Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-14
Addresses Audience in Big Tent at Joplin-De-
clares Present Prosperity Built on Sand" and
Tells What May Be Expected - Hundreds Are
Unable to Get into Hall at Springfield, Where
Great Crowd Waits Two Hours and Half to
Hear Him

Joplin, Mo-. Oct. 13.-Charles e. Hughes
today took his campaign to Missouri, the
fourth Of the states that skirt the So
called solid South to be visited on his
present trip. Save for one stop az Spring
field. Mo-. the entire day was spent trav
cling. The nominee reached Joplin to-
night nearly three hours behind scheduled
time ard addressed an audience in a big
tent making his chief theme the protec.
the tariff.
Prosperity on Sand
Mr.. Hughes told the crowd that the
present prosperity Of Fhe country was
built on sand that the intoxicated fancy
may int.Ilce in happy dreams, but the
sober thought of the country is directed
10 the day when this stimuant-the Eu-
rorean war-will be no longer available. "
He referred to those who seeking
to make political capital out Of our pres
ent war prosperity" portrayed in detail
conditions as he viewed them in the Unit
ed State when the war shall end, and as
sailed the Democratic tariff policy as a
policy (which means idle plants and i'm
povershed workmen.''
The Adamson Law
At Springfield and again here tonight
MIR. Hughes assaled the administration
for the enactment OF the Adamson law.
What are real laws" he asked. Real
laws are passed after inquiry, with some
understanding of the justice Of the case.
with some idea of what is involved and
ought to be. Sham laws must be passed
under duress. l am opposed, in the in
terest of labor, to government by holdup
and am for government by reason and
fairness
Mr.. Hughes train was about three
hours late in reaching Springfield. The
audience which he addressed in Conven-
ton hall. had been waiting two hours and
a half, and hundreds. unable to find
standing room. were turned away.
NO thoughtful American can view our
present economic condition without seri-
Gus apprehension" Mr.. Hughes told his
audience here.
I'VE are under the unhealthy stimulus
of European war. Hopes are raised
which cannot be fulfilled. Our present
prosperity is built on sand. Our exports
have jumped to fabulous figures because
of the withdrawal from production of the
millions of men abroad who are engaged
in fighting. Our trade is not determined
by conditions of normal competition, but
of an abnormal European want.
Munitions of war are but a frac-
ton of those suddenly expanded ex-
ports. For everything we produce. food
stuffs metals, manufactured articles of
every sort, Europe puts forth her hand
to fill the void created by her eXtrem-
ity.. The resulting employment Of la
Dor on an unprecedented scale and in
crease purchasing power stimulates
trade throughout the country. The in
toxicated fancy may indulge in happy
dreams but the sober thought of the
country is directed to the day when this
stimulant will no longer be available
You cannot have our exports sud
denly jump hundreds per cent. in some
cases thousands per cent, and ignore
the cause or the effect of it's removal.
Condition After War
What will be our condition when the
war is over? In the first place. a large
amount of labor employed at high
wages will lose that employment The
mere stoppage of the manufacture of
munitions will mean in itself a serious
change in the opportunities OF labor.
When the millions of men in the trench
es return to production our exports Of
manifold products will fall off tremen-
dously, even as they have risen ire
mendously.
Think OF the percentage of Ameri-
can labor row profitably employed in
making European necessities. created
by the existence of war. What will oc-
cur when those necessities no longer
exist" The liCor now devoted to that
abnormal demand must compete with
the labor satisfying the normal OPP
portunities Of American trade The
change will he reflected in diminished
purchasing power"
II do not desire to eXaggerate There
is enough to give us serious thought
without exaggeration. America with
Europe at peace Will not have the op-
portunity of America with Europe at
war. The difference will be most keen
ly felt
We shall not simply lose opportu-
mites for labor We shall have the &C.
tive competition resulting from the re-
sumption of foreign production. That
production VIII be more skilful, more
intelligent. better organized in every
one of the foreign nations now at war
than il has ever been before. Nations
will not only seek to protect SO far
as passed. their economic independence
but they will seek our markets. 1t is
fatuous for us to suppose that wastes
Of the war will incapactate them for
ehicient production.
Despite the losers Of war I believe
that each of the belligerent powers has
a vastly increased efficiency. The les
sons OF war; of discipline, or prudent
management Of resources. Of co-opera-
ton in economic needs of improved
processes. Of methods of organization
will not be forgotten. War factories
are established with a view to bring
easily changed into peace factories.
Thus, as recently stated in a bulletin
of the Chamber Of Commerce of Paris,
the large war factories in the neigh
borhood OF Lyns, st. Etienne. Roanne
and Arnonay will be after the war con-
verted into works and various manu-
factories. Engineers and workmen now
making explosives will be able with the
same machinery to make products used
in peaceful trade. Powerful associa-
tions such as the syndicate. grouping
toRether different societies in the coal,
In