The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-08-25
DEMOCRATS NOT ON DEFENSIVE

ponents have done without single
specification of what is wrong and
why it is wrong, gives proof that he
is a leader of few resources or is up
against condition of achievements
that cannot be successfully assailed
Judge Hughes is not lacking in words
but with all the Progressive legisla-
ton that has been enacted under our
Democratic Administration - legis-
lation which the Democratic party af
firms as remedial and has benefited
all classes--he has not presumed to
assail by argument or reason this af
firmation, nor attempted to deny the
wisdom and wholesome effect upon
the country of single act, unless it
be Democratic revision of the tariff
downward. This he holds, with all re-
dictionaries of his party, is wrong, and
that tariff high enough to prohibit
competition is necessary to maintain
American manufactures. If that the
DRY ever was true, it is not true in this
advanced age of labor-saving devices
and soundly established manufactur-
ing industries, and it cannot be made
to appear wise and just, because it
taxes one class to benefit another
The Democratic party upholds not on
ly the wisdom but the justice and ne
cessity of tariff for revenue only.
Its stand on that question is as well
known as it is aggressive, and Judge
Hughes cannot put it on the defensive
by any old thread-bare sophistry of
the special privilege class and its po-
litical courtiers.
If Judge Hughes imagines he can
place the Democratic party on the
defensive in this campaign by a Sc
ries of fault-finding phrases, without
argument, reason or specification, he
is sure to fail. The Democratic party
takes an affirmative and aggressive
stand on every accomplished act of
President Wilson's administration and
the present Congress- The country
is reaping the benefit of their
constructive and remedial legislation
and wise and firm policy in meeting
the acute and delicate questions
which the war embroiled situation of
Europe has created and forced upon
the United States. If Judge Hughes
would place the Wilson administra-
ton and the Democratic party that
upholds it on the defensive, if he
would convince the people and bust
ness interests of our country that
present conditions would have been
better without such legislation and
the foreign policy pursued, then he
must take up these several questions
and show wherein they were wrong
by argument and reason and not by
carping fault-fnding of everything in
general and nothing in particular.
If the country has not been placed
upon sound and more secure finan-
cial basis by the Federal Reserve
Act, it ought to be made clear. If the
income tax has worked an injustice
to any class of our citizens, that in
justice ought to be pointed out. III
the Federal Farm Loan Law is not
a beneficial piece Of legislation, both
wise and necessary, the fact, if it ex-
lists, should be demonstrated. If the
child-labor law that is intended to pre-
vent the dwarfing and sapping of both
mind and bodies of tender children in. |
constituencies sweat shops and fac
tories, is not to be commended, the
people ought to be told in what re-
spect. Or if any of the other pro-
gressiye measures that have been
passed under the present administra-
ton are subject to condemnation, are
not calculated to benefit the country,
the people ought to be advised of their
weakness by those who assume to lead
and direct public thought. st
These are all Democratic measures.
and with wave and flourish of the
hand Mr.. Hughes says of them that
nothing good can come out Of Nazar-
eth. He has been selected as the
leader and presidential candidate Of
the Republican party, and he owes his
party more than that. He must show
wherein the hated Democrats are
wrong and furnish his supporters with
something with which they can appeal
to the voters. He must rcut the
Democrats from their ord.proof
trenches and put them on the defen-
sive BY mastery arguments and
sound reasoning We know it Is a
pretty big task that has been laid up
on him. Is he equal to it? VIII he
attempt ii f~aa