The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-08-04
Cards Of Thanks, five cents per line.
Resoiutlors OF Respect, Obituaries and
CANDIDATE WITHOUT A POLICY

Mr.. Hughes speech of acceptance is
the public confession of candidate
who is without an issue and without
policy.
Half of it is devoted to an attack
upon the foreign policy of President
Wilson, but Mr.. Hughes does not say
what he would have done that Mr..
Wilson left undone, or what he would
have left undone that Mr.. Wilson did
A fourth of it is devoted to prepar-
edness and to censuring the president
for calling out the National Guard; but
here again Mr.. Hughes refrains from
telling the American people how he
would have obtained larger measure
of preparedness than the president
has wrung from congress, or how he
would have dealt with conditions on
the Mexican border without calling
out the National Guard.
Mr.. Hughes Mexican policy is to
be one "of firmness and consistency,
through which alone we can promote
an enduring friendship" But what
form are the firmness and consistency
to take? War? Intervention? Candi-
dates can talk about firmness and con-
sistency in foreign affairs, but presi-
dents must deal with concrete mat
ters.
In spite Of Mr.. Hughes long and bit
ter indictment of the presidents
course in Mexico, he himself has moth
ing affirmative to offer. The Republic
an candidate follows the same prose
cuting-attorney tactics in dealing with
the presidents European policies. "A
firm American policy" is the thing that
was needed, but again what does Mr..
Hughes mean by firm American poll
cy? Mr. Wilson has guided the coun-
try through great crisis-through a
period which Mr.. Hughes himself des-
'cribes as perhaps more critical than
any period since the Civil war" With
out surrendering single American
right, he has kept the country out OF
war and compelled the most powerful
military government known to history
TO conform it's submarine warfare to
American demands Now comes Mr..
Hughes as the arch critic OF that presi-
dent to say that Mr., Wilson was all
wrong in the way he did It, whatever
the results may be.
Perhaps nothing is more character
istic of Mr.. Hughes speech than his
treatment of alien conspiracies. I'VE
denounce all plots and conspiracies in
the interest Of any foreign nation"
aud then he proceeds to hold the ad-
minlstration responaihe for them ut
was It's duty to stop them" as " the
administration had not secured dozens
OF indictments and score of convic-
tlons. But there is one plot and con
spiracy about which Mr hughes is dis
creetly silent We refer to the Ger
man plot to make him president OF
the United States becasue President
Wilson refused to permit the German
government to dictate the foreign poli
cy of the United States.
Mr. Hughes speech will he searched
in vain for a solitary word. a solitary
syllable, repudiating this Infamous at
tempt Of foreign monarchy 10 con
troll the political affairs OF the United
States by furnishing president who
has offended II and rewarding n candi
date who taCitly invites the support o
the hyphenated. Mr.. Hughes dom
inant Americanism" halts when il con
templates the political possibilities o
the German vote.
MIR. Hughes speech is all sound anr
reyerberaton. The independ
ent voter will read II in vain for
word Of hope or encouragement.
New York World.