The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-11-03
CONCEPTION OF
PRESIDENCY

American people are entitled to
summary Of the things have
stood for in this campaign, as
they are the things I shall stand
for as president.
No man can tell In advance
what unexpected demands the
next four years may present but
one whose conception Of the
presidents duty rests upon fun
dsrnentaI principles can describe
with entire sincerity how the
problems of administration would
be approached and in what spirit
they would be solved.
A man charged with the duty
of reaching desired goal knows
that the road to it is found in
following that path which sound
judgment and clear vision open up
step by step. can show the road
expect to travel.
propose first of all to start
right. The president is primarily
an executive. It is his supreme
duty to attend to the business of
the nation, to safeguard it's in
terests, to anticipate it's needs, to
enforce its laws.
The, first act of a president who
takes this view of his duties is
to call about him the abIest cab
met, the country can furnish,
men who can deal with the tre-
mendous international and do
mestic problems which will con-
front US in the next four years.
My conception of the presi-
. dency differs absolutely from that
Of Mr.. Wilson. Hook upon the
president as the administrative
head of the government. He looks
upon the president as primarily
the political leader and Iawmaker
Of the nation.
In the two departments of gov.
eminent most closely touching
our foreign relationship de-
partment Of state and the depart
ment of the navy-he chose men
whom he knew to be wholly un-
equal to their duties. Admin
istrative obligation was subordin-
ated to political exigency. can
assure the country that sany ad-
ministration under my direction
will stand upon sound admins.
trative ground with the abIest
cabinet the country can supply.
Across the road we are to
travel the next four years, even
though we start right and move
with prudence and courage, seri-
Gus hazards are thrown like
breaks in a roadway made by
torrentiaI rain. These all rise out
of the war torrent which has
overwhelmed Europe. The first
has to do with our foreign reIa-
tons. IL is the presidents duty to
safeguard the interests IF cur own
nation md to pre-c-''0 +t,e friend
ship of ever, cAeer nation.
No man is more satermined
than to maintain the peace
which the United States, Spain
Sweden, Norway, and all the
American republics now enjoy.
But should seek to maintain
that peace by a firm and courte-
Gus insistence on the rights of
our citizens at home and abroad.
An American in Mexico is SUBJ
ject to Mexican law, but he is an
American still and is entitled to
the protection of his own govern
men in his lawful business. For
one shall never consent to
policy which leaves Americans
helpless against the lawiessness
of any country in which they
have right to do business.
There confronts labor in the
next four years a condition more
serious than any that American
iaboring men have been called up
on to face. When this war began
over million American working
men were seeking vainIy for en-
pioyment. When the war ends and
the developed energies of new
Europe are thrown into COM
merciaI production, our nation
will face competition such as it
never knew.
One of two things must hap
pen-either millions of men will
be seeking work in vain or else
there must be thought out in ad-
vance the problem Of commercial
organization as France and Eng
land and Germany are seeking to
think out the problem today.
Every one Of these nations is
preparing to defend it's own
market by a protective tariff.
The end of the war will end also
the opportunities for' labor Gre
ated by the war. The millions in
the trenches today will be our in
dustriaI competitors tomorrow. II
we are to save our Iaboring men
from catastrophe we must plan
a tariff protection along sound,
just and economic lines. To this
endeavor | pledge myself and the
men who are to be my colleagues.
Continued on Page Six.
In this matter again differ abb
soIuteIy from the policy of the
present administration. Demo-
cratic platforms have declared that
the government has no right to
levy tariff duties except for in
come. This is the fundamental
faith of the democratic party.
pledge myself and those who
stand with me to deal with the
needs of laboring men the coun-