The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-10-09
EXPOSES ABSURDITIES
OF HUGHES CANDIDACY
Will Republicans Repeal 8-Hour Law
And Bring on a Strike, Murdoch
Asks-A Vote For That Party, a
Vote Cast in The Dark.

Through his newspaper, the Wichi
ia Eagle, Victor Murdock, of Kansas
who led the fight of the progressive
Republicans against Cannonism in
the House of Representatives in
1910 and who has since been a con.
spicuous figure in the Progressive
party, has Joined in the general
drive of Independents at the eyasive
character of the Hughes candidacy.
In single recent issue of the
Eagle, Editor Murdoch is responsible
for three editorials, the first adding
to the many pointed questions HUI
ghes has left unanswered, the second
pointing to the Nations unpreceden-
ted prosperity and the third assail-
ing Raymond Robins argument in
behalf of the election Of a Congress
to support Hughes. The second edi-
torlal takes pains to point out that
the present prosperity does not rep
resent "a mere orgy of speculation. p"
The first editorial, under the head.
ing, will They Answer?" says:
Since, it appears, the Republicans
are to make their campaign largely
in opposition to the Adamson bill, a
few questions are pertinent. They
should be answered both by Mr.. HUI
ghes and by those Republican candi-
dates for congress who follow his
lead.
will Mr.. Hughes urge, and the
Republican Congressman vote, for
the repeal of the Adamson law, in
case they win Congress?
IF they do so, and if that repeal
again brings the threat of strike
what course of action will Mr.. HUI
ghes and Congress pursue?
Its one thing to criticize Mr..
Wilson for his strike settlement It's
an entirely different thing deliber-
ately to vote a nationwide railroad
strike upon the country. If that is
what Mr.. Hughes election is to
mean, the people ougtt to be very
certain that they are willing to pay
the price"
The second of these interesting ut
terances is entitled, "Wallowing in
Prosperity" and contains these
statements:
Except when we see the actual
figures of what now is in comparison
with what was, it is impossible to be-
lieve the extent of the prosperity in
which the United States is now fair
ly wallowing. A few comparisons,
taken from a recent issue of the
Wall Street Journal, tell the story
far better than words:
THE average price of railway
stocks on Sept. Is was 1O9.16; a
year ago it was 95.73. The average
price of industrials was 1899, as
against 105.1S year ago.
ION September 16, 1916, Septem-
Der wheat sold in Chicago for 147h
as against 1O1A u year ago; Septem-
Der corn for So " against II "; Oc-
to1er cotton for 1888 as agasIsssss sIssssa
1854.
ION that same day Atchison stock
sold for 1865 5s against 1093s; I'm
ion Pacific 1473s against 131; Unit
ed States steel 1914 against 1875.
Nor is this a mere orgy Of specu-
lation. Financially our prosperity is
on a sound foundation
The third editorial is called IAN
Impossible Demand" 1t exposes the
difficulties of the position of Ray
mond Robins, the former Progress
sive leader of Illinois, who is sup
porting Hughes, saying:
Raymond Robins wants the peo-
pie to give Hughes a Congress that
will support his policies. None
should know better than Mr.. Rob-
ins the impossibility of that task. In
the first place, what are Mr.. HUI
ghes' policies? Should we elect big
army or little army Congressman?
Are we to elect men who favor warn
ing Americans off the seas, or men
who demand that Germany be brou-
ght to book Immediately for the Lu-
sitania outrage?
rs it to be Mr.. Hughes policy to
repeal the Adamson law? Shall we
then defeat those Republican Con-
gressmen who voted for its enact
ment? Will Mr.. Hughes be for or
against an increased income and in
heritage tax? Will he intervene in
Mexico, and, if SO, for the benefit of
the Mexican people, or on behalf of
big capital?
"Mr. Robins knows better than to
expect that Congress can be elect
ed that will support Mr.. Hughes
policies both because Mr.. Hughes
policies on some of the most hotly
controverted subjects before the peo-
pie are not known, and also because
the Republican party is not one par
ty, but two, and no man can lead
both wings at the same time in the
same direction"