The sun., 1916-09-11

1t is the duty Of every American
citizen to make and support openly
his choice among tho candidates for
tho Presidency. That duty Is espe-
cially solemn this year because great
events and great decisions are certain
to confront us during the next ad-
ministration. I am writing to give my
reasons for my " choice.
: I am neither a Democrat nor q
Republican. but a Progressive. Yet.
there being no Progressive nominee.
unless I choose to support "a candidate
who cannot be elected I must vote
for either Wilson or Hughes.
For many months after his inaug-
uration I thought we'll Of President
Wilson. In many respects I liked
what he said about what he was going
to do. lie talked we'll and made n
good impression. It was only when I
began to check up what he said by
what he did that I was forced TO
change my view.
In the end I came to sec that Presi-
dent Wilson has n greater power than
any other mar in public life to say
one thing but do another. n get
away with It.
The facts which justify this state
ment are common knowledge.
We have all heard him tell Ger
many publicly that she would DO held
TO strict accountability: and have
learned afterward that he had actually
let her know secretly at the time. by
the mouth Of his Secretary of State
through the Austrian Ambassador.
that what lie said he did not can
We have all seen him prove that he
did not mean II by his total failure to
exact PREPARATION. apology. or even dis
avowal for the murder OF Americans
on the Lusitania.
I do not say that Wilson should
have thrust us into war. There was
NO need Of war. But there was need
OF courage to give us peace with self
respect. II Wilson had shown courage
this country would not have skiddcd
from n crisis to the next. again and
again narrowly escaping disaster.
We have all heard him declare
against Intervention in Mexico. while
actually intervening TO dictate who
should n who should not hold office
there: and denounce war against Mex
leo While actually engaged In a
With war on every side OF us. we
all heard him. in his second annual
message. solcmnlv assure the country
that We had not been negligent of ma
tional defence. 1t vas not true: and
later on he himself proved that 1t was
not true by proclaimint aloud the
need for what he had solemnly assured
us VIC already had.
Fol more than q year after the
world war began wilson did not raise
a Nnger to put lis in n condition Of
defence. Only the provcrbial good
luck of America has kept us from pay
Ing the bittcrest price for his unfor-
glvablo neglect.
We have all heard him ridiculc the
idea OF a greater navy. then declare
for the greatest navy in the world, and
then go back on that.
We nave all heard him declare for
cNempting our coastwisc trade from
tolls in the Panama Canal: and have
seen him show our own people and the
English that lie did not mean IL.
We have seen him elected on "A plat
form which pledged him to a single
term a. President. and then become a
candidate for another term.
We have all heard him declare for
the conservation Of II natural re-
sources; and have seen him neglect
that policy and refuse his help to de-
feat the Shields water power bill. the
most dangerous attack on conservation
since Ballinger's effort 10 turn Alaska
over to the C~;uggenhcins.
We have all heard him declare for
efficiency in government. n have
seen him set the pork barrel first and
throw efficiency away. have known
oHicial Washington from the inside
for SIX Administrations. In that time
the Government business has never
been so badly done and SO Cxtrava-
gantly as now under Wilson,