Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1916-08-02
ACCEPTING THE
NOMINATION
Hughes Speaks Plainly His
Views on Big Issues.
STRONGLY fAvORS SUFFRAGE
Denounces Democratic Administra.
tons Mexican Resoluteness
Is Not Road to War.Preparedness-
The Organization Of Peace e-PrOtec.
tiOn Essential-The Present Crisis.

tiOn Essential-The Present Crisis.
In his address in Carnegie Hall,
New York, accepting the republican
nomination for president, Charles
Evans Hughes said:
Senator Harding, Members of the
Notification Committee and Eel
low Citizens:
This occasion Is more than a mere
ceremony Of notification. We are not
here to indulge in formal expressions
We come to state in plain and direct
manner our faith, our purpose and our
pledge. This representative gathering
Is a happy augury. 1t means the
strength Of reunion. 1t means that
the party Of Lincoln is restored, alert,
effective. 1t means the unity of a
common perception of paramount ma
tiOnal deeds. 1t means that we are
neither deceived nor benumbed by abb
normal conditions. We know that we
are In critical period, perhaps more
critical than any period since the civil
war. We need dominant sense OF
national unity, the exercise of our best
constructive powers, the vigor and re-
sourcefulness of quickened America
We desire that the republican party
as great liberal party shall be the
agency Of national achievement, the
organ Of the effective expression of
dominant Americanism. What do
mean by that? l mean America con-
scious of power, awake to obligation,
erect in self respect, prepared for ev-
cry emergency, devoted to the ideals
Of peace, instinct with the spirit of
humep brotherhood safeguarding both
individual opportunity and the public
interest, maintaining a we'll ordered
constitutional system adapted to To-
cal aelf-government without the sac
rifice of essential national authority,
Pppreciating the necessity. Of stability,
expert knowledge and thorough or
ganizati0n as the indispensable con-
ditions Of security and progress; a
country loved by its citizens with a
patriotic fervor permitting no division
In their allegiance and no rivals in
their Affection mean America first
and America efficient. 1t is in this
spirit that l respond to your sum-
mons"
In discussing foreign relations and
appointments Mr.. Hughes declared
that the executive had not commanded
the respect of the world by his con-
duct Of the state department. Com
petent diplomats, notably Ambassador
Herrick of France, have been retired
for no other reason than to meet par
tisan demands.
"The dealings of the administration
with Mexico" Mr.. Hughes declared,
constitute a confused chapter of
blunders. We have not helped Mexico.
She lies PROSTATE, impoverished, fam
inc stricken, overwhelmed with the
woes and outrages of internecene
strife, the helpless victim of a condi-
tiOn Of anarchy which the course of
the administration only served to pro-
mote. For ourselves, we have wit
messed the murder of our citizens and
the destruction of their property. We
have made enemies, not friends. In.
stead Of commanding respect and de-
serving good will by sincerity, firm
ness and consistency. we provoked
misapprehension and deep resentment.
In the light Of the conduct of the ad-
ministration no one could understand
its professions. In decrying interfer-
ence. We interfered most exasperat-
ingly. We have not even kept out Of
actual conflict, and the soil of Mexico
Is stained with the blood Of our SOL
diers. We have resorted to physical
invasion, only to retire without gain
ing the professed object. 1t is rec
ord which cannot be examined without
q profound sense Of humiliation"
Reversing the interference with
Huerta, Mr.. Hughes characterized 1t
as "a vacillating and ineffective inter-
vention." and as "the height of folly"
so far as the character of Huerta
Is concerned, the hollowness Of the
pretensions on this score is revealed
by the administrations subsequent
patronage Of Villa (whose qualitica-
tiOns as an assassin are indisputable)
whom apparently the administration
was ready to recognize had he achiev-
ed his end and fulfilled what then
seemed to be its hope.
"The question Is not as to the nom
recognition of Huerta. The admins
tration did not content itself with re-
fusing to recognize Huerta, who was
recognized by Great Britain. Germany.
France. Russia. Spain and Japan. The
administration undertook to destroy
Huerta to control Mexican politics,
even to deny Huerta the right to be a
candidate for the office of president at
the election the administration de-
manded.
with what bewilderment must the
Mexicans have regarded our denial Of
their right to manage their oX af.
tcontinusd oP lass '5sss,