selfrespecting,
safe and strong.
| Having led US wrong on the ground that we
must be neutral in the face of the deliberate
breaking of the worlds peace, he has just re-
versed himself again, and in his speech at
Shadow Lawn now assures us that mo ma
tion can any longer remain neutral as against
any wiful disturbance of the peace of the
world"
1t is bad enough that Wilson's foreign policy
has left US, as the war draws toward its end,
without friend among the great nations of
the world and without the respect of any one
of them. What is worse is that he has kept
us from standing up for what We know TO be
right
The ignoble standard Of profit over prin-
ciple which Mr.. Wilson forced upon the coun-
try in our foreign relations he has applied to
himself as President In what he has said,
done and left undone the record shows him
steadily dominated by political expediency.
These facts, and many others like them,
have forced me to see that what Nr. Wilson
says is no sign of what he has done or of
what he will do. The one thing his record
shows is that what he stands for now he is
not likely to stand for long do not care
what his platform or his campaign declara-
tons may be, because the common experience
OF US all has taught us that to him they are
simply "molasses to catch flies"
Hughes, on the other hand, is a man Of his
word. His record as Governor of New York
proves that. II shows him to be honest, fear
less and free from the domination Of special
interests and corrupt politicians. SO far as
the conservation policies are concerned both
what he said and what he did could hardly
have been better. | am confident that under
him these policies will be safe. He is strong
man, who will dodge no moral issues and he
will give US an honest and an efficient ad-
ministration.
AS Progressive | believe in nationalism.
SO does Hughes. | certain that under
Hughes Progressive policies will fare better
than under Wilson, and that the safety.
honor and welfare of the country will be in
UNNECESSARILY surer hands.
cannot vote for Wilson because | cannot
trust him. He does not do. what he SAYS
Hughes does. Therefore my choice is Hughes
and shall work and vote for him.
CLIFFORD PlNCHOT.
Philadelphia, Penn, Sept. 7, 1916