Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-09-06

he would have done that the PresideI
did not do, or what he would hav
left undone that the President did. H
ridicules President Wilson's efforts t
bring a new order of things out of tn
Mexican chaos, but he dares not sa
what his own Mexican policy woul,
be-. He makes boastful profession
about his devotion to America First
but encourages the German ynte to sup
port him in order to punish the Presi
dent for refusing to yield to the Kais
er. He accuses the Pre- :ident Of va
Citation and timdity" in dealing will
the gravest national and international
problems with which any other Presi.
dent exec vt Lincoln : had to grap.
pie, but he lacks the moral and DO
lltlcal courage to say how he would
| meet the situation.
Blind to important Issues.
In the midst of the greatest crisis
known to modern history the most i'm
portant issues in Mr.. Hughes mind are
the substitution of Democratic Di-
rector OF the Census for Republican
Director of the Census, the appoint
ment Of a son of Battery Dan Finn to
place in the customs service and the
failure of the President occupied with
matters Of the firstmagnitude to keep
all the petty pork out Of Rivers and
sHarbors Bill. 1t: is like abusing Abra-
ham Lincoln because the streets in
washington were not better paved dur
ing the Civil War and declaring that
IN consequence his Administration was
a failure.
In 1908 there was a ring of sincerity
in the Hughes speeches and fervor of
conviction. There is neither sincerity
nor conviction in the Hughes speeches
or 1916. But the Hughes of 1908 was
not 100 percent candidate for office.
He was 100 percent leader of the
people OF New York, irrespective of
party, to re-establish popular govern
ment. The Hughes of 1916 is not 100
percent a leader or 10 percent a
leader. He is trying to pussyfoor into
the Presidency under the guidance of
the Old Guard Republicans. He takes
his political advice from them, just as
ne takes his campaign fund from Wall
Street. He takes his campaign infor-
nation from them. He takes the kind
or speeches that they tell him he ought
to make. They warn him not t. try to
present constructive policies of his
own lest he be compelled to defend
them, and he obeys. That is the Hughes
OF 1916, That is the 100 percent candi-
date who is assailing the 100 percent
President.
The "World' is frank to admit that
it finds 70 cau,e fo; citation in the
Hughes fiasco. 1t contains too many
Of the elements of political tragedy.
The Lowest Key of Partisanship
AS an enthusiastic supporter of
President Wilson "The World" favor
ed Mr.. Hughes nomination by the
Republicans, BELIEVING that his candi-
lacy would mean campaign of edu-
cation for the American voters. We
are certain that he would put the is
sues upon the highest plane Of states
and that the contest would
1e contest of two great statesmen,
as to method and policy, but |
each courageous, single-minded and
lnswerving in his conscientious devo-
lion to principle and duty. Instead,
Mr.. Hughes has pitched his campaign
N the lowest key Of partisanship and
IS appealing only to party prejudice
and party passion. Instead of being
The Republican candidate for Presi-
lent he might be Republican candi- (
late for Assemblyman.
The World" cannot rejoice at the
that Mr.. Hughes is making
If himself. This country always needs
wise, sagacious political leadership. It
needs 1t in both parties. 1t needs a Re-
publican who can do for the Republi-
can Party what President Wilson has |
done for the Democratic Party. 1t |
needs men who are 100 percent lead
ars of political thought and political
principle, and we used to regard Mr..
Hughes as such man. To discover
that he is only 100 percent office
seeker, and that he is ready to subor-
dinate everything else to that ambi- |
ton, brings to "The World" sense |
Of keen personal loss.
We feel that something very fine,
very inspiring, has gone out of the
public life of the United States. We
reel that the American people are
poorer because Hughes who was
once 100 percent Judge has turned