Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-06-29

to be determined by what the interests
of the country demanded in view of
running separate ticket, would have
the action finally taken by the Con-
ventions at Chicago.
At the time many of the Republi-
can leaders asserted that my state
ments were not made in good faith;
that | really intended to insist upon
my own nomination by the Republi-
IAN Convention; and that if I was SO
nominated, | intended to accept the
Progressive nomination and run on
third ticket. OF course my fellow
| Progressives were under no such err
ror. They knew that | spoke in good
faith and meant exactly what I said.
They knew that my utterances were
| to be accepted at their exact face val
lie as meaning that if the Republicans
nominated man whom we could con-
scientiously support we would support
him. The Progressive Convention
came together knowing my public
statements and therefore knowing ex-
actly what my attitude was.
In my judgment, the nomination
| of Mr.. Hughes meets the conditions
| set forth in the statement of the Pro
| gressive National Committee, issued
last January, and in my own state
ments. Under existing conditions,
| the nomination of third ticket would
| in my judgment, be merely a move in
| the interest of the election of Mr.
Wilson. | regard Mr.. Hughes as
man whose public record is a guaran-
tee that che will not merely stand for
programme of clean-cut straightout
Americanism before election, but will
| resolutely and in good faith put it
through if elected" He is beyond all
comparison better fitted to be Presi-
dent than Mr.. Wilson. 1t would be
grave detriment to the country to re-
elect Mr.. Wilson. [ shall, therefore,
strongly support Mr.. Hughes. Such
being the case, it is unnecessary to
say that | cannot accept the nominal
ton on third ticket | do not be-
lieve that when my fellow Progress
sives coolly consider the question
they will for the most part take this
position. They and / have but one
purpose-the purpose to serve our
common country. 1t is my deep con-
viction that at this moment we can
serve it only by supporting Mr.
Hughes.
1t is urged against Mr.. Hughes that
he was supported by the various So
called German-American Alliances. |
believe that the attitude of these pro-
fessional German-Americans was due,
not in the least to any liking for Mr.
Hughes, but solely to their antogon-
ism to me. They were bound to de-
feat me for the nomination. The only
way by which they could achieve this
object was by supporting Mr. Hughes
and they supported him accordingly,
without any regard to other consider
ations. l need hardly repeat what |
have already said in stern reprobation
of this professional German-American
element-the element typifed by the
German-American Alliances and The
similar bodies, which have, in the pre-
nomination campaign, played not
merely an un-American but a thor
oughly anti-American part. These
men have nothing in common with the
great body of Americans who are in
whole or III part of German blood; and
who are precisely as good Americans
as those of any other ancestry. There
are not, and never have been, in all
our land, better citizens than the great
mass of the men and women of Ger
man birth or descent who have been
or are being completely merged in
our common American nationality; a
nationality distinct from any in Eur
ope, for Americans who are good
Americans are no more German
American than they are English
Americans, or Irish-Americans, or
northumberland They are
Americans and nothing else. No good
American, whatever his ancestory or
creed, can have any feeling except
;corn and detestation for those pro-
fessional German-Americans who seek
to make the American President in
effect a viceroy of the German En-
peror. The professional German
Americans of this type are acting pure
ly in the sinister interest of Germany.
They have shown their eager readi- |
ness to sacrifice the interest of the |
United States whenever its interest |
conficted with that of Germany. They |
represent that adherence to the politi- |
co-racial hyphen which is the badge |
and sign Of moral treason to the Re
public | have singled these men |
out for specific denunciation, and as
suredly if | support a candidate it |
may be accepted as proof that | am
certain that the candidate is incap-
able Of being influenced by the evil