Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1916-06-29

| cannot accept tno nohAAhoeioh oA
third ticket. do not believe that
there should be a third ticket. be-
lieve that when my fellow Progress
siyes coolly consider the question
thew will for the most part take
this position. They and have but
one purpose-the purpose to serve
our common country. 1t is my deep
conviction that at this moment we
can serve it only by supporting Mr..
Hughes.
The events of the last three and
a half years have shown that as
much cannot be said for Mr.. VIII
son. In Mr.. Wilson's case we do not
have to consider his words, but his
deeds. His deeds absolutely contra
dict his words and for matter OF
that his words absolutely contradict
one another; is folly to pay heed
to anv of the promises in the plat
form on which he now stands IN
view of the fact that almost every
important promise contained in the
platform on which he stood four
wears ago has since been broken.
Certain of my friends who feel
that the Progressives should run a
third ticket base their feelings on
objection to the character or ac-
tions of the Republican national
convention. AS regards this point, 1t
is sufficient to say that the mem
bers of the Republican national
convention were unquestionably in
duced to nominate Mr.. Hughes pri-
marily because of the belief that his
integrity and force of character,
and his long record of admirable
public service, would make him pc
culiarly acceptable, not only to the
: rank and file of the Republican
party, but to the people generally.
~ do not believe that Mr.. Hughes
would have been nominated II 1t
had not been for the fight on be-
half of public decency and efficiency
which the Progressive party has
waged for the past four years.
: We can decide only whether dur
ing 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
support, stands against that spirit
of far sighted nationalism which Is
essential if we are to deal adequate
ly with our gravest social and In
dustrial problems. Mr.. Wilson and
his party have in actual practice
lamentably failed to safeguard the
interest and honor of the United
States. They have brought US to
impotence abroad and to division
and weakness at home. They have
: accustomed us to see the highest ana
, most responsible offices of govern
ment filled by incompetent men
appointed only for reasons OF par
tisan politics. They have dulled the
I moral sense of the people. They
have taught us that peace, the peace
: of cowardice and dishonor and In
e difference to the warfare OF others,
is to be put above Righteousness,
: above the stern and unflinching
e performance of duty whether the
I duty is pleasant or unpleasant. Yet
D in Mexico they have failed even to
e secure the peace which they thus
e sought; and they have failed in
d spite of the most ample opportun-
T ity and most ample warning, TO
1 prepare in any fashion to meet the
T crisis which their own policy in
e vited. They have taught us to put
o safety first safety before duty
and honor; to put that materialism
a which expresses itself in mere
5 money making, and in the fatted
e ease Of life, above all spiritual
! things, above all the high and fine
q instincts Of the soul. They have
: taught us to accept adroit elocution
d as substitute for straightford and
e efficient action. They have raised
f indecision, hesitancy and vacillation
d into a settled governmental policy
c Mr.. Hughes has shown in his car
i eer the instinct Of efficiency which
e will guarantee that, under him, the
/ government will once more wors