The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-10-30

| deal with the tremendous interna-
tional and domestic problems which
| will confront us in the next four
years.
My conception of the presidency
differs absolutely from that of Mr..
Wilson. I look upon the president
as the administrative head of the
government. He looks upon the
president as primarily the political
leader and lawmaker Of the nation.
In the two departments of gov
eminent closely touching our for
eign relationship department of
state and the department of the navy
he chose men whom lie knew to be
wholly unequal to their duties. ADJ
ministrative obligation was subordin-
ated to political exigency. I can as
sure the country that any admins
tration under my direction will stand
upon sound administrative ground
with the ablest cabinet the country
can supply.
Across the road we are to travel
this next four years, even though we
start right and move with prudence
and courage, serious hazards are
thrown like breaks in roadway
made by a torrential rain. These
all rise out of the war torrent which
has overwhelmed Europe. The first
has to do with our foreign relations.
1t is the presidents duty to safe
guard the interests Of our own nation
and to preserve the friendship of ev-
cry other nation.
No man is more determined than
to maintain the peace which the
United States, Spain, Sweden, Nor
way and all the American republics
now enjoy. But I should seek to
maintain that peace by a firm and
courteous insistence on the rights Of
our citizens at home and abroad.
An American in Mexico is subject
to Mexican law, but he is an Amer
lean still and is entitled to the pro-
lection of his own government in his
lawful business. For one l shall
never consent to a policy which
leaves Americans helpless against the
lawlessness of any country in which
they have a right to do business.
! There confronts labor in the next
four years a condition more serious
than any that American laboring
Ac@SS'
When this war began over a million
American working men were seek
ing vainly for employment. When
the war ends and the developed ener-
gies of a new Europe are thrown into
commercial production, our nation
will face a competition as it never
knew.
One Of two things must happen
either millions of men will be seek
ing work in vain or else there must
he Thought out in advance the prob
lens of commercial organization as
France and England and Germany
are seeking to think out the problem
today. Every one of these nations is
preparing to defend it's own market
by a protective tariff. The end of
the war will end also the opportuni-
ties for labor created by the war. The
millions in the trenches today will
be our industrial competitors tomor-
row. If we are to save our laboring
men from a catastrophe we must
plan tariff protection along sound,
just and economic lines. To this
endeavor 1 pledge myself and the
men who are to be my colleagues.
In this matter again I differ alb
solutely from the policy of the pres
ent administration. Democratic plat
forms have declared that the gov
eminent has no right to levy tariff du-
ties except for income. That is the
fundamental faith of the Democratic
party.
I pledge myself and those who
stand with me to. deal with the needs
of laboring men the country over,