The Washington herald., 1916-09-01
Roosevelt's Opening Speech.

NOl. NOOSeNClt QeNNered ms nTSt campaign
speech in behalf of Mr. Hughes in Lewiston,
Me, last night The speech may be called Roose-
veltian, but the word does not describe it as
clearly as it has described some Of his former
utterances. Some of the FIRE and ginger OF the
typical Roosevetian speech is lacking, yet the
speech does not lack in forccfuness. 1t seems
clear that Roosevelt cannot follow as we'll as he
can lead. He appears to be hampered by the
necessity Of conhning himself to the limitations
Mr.. Hughes has laid down in his addresses. Mr..
Hughes has avoided going deep into attack
Mr.. Wilson's policies in Europe and Col
Roosevelt, unable to create new issue because
Of the etiquette of the stump and bound to fol-
low closely in the footsteps of the nominee, prac-
tically ignores the Lusitana case Mr.. Hughes
has devoted the bulk of his attacks on the ad-
ministration to criticism of Mr. Wilson's Mexican
policy. Col. Roosevelt gives the major part Of
his address to criticism OF Mr.. Wilson's Mexican
policy. In this, the Colonel seems to have out
done Mr.. Hughes in some respects, but the
strongest part OF the Roosevelt address seems
to come in its close, in which he says:
"As between Mr.. Hughes and Mr.. Wilson,
who doubt which is the man who will with
austere courage stand for the national duty? Mr..
Wilson's words have contradicted one another
and all his words have been contradicted by his
acts. Mr.. Wilson's promise has not borne the
slightest reference to his performance. We have
against him in Mr.. Hughes a man whose public
life is guarantee that whatever he says he will
make good, and that all his words will be borne
out by his deeds. We put the man who thinks
and speaks directly, and whose words have al
ways been made good, against the man whose
adroit and facie elocution is used to conceal his
plans or his want of plans. Which of the two
men do you, the American people, wish at the
helm during these four years; the man who has
been actually tried and found wanting or the
man whose whole career in public office is a
guarantee of his power and good fath?"
In the foregoing words, Col Roosevelt seems
to define the basis of Republican hopes-that
the American people must not choose SO much
between issues as between two men, The words
sum up the Coloners belief that the American
people want Americanism and that to get true
red-blooded, fearless Americanism they must
elect Mr.. Hughes. The words do not touch
upon the issues involved and in the entire speech
will be found reference to number of the
most important issues. 1t seems that Col Roose-
welt is content to rest his case, after summing
up with a comparison between the two nomi-
nees as Americans, and trust to the judgment Of
an American jury to return American verdict
The Colonels speech is in no way disap-
pointing. He was expected to deliver a strong
attack upon the administration and the attack
is one OF the strongest he has delivered.
He was expected to concentrate his attention to
an arraignment of the Mexican policy and this
arraignment at least takes rank with if it does
not surpass the arraignments delivered by Mr.
Hughes. Finally Col. Roosevelt was expected
to give full in his support of Mr.
Hughes and the speech shows that Mr. Hughes
himself could ask for nothing more.