The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-12-04
Jineoism Rebuked.

chimes that have so long dictated ma
tional elections
The West reelected Wilson. New
York did not count as of old: New
England did not count; Indiana did
not count; Illinois did not count. The
cld-line bosses of both parties did not
count. Every precedent was broken
when a President OF the United States
was put in the White House by voters
outside of the fireat financial and in
dustrial centersA of the nation,
Mr. Hughes was unfortunate in his
management and backing. He was un-
dOubtedly strongest as q candidate at
the moment of his nomination. He
had the confidence of the people when
they realized that the acceptance of
his candidacy by the Republican Con
vention met with sour faces from the
old Republican Guard The progress
siye masses OF the Republican Party
had high hopes in his candidacy. 1t
be had so conducted his campaign as
to give clear, vigorous, plain-spoken
assurance to these hopes, the outcome
might have been different.
His speaking campaign proved dis
appointlng-so disappointing, indeed,
that ii drew open protest from a large
section of the Republican press.
The situation became so desperate
toward the close of the campaign that
Big Money frantically opened its
food gates. The people of the West
were affronted at the newspaper re-
port widely published that j. Pierpont
Morgan had summoned ten of the
most representative directors of great
special privilege corporations and
told them that Hughes Must be elect
ed, and that more than million dol
lars was at once raised and the news
papers of the country deluged with
paid advertisements on behalf of
Hughes.
The campaign utterances of Mr..
Hughes on preparedness" and on a
high protective tariff had contained
nothing to offend the great munitions
interests and the financial interests
that clamor for robber schedules.
Yet in many states where the CON
viction has become settled that the
Progressive Republican way must be-
come the national way, faith remained
mistaken in Mr. Hughes integrity
and high purpose.
Mr.. Hughes greatest asset in this
campaign was the belief that he was
bigger than his hackers; that he could
not be used: and that he owed no DO
litical debts to agents of special privi-
lege.
His greatest liability land 1t
proved costly was the support of
Roosevelt; the placing of his cam
paign program in the hands of well
known but discredited Republicans
OF the old h-Taft-Cannon crowd
and the appalling avalanche of money
turned loose upon the country on the
eve of election in his behalf.
Mr.. Hughes mistook the temper of
the American people when he gave
them only vague assurances as to his
Mexican policy There is one deep
conviction to be found among plain
citizens everywhere. and that is that
the Army and Navy o. the United
States shall not be degraded to the
low plane Of bill collectors for fnan-
Cial and speculative interests in weak
er countries. In my campaign in
Wisconsin ! assailed necessarily the
manufactured craze for prepared
ness | contended that neither the
peoples money nor the peoples lives
should be put into the service Of Wall
Sleet in its exploitation of neighbor-
ing countries. Everywhere this was
approved.
Last July | said on the floor of the
United States Senate:
Il sincerely hope that the standard
bearer of the Republican Party in this
campaign will not feel himself con-
strained, under any circumstances to
take the position that il is the duty of
this government TO put the flag of the
United States behind the investments
OF spectators in Mexico or elsewhere
Mr.. Wilson declared in his speech at
Detroit that he would not stand for
that policy, that he would net become
the collecting agent of investors in
Mexico. The American people. if that
issue is made between the Republican
candidate for the presidency and
President Wilson will. in my opinion,
overwhelmingly stand with President
Wilson on that issue
Yet Mr.. Hughes let the campaign
draw to close without giving assur-
ances to the country In Unmistakable
Terms that he was standing four
square with the President and the
country on that issue.
The President must accept the out
come OF this election as clear man
date from the American people to
hCld steadfastly to his course against
wa.
And never again may the Republi-
can Party look for victory under the
management and financial backing of
predatory interests and reactionary
politicians. 1t must purge itself from
the control of these elements-how-
ever promising the candidate may
be-if It is ever again to become con
structiYe, up-building force in the af-
fairs of this nation, keeping abreast
OF public sentiment and public needs,
placing Patriotism always above
privilege and partisanship.
Wall Street came in behind Hughes
and tried to put him over with money
and lost. Boss Murphy knitted"
Wilson-and lost. The Roosevetian