Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-06
WILSON IS GIVEN
EDISON SUPPORT
Inventor, in Announcing Stand, Says
Times Are Too Serious for
Partisan Division.
MEXICAN POLICY Is PRAISED
He Declares It Is Not Logical to
Change to UntTied Man of
Hughes Caiiber.

Saratoga. n. Y, Sept. 6.-Thomas A.
Edison, inventor, lifelong republican
and strong supporter of Theodore
Roosevelt's candidacy for the republic
can nomination, has made announce
ment of his intention to vote and work
for Woodrow Wilson. He dictated the
following statement:
Not since 1860 has any campaign
made such a direct call on simon-pure
AmeriCanism. The times are too Sc
rfous to talk or think in terms of re-
publtcanism or democracy. Real
Americans mast drop parties and get
down to big fundamental principles.
More than any other president in
my memory Wilson has been faced by
succession of tremendous problems,
any one of which decided the wrong
way would have had disastrous conse-
quences. Wilson's decisions so far
have not got US into any serious trou-
BILE, nor are they likely to.
Praises Mexican Policy.
HE has given us peace with honor.
This talk about the United States be-
ing despised is nonsense. Neutrality
is a mighty trying policy, but back of
it are international law, the rights of
humanity and the future of civiliza-
ton.
with reference to Mexico / think
that the president has acted wisely,
justly and cOurag eOusly 1t was right
that the United States should not have
recognized such a murderous person
ality as Huerta. l do not believe that
we should have interviewed nor do I
believe that we should intervene now.
Mexico is a troublesome neighbor just
now, but war and conquest are not
going to make her 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.
cit has been said that Wilson at first
was against preparedness. Perhaps he
was, but when convinced that intelli-
gent public opinion was overwhelm-
ingly in favor of it, he changed. That
is the proper thing for our president
to do. A president defiant of public
opinion would be a dangerous man in
our system Of government.
COmmends Rail Strike Work.
His 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 ex-
perts viii be named. and that the body
viii be continuing and vested almost
with the dignity of the supreme court |
They say he has blundered. Per- |
haps he has. But l notice that he |
usually blunders forward You can't |
get 100 per cent efficiency in a democ- |
racy; | don't know that we ought to |
want it. We would be machines, and |
We would have to sacrifice too much |
of freedom.
LAS I said at the start, It has been |
] Ist one big thing after another with |
Wilson, | have never known so many |
dangerous questions brought up for |
decision TO any one president. In the /
general strike of the skilled /
railway men, which. if carried out |
would have thrown the whole country
into confusion, and proven a calamity |
that. in certain eventuaIities would |
have results bound to extend over a
long period Of time, he acted with his
usual courage and sanity.
Hughes Best on ~HindSight.@
I'm my opinion Mr.. Hughes, if presi-
lent, would find it difficult to decide
IN the best course for the government
% take regarding the strike His ca
Dacity for hindsight, as we learn from
lis speeches, is highly developed, but
rs to his foresight, we are equally we'll
informed.
"Mr. Wilson has had about four
7ears of experience, and he has earned
aith and trust. l do not think it a
ogical or sensible thing to change to
IN inexperienced and untried man just
or the sake of change, or without
much better reasons being given for
he change than have noticed.
Roosevelt was my choice. He has
lad experience and is one of the best
# Americans. but the machine-con-
rolled republican party would not I
ave him. Therefore, I am for Wood I
ow wilson