New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-02
DFMOCRACYS BID FOR THE WORKER
Peace Prosperity and Friendship for Labor the BASIS OF the
Presidents Campaign-flis Record OF instability Lasts
Doubt on His Capacity for Leadership


tariff would have had in normal times
He reminds US that in the ten months
Of that tariff, before the war began in
August, 1914, it accomplished none OF
the things claimed for it. 1t did not
reduce the high cost OF living. IL did
not increase our foreign trade. Ex-
ports shrank sl59,000,000, as compared
with the ten months of the previous
year, and imports increased SlO2,OOO,-
900. II was claimed that business
would not be disturbed, but railroads
went into the hands of receivers, fac
tories all over the country were run
ming on so per cent time, and IL was
estimated that 100000 wsge-earners
were unemployed. All this despite
good crops which must greatly have
helped out the situation. Development
was arrested.
The test will come when the war is
over-when the tariff protection arti-
ficially furnished by war conditions is
removed. Then less than at any time
in our history will American industry
be able TO compete against the cheaper
cost of production abroad. The Re-
publican party stands for a tariff at
least adequate to pay the expenses OF
government and TO protect labor. Let
the wage-earner bear this in mind
when his vote is solicited on the
ground OF prosperity.
The vital question for the wage
Garner ia not so much whether we now
have peace and prosperity as what as
surance We have against war and eco
nomic depression in the perilous period
ahead of us. We cannot in fairness
deny that the President has stood for
real progress in many matters OF
domestic concern nor that laws have
been enacted during his administra-
ton, notwithstanding Republican ORR
gin as 10 some of their best features,
which ore constructive in character
and will benefit the country. But IN
the great problems growing out OF the
European war and our relations with
a turbulent near neighbor, IN matters
vital to our integrity as a nation on
account of the insidious dangers which
; threaten us so long as divided allie
glance is tolerated, in emergencies like
that created by the threatened strike,
/ has the President shown the vision,
foresight, conviction and unafraidness
so essential to leadership in times of
stress and storm?
With the example of the great war
before him he spoke of preparedness
as a symptom of nervous excitabllity
and saw the light on that great issue
only after his eyes had been fairly
pried open for him by an aroused pub
lie sentiment. We are to-day as I'M
nrepared as we were three years ago.
| Announcing a policy of watchful walt
ing, he did not wait minute TO inter-
\ fere actively in the internal AFFAIRS OF
Mexico, leaving that unfortunate coun-
| try to-day in a state OF BANKRUPTCY
suffering and lawlessness such as 1t
has never known, and our own prob
lens with respect to it infinitely more
difficult of solution. During all this
period of vacillation he did nothing to
! increase the efficiency of the regular
army. so that when We came TO the
very edge of war with Mexico he had
to call out the National Guard and
take thousands of young men for
service for which they were totally un-
| fitted.
The President may have had the
most honorable intentions. But the
question is not so much whether he
has done the best ne knew how as
whether he has done the best there
was to do. Can we trust his judgment
when ne finds it necessary constantly
70 reverse himself on questions OF
vital concern to the country? May we
not question his capacity to lead when
we find him hesitating in crisis, pre-
ferring to side-step or postpone an
issue instead of meeting it courage
ously? Leighton CALhiN@'
Plainfield, N. j., Oct. 81, 1916.