Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-05

There IL want OF HOOu pEeai-
Dental timber in the Republican party.
n the lightning does not strike either
Roosevelt or Hughes, IL may single out
Lincoln.
TN NO epoch, not even that imme-
Il diately preceding the Civil War, has
the Republican party been confronted
with graver responsibilities or with
greater opportunities for service than
now The convention about TO assemble
in Chicago. to which the destinles of the
party have been confided. must clear
away the rubbish. strike deep to find
the essentials, make a platform which
will underwrlte the future prosperity Of
this nation and supply fighting leader
whose service to the country as a whole
will be no less inspiring than his re-
Mobilization of the party itself.
The candidacy of Mr.. Roosevelt is
gamble with fate. IL Is based on the
assumption that Teutonc victories dur
ing the summer will assume such proper
tions as to magnify vastly the necessity
for preparedness on grand scale. Were
victory for the Allies assured, there would
be, unfortunately, no great demand for
defense measures in America, a majority
Of the people being so short-vlsioned that
they refuse to look beyond the horizon
of immediate events. What the people
do fear Is German aggression. The en-
phasized Americanism which Mr. Roose-
velt is preaching is a mighty program to
arouse the nation from its lethargy, to
visualize for 1t the new place the United
States has taken among the nations of
the earth, the new burdens which have
been or will be thrust upon 1t and the
necessity of meeting them in q generous,
sensible and provident way. But 1t is
a program the success of which must
fuctuate with tho tide of military events
across the ocean. Peace this summer,
for instance, would cruelty a Roosevelt
campaign. There are, however thou
sands of good Americans Of the think
ing type who are convinced that a show.
down Is in order and that, win or lose,
it Is time for the nation to give verdict
on the kind OF virile Amerlcanism for
which Mr. Roosevelt stands and which
he, in fact, personifies. That he would
reliable Chief Executive is not ques-
tlon for debate. He has proved himself
by actual trial
Mr.. Roosevelt Is no tariff man. He
emphasizes the military feature of pre-
paredness. 1t Is industrial preparedness,
however, which may readily prove to be
the most vital to the welfare of the nation.
It is perfectly apparent that the pros
perity which now exists is a fictitious,
hyO {,1 ID.y,
legislation enacted by the Democrats, but,
on the contrary. existing in spite of low
tariffs. 1t Is difficult thing to oust an
under which prosperity
exists, whatever the cause of that pos
perity. One of the most important flinc-
tions of the Republican campaign will be
the education of the people and the ex-
posure of the fallacy that this is a Demo
cratic prosperity. The tariff issue is to-
day the great issue, even more so than
In the past. To trifle with 1t is to trifie
with the bread and butter of the people
and to parley with soup houses. 1t Is
imperative. therefore. that the Republi-
can platform carry the strongest kind of
protection plank.
1t is claimed that the chief duty OF the
is to pick a winner. Justice
Hughes as harmonizer has exceptional
qualities He had no part in the
which was rampant in 1912.
OF his orthodoxy there is no question.
His merit as an executive has been amply
proved. So. too, has his ability as a cam.
paigner. Silence in him Is virtue, but
when he does speak there is the heat of
the branding iron In his text and the
thunder OF Jupiter in his blows. There is
in him none Of the elements of the
or the trickster and all of the
OF logical, virile and convincing
He would appeal to the
intelligence of the country with COM
pelling force.
The party expects OF the convention
sobriety Of judgment, not a panic stam-
pede. It expects, too, a candidate who
measures up TO the grave responsibilities
of this era, when nations themselves are
in the making and new trade map is in
the drawing. Should Roosevelt and
Hughes come TO stalemate, a Republi-
can of superb abilities Is Philander Chase
Knox. Republican candidate for the
United States Senate from this State, and
in Mr.. Weeks. of Massachusetts,, there is
presidential timber OF the first class.