Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-08-16

display ones own qualifications. Dur
ing the post-bellum days of recon
struction vituperation appeared to be
the main appeal to voters; but as the
memories Of the war have faded per-
sonal villification has been replaced
by general condemnation of the op-
positions acts and policies. 1t may be |
questioned whether this also has not
been outgrown. There ere signs in
dicating that the number Of men and
women who are demanding intelligent,
constructive legislation are now great
enough to hold the balance of power
between the two sets of party wOr-
shippers. To this class Mr.. Hughes has
been studiously Indifferent. He has
ignored the upbuilding legislation en-
acted during the present Administra-
ton, the Federal Reserve law, the Sea-
mems law, the Rural Credits law, the
work of the Commission on Industrial
Relations, the Federal Trades Com
mission and the pending child labor
law, and instead makes few vague
and general proposals that could be
subscribed to by all parties, from So
cialists to Prohibitionists.
It should not be forgotten by those
who would exercise their power eff
GENTLY in serving society that politics
is not an exact science. Rather is it
a succession of approximations. No
man or party should be condemned be-
cause Of failure to put forth, much less
to carry out, a constructive platform
complete as to every detail. In coun-
try as large as the United States there
must necessarily be too many conflict
ing interests to permit of their being
brought within a single program. The
best that the discriminating voter can
do is to ally himself with the party
that seems likely to approach most
nearly to his ideals, judging not only
by it's definite proposals, but also by
the general direction of it's course.
Considered from this point of view,
the Republican candidates statement
will prove a sore disappointment to
those Independents who, having had
the ground cut from under their feet
by Mr. Roosevelt, have been given
little to stand upon by Mr.. Hughes.
One fact stands out plainly in re-
gard to the speech of acceptance of
Candidate Charles E. Hughes. The
matter that ranks with him of least
importance is the general welfare of
the American people. Before consid-
ering that, he would settle the Mex
lean situation and international ques-
tons arising out of the European war,
and would create big army and navy.
Then should no new question arise in
the meantime he might perhaps con-
slider what must seem to him the min
or question, whether every American
citizen should be assured at all times
an opportunity to work for living un-
der conditions that would enable each
one to get an equitable return. That
there is such a question he must
know, for after criticizing the Admin
istration's foreign policy, he says of
his political opponents: They did re-
duce the opportunities Of making a
living.
If that charge is we'll founded then
it matters little whether the Admins
tration's Mexican policy is right or
wrong. It is immaterial whether our
foreign diplomacy was or is what it
ought to be, and there is no time for
fantastic dreams over the possibility
of an unprovoked foreign invasion.
| opportunities 10 earn g. living were
much too scarce before the present
Administration came in. The econ
omic system upheld by former admin.
istrations was bad enough. There was
unemployment; the evil Of child labor
prevailed and strikes and lockouts
were continually occurring, accompan-
led by violence on both sides. Labor
conditions were so bad that restrictive
laws, alleged to be remedial, were urg'
ed for adoption in the State legisla'
lures. There was so much widespread
poverty rendering it's victims helpless
that the statute books have been fill
ed with well-meant laws designed to
prevent men from doing what other
laws drive them to do. So bad were
economic conditions that charity or.
CARNATIONS were everywhere striving
to relieve distress, while vice and
crime caused by poverty were steadily
increasing. And now Mr.. Hughes de-
clares that the present Administration
has made conditions much worse. Is
a candidate to be trusted who believes
this and yet would give precedence to
other matters? Mr.. Hughes speech
makes clear that he is that kind of q
statesman. When he raises the cam
paign slogan america First" is he
trying to put social justice last?-The
Public.