The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-04-20
BLUNDERS-0F The
ADMINISTRATION
Wilson Has FaiIaa In Foreign
and Domestic Policies.
ROOT SHOWS HIS ERRORS.

New York Republican Convention
Points Out Sins of 5Treoratio Com
mission and Omisbion--"We Have
Lost Influence Because We Have
Been Brave In WORDS and Irresolute
IN Action"
In his address as temporary chair
man of the New York State Republican
convention, delivered In Carnegie Hall.
New York. the Hon. Elihu Root said:
We are entering upon Il contest fOe
the election Of president and the con-
troll of government Hnder conditions
essentially new in tAe experience of
our party and OF our country. The
forms and methods which we are
about to follow are Old and familiar,
but the grounds for action, the demand
Of great events for Cecision upon na
tional conduct. the moral forces urg
ing to solution of vaguely outlin
ed questions. the tremendous con
sequences of wisdom pr folly in nation
al policy, all these are-new to the great
mass Of American vgters now living.
Never since 1864 has ian election been
fraught with consequences so vital /"
national life All helordinary consid-
eratiOns which play 50 great part in
our presidential campaigns are and
ought to be dwarfed Into insigniicance
Democratic Party to the Bar.
For the first time instwenty years we
enter the field as thd partg Of opposi
ton. and indeed it u a much longer
time. for in 1896. ia kili respects save
the. tariff, the real opposition to the
sturdy and patriotic heourse Of Presi-
dent Cleveland was be found in the
party that followed Cir. Bryan. 1t is
our duty as the opposition to bring the
Democratic party to HE bar of public
judgment, to put it Upon its defense
so far as we see jHst and substantial
grounds to criticise It'll conduct and t.
ask the voters OF the 4ountry to decids'
whether that party. H1saAi2ed aS e ts
represented as it has been since IT.
came into power. has shown itself
competent to govern the country as it
should be governed and whether its
spirit, its policies, and its performance
are the best that the American people
can do in the way of popular self gov.
ernment
In the field of domestic affairs some
facts relevant to these questions had
already been ascertained when in Au-
gust. 1914. the great European war
began. During the year and a half of
Democratic control of government in
a period of profound peace there had
been steady decrease In American
production. in exports and in revenues
and a steady increase in imports and
expenditures. Enterprise had halted.
The Democratic tariff had been framed
upon an avowed repudiation of all pro
lection, however moderate and reason
able. and because all protection was
repudiated practically all information
from competent witnesses as to the eff,
feet new provisions would have upon
business was rejected. 1t was with
just cause that the enterprise Of the
country halted. timid and irresolute
because it felt and feared THE hostility
of government
Foreign Competition After War.
The great war has not changed the
lesson which we had already learned
when 1t began. 1t has but obscured
further demonstration 1t has caused
an enormous demand for some thing>
which the United States is able to pro
duce in large quantities. and in these
lines Of production. while other indus
tries still languiSh, there have been eX
tensive employment of labor great ex
ports and great influx of money
But this is temporary. 1t must soor
cease. and when the factories have
stopped and their labOrers are ne
longer employed we mlst deal with
situation for which wise forethough
should make provision More impor
tant still, the war has paralyZed tht
peaceful industries of all Europe ant
has stopped that competitive foreign
production which in July, 1914. had al
ready entered American markets t
supersede American products undeI
the tariff law of 1918. The war ha'
thus given to American products al
immunity from competition far NOR
effective than any possible protective
tariff. But that is temporary, ant
when the war is over. when foreigl
production begins again. the American
market compared with impoverishe'
Europe will be more than ever befOr
the object of desire and effort, and W
shall become the dumping ground o
the world to the destruction OF GU
own Industries unless that is prevents
by. wise and competent government
II How canWe Defend ourselVes2
But it is not from domestic ques
lions that the most difficult problem
of this day arise. The events of tn
last few years have taught us man
|, lessons. We have learned that civiliZa
tiOn is but a veneer thinly covering tn
savage nature of man. How can thi
nation, which loves peace and intend
; Justice, avoid the curse of militarisI
and at the same time preserve its il
dependence. defend its territory, prC
4 tect the lives and liberty and prope
ty of its citizens? How can we prt
vent the same principles of action. th
same policies Of conduct. the sam
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