The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-02

l Of non-intervention, or succeeded as yet in composing the internal trou- ' bles of Mexico without armed inter- vention. It has however, saved this l country from the deep disgrace of a war with weak and haraSSed Mexico and it has gone far to establish non- 1 intervention by force of arms for the 1 protection of miners and commercial | adventurers in foreign parts as the
 American policy. These are great con- tributions to the peace of the world, ] and to the promotion of humane and just dealings between nations. Of course, the Democratic administration
 was active and urgent in using diplo-
 matic and consular representations on behalf of Americans whose lives or properties were endangered in Mex leo. and in aiding such persons to with
 draw temporarily from the country.
 "6. In support of his policy of non-
 intervention in Mexico, and with the
 intention of relieving all apprehen- sion on the part of the South Ameri- can nations lest the United States as- sume an aggressive or. selfish attitude toward Mexico or any other American republic, President Wilson secured the
 
 Chile in endeavoring to compose the constitutional disSensiOnS and faction al war in Mexico. This cooperation in friendly endeavors on behalf of Mexico has borne good fruit, and gives much promise of valuable PanAmeri- can action in the future. The two preceding Republican administrations made repeatedly sincere attempts to oioI relations between the United States and South American countries, but neither had anything like the success which has attended President Wilson's efforts. This success foretells the nor al unity of all the American republics.
 "7. The Republican party and the dissolving Progressive party each tried to make a campaign issue for itself out of that indefnable project called Preparedness Each alleged that President Wilson and his admin istration and the Democratic Congress were opposed to putting the United States in a position to defend its ter ritory and to take an adequate part, if necessary, in the settlement of the war in Europe. The orators of each party said that President Wilson's as- seftion of American rights on the oceans, and his foreign policy in gen. eral, were weak, vacillating, and inef- fectual, and that the Democratic Con- gress was not in favor of either an effective navy or an adequate army. This is a case in which the facts may be left to speak for themselves.
 ."rhe first obvious fact is that Pres ident Wilson, without going to war with Germany, has forced from her recognition of neutral rights; and he accomplished this result alone, with out visible support from any other neutral state.
 "The second unquestionable fact is that the Democratic administration and Congress have made far the lar gest appropriations for the increase and improvement of the American na- wy that have ever been made, and have undertaken to provide heavy ad- ditional taxation in order. that the present generation may pay reason able share of the great cost. Q
 "The third fact to be mentioned is not so simple as the two preceding, but is equally convincing. The Dem ocratic administration proposed to Congress a considerable increase in the American regular army, the ere ation of large federal force in sup port of that army, and doubling of the number of cadets at West Point and of midshipmen at Annapolis. A considerable opposition to the second part of these proposals having de- veloped both inside and outside of Congress, the administration and Con- gress adopted, on urgent representa- tions ffom' militia officers, a federaliz- ing of the state militias in place of the creation of Q secondary federal army, and enacted a law which provides for very much higher expenditures for military purposes than had ever before been enacted except during the Civil war. The administration and Congress thus made a sincere eff fort to make out of the state militias national troops competent for quick and prompt service in the field.
 From the point of view of those who desire tha ttheir coun- try should have always at command an army competent to resist any pos sible invasion, and so visibly formid- dUle lIldI IL WILL prevent CNcl lIO strongest military nation from attack ing the United States, the present ad- ! linistration has done a great service to the country by demonstrating on the Mexican border that the Liberalization of the militia is not the right way to procure a competent national force.
 Since acts speak much louder than words, those voters who wish to have the United States fully armed and equipped for modern war ought to support President Wilson in the com ing election. He has gone further in this direction than any other American1 president, doubtless because the great war has opened his eyes to the risks which American ideals will encounter, if it ends with European militarism in the ascendant. In regard to the pro- vision of adequate protective military and naval forces at whatever cost, President Wilson is far in advance of the average American voter, as he has repeatedly shown in public speech and responsible official acts.
 ''It is interesting in retrospect to compare what President Roosevelt ac- complished with his Congress, which contained many members of long ser vice, in regard to the enlargement and of the army and navy with what President Wilson has ac- compIished with his inexperienced Congress in three years and a half. President Roosevelts martial tempera- t: --l,%l