The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-09-01

! De1ofe tne pubic.
As no justice Of the supreme court
was ever nominated for president be.
fore, Mr.. Hughes is setting a prece-
dent. He is showing us how, in his
opinion, experience on the supreme
bench should fit one for the political
arena. He has answered one of the
democratic arguments-the only one
he has attempted to. The democrats
protested against nominee being TAX
en- from the supreme court. After
reading Mr.. Hughes's speeches, the
country will be convinced that his
partisan bias is better suited to a
political campaign than to a position
which requires a judicial tempera-
ment.
1t will be surprise to the country
that o justice of the supreme court
should be able to accumulate so much
vitriol in so short term of service.
A comparison of his speeches with
the speeches made by other men who
have been candidates will show that
none of them, not even Roosevelt,
have been more partisan or unfair in
their attacks on an occupant of the
White House.
Candidate Hughes is as uncandid
in the defining of his own position as
he is lacking in frankness in the as
saults he makes on the Presidents po-
Sition.
He indorses the platform of his par
ty which demands congressional leg
islation land a federal amendment if
necessary taking from the states all
authority over railroads, and vesting
this authority exclusively in the fed
eral government. This is revolution
airy, and means nothing less than de-
priving the states of all the power
they now have to protect the people
from railroad extortion. Mr.. Hughes
deals with the railroad question in a
few carefully chosen words, which can
be construed as an Endorsement of the
platform by the railroad magnates,
who put that plank in. but his Ian
guagc gives the general public no in
timation of the railroad plot which
he indorses.
Likewise, in discussing the mer-
chant marine, he takes the side of the
shipping trust against the shipping
bill, and yet he does not explain the
republican plan which not only pro-
tects the shipping trust from govern
ment competition, but contemplates
subsidies paid from the public treas
urv.
He takes the side of the tariff ba-
rons against the consumers, and gives
no assurance that he will favor re-
tention of the income taxes, which i'm
pose on those possessing large in
come part of the burden that the
republican party collected from con-
sumption, through tariff duties.
Mr.. Hughes seemingly demands
the expenditure of more money on
preparedness than the democratic
administration recommends. and yet
he does not explain where the money
is to come from, or what method is
to be employed in raising the larger
sum which his policy would require.
The fact that, IS governor, he sent
a message to the legislature, protest
ing against the ratification of the in
come tax amendment shows his posi-
ton on this subject. The fact that
he joined the rest Of the court in hold
ing the law constitutional did not in
dictate any change in opinion as to the
policy of the income tax. He could |
not deny the constitutionality of the |
law, however much he might oppose
it as a fiscal policy.
In his speech of acceptance. he in
Inmates that the trust question has
been settled and yet he not only dill
to secure relief from the
trusts, but he fails to cOncede the |
merit of the laws passed without his
aid; and he will have, in this cam
paign, the support of all the trust
It was Perkins, for in
stance, who is connected with both
the Steel trust and the Harvester
trust, who secured for Mr.. Hughes the
Endorsement of the progressive com.
mittee.
n the Mexican matter. Mr. Hughes |
has been grossly unfair, as we'll as
lacking in aight-forwardness. As |
he hos taken the part of TIE exploit !
tors in dealing with the tariff cues
ton, the trust question. the railroad /
ouoStion and the shipping question, |
50 he is taking the mart Of the eX-
niCitc"s in dealing with Mexico.
He would have had this nation rec
0"ni7e Huert0. who secured his posi-
ton Nv en- act of high treason, took
he former president captive by force
Hrd then allowed. if he did not cause.
him 70 be nut tn death. He ruled
Nox'co with an iron hand absorbing
by arbitrary decree the legislative
mower Of the congress which he over
threw. To have RECOGNIZED Huerta
would have been to set n premium
on treason and ASSASSINATION. md 70 !
do so in the interest of exploiterS. !
Mexican and foreign, who nut their
pecuniarv interests above all oues-
tons of morals and of representative |
government.
As an illustration of the unfairness
Of his criticism Of the Presidents pol |
lev in Mexico, he CHARGES the Presi-
dent with interference in THE rolitics
Of MoviHo, because the President was
not wiling IN have Huprta re-elect |
himself hv force while exacisinp ar
nltrarv and dpSnOtic power. and vet |
be hos no words Of condemnation for