Omaha daily bee., 1916-11-04
Why / Am for Hughes
Albert u. Cummins
United States Senator from Iowa.


United States Senator from Iowa.
Within six months after the war in Europe
is at an end all the industries of the continent VIII
be working to their full capacity, if they can sell
what they are capable of producing. Their neces-
sites viii compel them to dispose OF their prod
profit at ali. The United States with its lOo.-
100000 population, with an abundance OF capital,
will furnish the choicest markets in the world and
into it will fall the greatest volume OF imports we
have ever known, unless we promptly adopt the
measures necessary to check the hood.
Let us examine for moment the source Of
the activity which now prevails in America. Dur
ing the year ended June 80, 1916, we exported
from our farms, mines and factories, commodi-
ties Of the value of more than S4,l0O,0OOO00. Con-
verified into terms Of labor and assuming wage
OF s. per day, this means the employment in this
country OF more than 4,O0000O men and women
throughout the year.
The increase as compared with the largest
volume Of exports prior to the war is substan-
TALLY $2000,000000. That this vast advance in
our export trade is due to the war alone no honest
student OF the subject will deny.
The moment this extraordinary demand ceases
the 100000 American workers who have been
engaged in the production of these export COM
modities will be compelled to find something else
to do, and it seems to me certain that no matter
how carefully we guard ourselves against the
consequence OF restoration to conditions, we
turb our industrial and commercial life
II we permit Europe to take possession OF our
markets to any considerable extent, at the mo-
ment it reduces its purchases, we will be the VIC
Tins OF an overwhelming catastrophe.
There is but one thing which will hold the
American people harmless in the industrial con-
ffict in which we must shortly engage. There is
but one defense upon which we can rely 1t is a
fair, reasonable, adequate, protective tariff sys-
tenn.
II we do not dismiss the democratic admins
tration and the democratic congress, with their
absurd destructive economic fallacies, and If we
go forward unarmed and unprotected to meet
the danger which everybody knows we must en-
counter, we will be guilty of the stupendous
folly.
Whatever mistakes, in the way of legislation,
have been made can be and in the course Of time
will be corrected but there is characteristic OF
this administration which will leave permanent
scar upon the institutions Of the country. pro.
test against the usurpaton Of power by the chief
executive throughout the entire period in which
he has held the office Of president.
utter note OF warning against the continu-
GUS and successful effort OF Woodrow Wilson to
compel the majority of congress to do his bid
ding. Our forefathers intended that congress
should make the laws and that the president
should execute them.
Whatever may be said Of the weakness and
vaclation of the president in dealing with foreign
nations, he is the pinnacle Of courage and the last
word in persistency in dealing with the demo-
cratic majority in congress. From the beginning
of his administration until the close of the last
session he has coerced and commanded his po-
litical followers in congress until there is no
longer any spirit or independence among them.
Mr.. Wilson has succeeded, through the nf1u-
ence which attends the Office of president, in abb
soutely controlling the majority in congress, and,
if he is reelected, he will continue. in his career
~ rh &c
government will be completely subordinate to
the executive command.
During the whole Of the administration of the
present chief executive, have beensa close and
interested observer of events as they transpred
from dayto day, and there has never been any Sc
rious danger Of war, assuming that other powers
were disposed to fulfill their international obi
/ think that every real American must be con-
scious that in some way, through some fault OF
folly, the government Of the United States does
not stand as high in the esteem Of other govern
ments as it did when Woodrow Wilson became
president and undertook the task of representing
us in our relations with foreign countries. Some
how we have lost in degree our reputation for
candor and courage and we are too often likened
to Macchiavelli in design and to Talleyrand in the
acts of assimilation.
In my judgment there is some foundation for
this iii opinion and it ought to be the first great
desire Of the open-hearted open-minded people tc
escape the disrepute which the president fastened
upon US and to appear once more before the world
as nation which thinks clearly, speaks plainly
and acts honestly.
1t is true we have kept out of war, but it /:
too great demand upon our ereduity and COM
mon sense to even suggest that an incisive, I'm.
alterab1e demand for the observance of our in
ternational rights would have resulted in host
ties between this country and those already bur.
dened with all they could bear, To be kept out
of war is good, but it was not necessary that, in
order to preserve peace the spirit Of the Amer
can nation should be Inundated and that coun.
tries like Sweden, Norway Holland and Switzer
land should find it necessary to accept the leader
ship in the struggle for neutral rights
do not charge the president with want Of
patriotism or with evil purpose He has done
exactly what man Of his training, disposition
and turn of mind was bound to do. 1t was just
as certain that he would be insoiently truculent
toward congress in domestic matters and subserv.
iently vacllating in our foreign affairs as it was
| that he should act at all The humiliating out
| come is not so much his mistake as it was the
mistake Of the people Of this country in electins
him president
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