Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-06-27

/.
/ we could with only minimum o
risk have protested ON behalf OF Bel
lgium, a small, well-behaved nation
when she was exposed to the last ex
Itremity of outrage by the bruta
violation of her neutral rights; this
violation being itself violation Of
The Hague conventions to which we
were signatory, power. AS regards
1.-The foreign situation generally dur
ling the great war, the fact OF the
lexistence of the war made, it far
|easier and safer for Mr.. Wilson to
assert our rights than if he had to
deal with some single strong power
which was at the time unhampered
by war. During the past twenty
Years questions have arisen with
Powers of the first rank, such as
England, Japan and Germany, each
of which has necessitated far great
er courage, resolution and judgment
on the part of the President dealing
with it than President Wilson need
have shown in order to put a COM
plete stop to the continually repeat
ed murder of American men, women
and children on the high seas by
German submarines-the Lusitania
being merely the worst Of many such
cases. The same feebleness that was
shown by President Wilson in deal
ing with Germany abroad was also
shown by him in dealing with the
organized German outrages within
our own land, and, finally, in deal
ing with the organized German
American vote. The continue ex-
istence of the German-American
menace at home. is directly due to
Mr.. Wilson's course of action during
the past two years.
Certain of my friends who feel
that the Progressives should run a
third ticket base their feeling on OBJ
lection to the character Or actions
of the Republican National Conven-
ton. AS regards this point, it is
sufficient to say that the members
of the Republican National Conven-
ton were unquestionably induced to
nominate Mr.. Hughes primarily be-
cause of the belief that his integrity
and force of character, and his long
record of admirable public service,
would make. him peculiarly accept
able, not only to the rank and file
of the Republican Party, bat to the
people generally. do not believe
that Mr.. Hughes would have been
nominated if it had not been for the
fight on behalf of public decency
and efficiency which the Progressive
Party has waged during the past
four years. ..g@,
In any event, and without any re-
gard to what the personal feelings
of any of us may be as regards the
action of the Republican Conven-
ton, l wish very solemnly to ask
the representatives of the Progress
sive Party to consider at this time
only the welfare of the people Of the
United States. We shall prove false
to our ideals and our professions If,
in this grave crises of the Nations
life, we permit ourselves to be
swerved from the one prime duty OF
serving with cool judgment and sim
gle-minded devotion the Nations
needs. Our own political fortunes,
individually and collectively, are of
no consequence whatever, when
compared with the honor and well
fare of the people Of the United
States. Such things do not count
when weighed in the balance against
our duty to serve we'll the country
in which, after we are dead, our
children are to live.
The world is passing through a
great crisis and no man can tell
what trial and jeopardy will have to
be faced by this nation during the
years Immediately ahead. There is
now no longer before us for decision
the question as to what particular
man we may seyerally most desire
to see at the head of the govern
ment. We can decide only whether
during these possibly vital years this
country shall be entrusted to the
leadership of Mr.. Hughes or Mr..
Wilson.
Mr.. Wilson has been tried and
found wanting. His party, because OF
its devotion to the outworn theory
| of state rights, and because Of Its
reliance upon purely sectional sup
port, stands against that spirit OF
far sighted nationalism which is es-
sential If we are to deal adequately
with our gravest social and indus
trial problems. Mr.. Wilson and his
party have in actual practice la
mentally failed to safeguard the In
terest and honor of the United
States. They have brought us to I'M
potence abroad and to division ant
weakness at home. They have &C
l.,,to,,od nc IN COO the highest ant