Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-10-19

Louisville. Ky, Oct. 1S.-AsscrtinE that
Tor three years there had been no pro
lection of our citizens abroad" Theodore
Roosevelt, in an address here tonight
on behalf of Charles T. Hughes republic
can nominee for president, assailcd the
course of President Wilson in dealing
with Mexico, and his conduct of the
country's foreign affairs.
1T combined lofty promise and COM
plete failure in performance. 1t consisted
Of words which were nulihed by deeds, ."
he said in summing up his view of the
Presidents course
Entering Kentucky in the forenoon,
Colonel Roosevelt delivered moro than a
dozen rear platform addresses before
reaching Louisville. Crossing the Ohio
river ut Cincinnati. his course took him
almost to the Tennessee line. At Paris
and Cynthiana, he told his audiences he
was glad to be in Kentucky where if it
was necessary "the people We're not toe
proud to fight"
ON his arrival here this evening he was
met at the railroad station by large
crowd which escorted him to Phoenix
Hill Park, about two miles away, where
he spoke. Many persons, unable to effect
an entrance, were turned away.
Colonel Roosevelt said in part:
At the outset Of my speech | wish 80
point ont, as have elsewhere pointed out,
that the doctrine now often advanced -
to the Improperly of criticising the Pre- l.
dent without any regard as to whc her
the criticism is or is not just, has no war
rant either in history or on grounds f
public morality Andrew jackson in a
message to the Senate on April Is. 1891, put
the case exactly as it should be put. He
said:
"The President is accountable at tho
bar of public opinion for every act of IN
administration. Subject only to the To-
straiuts Of truth and justice. the free pco
pie Of the United States have the uu-
doubted right, as individual os collcc-
lively, orally or in writing at such time
and in such language and form as tho '
may think proper. to discuss his official
conduct ana express and promulgate their
opinions concerning it,"
This lays down the law that should bo
followed There must be truth and justic
in all that is said of the President. g"
of any one else; but less than any ono
other man in he nation has he the righ.
to claim immunity from any criticism 'ha'
is both Just and truthful. | criticise PEST
dent Wilson because his deeds have beifc,l
his words, and his words have belied ono
another.
Mr. Wilson's promises before cleo
/ tion, both those made in his own
speeches, and those made in the plat
form, have been so well-nigh invariably
broken, that the breaking of them has
become a subject for jest even among
his own friends. One of Mr.. Wilson $
prominent democratic supporters in
Congress stated with refreshing frank
ness the exact truth about Mr.. Wilson'S
pre- election promises. and those made
on his behalf, when in answer to some
charge of inconsistency, he responded
by saying that "our platform was made
to get into office on--and we have won. -
You will find this remark on page 4GlS
of the ConEressional Record, the third
session Of the send Congress. 1t is inn
possible to study Mr. Wilson's prc-clcc-
tion promises ana post-eloction per-
formances; it is impossible to compare
the diametriCally opposed attitudes he
| has assumed at different times on al
most every public question; it is inn
| possible to compare what he says il
/ one set of speeches with what he says
| in another set, without feeling thai
| what this congressional supporter oi
his said of his platform applies also il
| his speeches.
AT the outset of this war Mr.. Wilson
had one of two courses to follow. HI
could by deeds stand up for our owl
| the rights of the weak against the stront
| in all cases; or else he could sibmit To on
being wronged by everyone. and acquiesc'