Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-09-07
THOMAS EDISON
|NDORSES WILSON
Commends the Many Nice
Acts Of President and
Scores Standpatters

Not since 1865 has any campaign
made such direct call on simon-pure
Americanism. The times are too serious
to talk or think in terms of republican
ism or democracy. Real Americanism
must drop parties and get down to big
fundamental principles.
More than any other president in
my memory, Woodrow Wilson has been
faced by a succession of tremendous
problems, any one of which decided the
wrong way would have had disastrous
consequences. Wilson's decisions so far
have not got us into any serious trou-
bic, nor are they likely to.
He has given us peace with honor.
Hughes talk about the United States
being despised is nonsense. Neutral
ity is mighty trying policy, but back
of it are international law, the rights
of humanity and the future OF civiliza-
tiOn.
"With reference to Mexico / think
the president has acted wisely, justly
and courageously. 1t was right that
the United States should not have recog-
nized such a murderous personality as
Huerta. 1 do not think we should have
intervened, nor do 1 believe that we
should intervene now. Mexico is a
troublesome neighbor just now, but war
and conquest is not going to make her
a better one. Both against England and
against human slavery the United
States worked out its salvation through
revolution and it was a pretty slow
trying process.
'It has been said that Wilson at first
was against preparedness. Perhaps he
was, but when convinced that intelligent
public opinion was overwhelmingly in
favor of it, he changed. That is the
proper thing to do. A president defiant
of public opinion would be a dangerous
man in our government.
ellis attitude on the tariff shows an
equal openness of mind. A tariff COM
mission will take the whole problem out
of politics. 1t is my hope that experts
will be named and that the body will
be continuing and vested almost with
the dignity of the supreme court.
"They say he has blundered. Per
haps he has. But 1 notice that he usual
ly blundered forward. You can't get
100 per cent efficiency in a democ-
racy. l don t know that we ought to
want it. We would be machines, and
we would have to sacrifice too much of
freedom.
Gas / said at the start, it has been
just one big thing after another with
Wilson. have never known so many
dangerous questions brought up for de-
cision to any one president.
''In my opinion Mr.. Hughes, if presi-
dent, would find it difficult to decide
on the best course for the government
to take had he been confronted with
the possibility of great railroad strike
His capacity for hindsight, as we learn
from his speeches, is highly developed,
but as to his foresight we are not equal
ly well informed.
"Mr. Wilson has now had about four
years of experience, and he has earned
faith and trust. do not think it q
logical or sensible thing to change to an
inexperienced and untried man Just for
the sake Of change, or without much
better reasons given for the change than
l have noticed.
I" Roosevelt was my choice. He has
had experience and is one of the best
of Americans, but the machine. CONTROL.
ed republican party would not have
him. Therefore l am for Woodrow
Wilson,