Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-07
REPUBLICAN FLARE-UPS
TURN INTO FLARE E-DACKs
They Have Raised Lot OF Noise, Only
to Find Country Laugh
ing at Them.
NOW ALMOST BEREET OF ISSUES
Election Day Sees Them With Bu
One Issue Left, the TariT-Al
Their Assaults Upon Wilson'S Pol
icieS Have Fallen Flat.
NOW ALMOST BEREFT OF ISSUES
IFrom a Stan Uorrespondent.D

" rom a StSIt
NEW YORK, November 6.-Of al:
tie phases Of the campaign. list
closed. none is more extraordinary
tlan ihe tact that only one important
issuc-ihe ;ariff-has survived. If the
others have not been actually aoln-
doned. they have. at least lost their
! power OF appeal.
Republicans orators continued TO
thunder against the Wilson foreign.
policies, against certain domestic
legislation and against the Democratic
doctrine OF peace and prosperity until
the latter days. but there was little
force in their argument and little or
no enthusiasm in the response of tho
people.
Mr.. Hughes continued TO assail every
thing President Wilson has said or
done or is. Colonel Roosevelt did not
abate his savage assaults until Sat-
urday night, hut each of these indulged
in bitter gencralities only. Aside from
, the tariff. their final indictments con-
tanned no specific counts.
CAMPAIGN IS ALMOST
BEREFT or ISSUES
Taken all in all. the campaign at
lis finish may be regarded as almost
totally bercft of issues. Wide dif-
! ferences between the two parties re-
main. of course. and Il wide choice left
to the voters. but these differences
have not been created by the pledges
which the Republican candidate has
made In the country or by Che success
with which he has condemned the pro-
gram OF Democratic achievements
They are fundamental differences, the
difference between rcaciionary or
conservatives party, on the ono hand.
and n progressive or radical party on
the other
When tho campaign opened the Re
Iuhl."aOs stalicd their fortunes almost
, wholly upon what they believed to be
tn" weakness Of the Wilson foreign
policies Their platform at Chicago
was II terrific arraignmenl OF the
Presidents dealings with Mexico and
Europe. In his informal acceptance
and again in his formal acceptance MIR
Hughes echoed every line and word
III this platform. And for weeks he
reiterated his dcnunciation of these
policies
I l'ut the Republican candidate has
FOUND since chat the country in no
sense is excited about Mexico: that
the people are veny we'll satisfied with
any rclat tionship toward Mexico that
rv"id armed intervention, and that il
mas been difficult to make Il case
AGAINST tho effort Wilson has made 10
raise up stable government in the
southern rcpnblic. Ry degrees the
Mexican question was showed to the
hAcksr"und. and to-day IL is a matter
of minor interest only.
An ahortivc attempt was made. il,
this connection. to array the Catholic,
n 'htit h In, NJ.
ident Wilson. on the ground that the
recognition OF Carranza in effect was
an approval by the Democratic ao
ministraton Of Curranzista outrag.s
against the church in Mexico. This
nlan to prostitute the church To par
tisan ends seems to have failed. though
/ in spots resentment still is felt against
the President OH this account
AN HONORABLE PEACE,
ANSWERS ALI. QUESTIONS
! 10 all tile Republican clamor for the
protection Of American rights abroad
ana for Il iirmer attitude toward Eu-
ropean belllScrrnts. the invariable an
swer has come that president Wilson
has maintained An honorable peace
through criSes more grave ,han any ,hc
country has faced in two generations
| And the peace sentiment in the Cni,"d
States has been found To be literally
overwhelming. To avoid OFFENDING this
sentiment. tho Republicans--a! al
them except Colonel Roosevelt--halc
found IL wise TO neutraize their rero-
.''y toward the Wilson handling of tn,
European complications.
The insistent demand from tn. pco-
Continued Oh Second Page.)
-. -