The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-09-13
DEMOCRAT DECLARES
STRONGLY FOR HUGHES
Minces No Words in Condem.
nation Of the Policies Pur-
sued by Wilson.
az Robert II. Recd.l

~ upon the paramount issue Tulheu
by President Wilson's acts and omis-
sions in dealing with foreign affairs.
This issue believe far transcends
any party issue. II is neither an is
sue OF party nor an issue of men; 1t
is an issue Of fundamental principle
and national policy.
Both our existence and our charnc-
ter as a nation are 40 necessarily and
inextricably involved In this election
that, as view 1t. however, great may
be Democrats devotion to his party.
or even his devotion TO President Will
son as party leader, he cannot vote
for Wilson's reelection. unless his do
votion to his country is a secondary
consideration.
The coming election is practically a
referendum to determine whether or
not America shall in the future be
resolute and ready at all times TO
protect to the uttermost her national
rights and the lives and property OF
her citizens; or whether, abandoning
the policy and presidents of one hun
dred and fifty years OF virile youth
and sturdy manhood. we shall fall
into the class of China. nation with
out a character. Il people without ma
tional consciousness. The words.
"too proud to fight" were no doubt
the motto OF the first Chinaman who
started his people toward their pres
ent goal.
President Wilson has created a con-
dition and established presidents
which, for the time, make 1t impos-
sible for lis either to protect the
lives and the property OF our citi-
zens or to secure our rights as a ma
tion in any part OF the world One
instance makes this fact clear: we
talk OF asserting our rights OF com
merce against Great Britain, and, IL
necessary. OF enforcing those rights.
Great Britain points to 14O
American bodies lying at the
bottom OF the Atlantic ocean; to the
continued presence OF the German
the German shipping lying unhlnder-
ed in our ports: to the soil of Carri-
zal. red with the blood of American
soldiers shot under orders OF the
Mexican government while acting UNI
der the very explicit orders of their
own government fact not open to
denial; to the rest Of our troops grad
ually withdrawing from Mexico
Great Britain knows, the world
knows, we know ourselves that our
rights may be violated. our lives talk
en- with impunity She acts MS we
should act toward a weak or pacihst
nation toward Colombia or toward
China, according to what she deems
to be her own interests and obliga-
tons, regardless OF the rights or in
terests of America or of our reiterat-
ed declarations of those rights and
interests. What need is there for
notes, what value to our protests in
the face of these outstanding facts?
The world laughs and we blush at
every note of protest that goes for
ward.
A Political Accident.
All this may be explained today as
one Of the accidents OF popular gov
eminent, the election of man on one
issue who is untitled to meet a differ
ent and a greater issue. We are still
at peace. but the securities of peace,
the fundamental principles OF inter-
national law, have been destroyed,
The peace of today Will last only so
long as other nations are able to
guess successfully, in the absence OF
defined rules, how far they can go
In their attacks on America.
Shall this be permanently so after
the seventh of November? The is
sue which President Wilson has fail
ed to meet must now be met by the
people It Is not question OF de-
feating President Wilson because he
is a weak president and electing Mr.
Hughes because he is known to be
strong. On that question many Of us
would support President Wilson be
cause of his other virtues or because
of our party loyalty But what would
his election mean in its effect upon
our existence, in It's test Of our char
acter as a nation? So far his vacil-
1ating sacrifice OF our name and
power as a people may be explained
as political accident. That is what
we say now and what other nations
kindly say of us.
Shall We Repeat the Accident?
But what shall We say after the
seventh of November next il Presi-
dent Wilson is reelected? What can
we say? That We are willing TO take
chances for four years more We
cannot say that; the world will not
say that and President Wilson will
- say that Future presidents and
history. other nations looking to
South America and 10 possible booty
in this hemisphere will not say that.
They will say that we have endorsed
the motto too proud TO fight" thar
we have endorsed the peace at any