Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-23
Why Huqhes Should Be Elected
fhifp Fayne,
Winner Philadelphia Ledger $500 Prize.

i,
wars travail is being born new world-tor US
as for Europe The next administration will con.
front novel hazards. II must adjust the United
States to grave complications amidst furious COM
petitions We will be able to afford few mistakes
and wide errors might wreck us.
The question therefore is not whether Mr..
Wilson upon his record deserves reelection as
in an ordinary time, but whether he and his party
are competent to cope with the very periioas
responsibilities certain to crowd the tour years
to come.
to the extreme by extraordinary events, he has
done as well perhaps as was permitted his aca-
demic understanding, and as the democracy.s
non-contact with twentieth century reality al
lowed.
like the British army he has managed to middle
through But to middle is not to master, and
MI Wilson's negative success has as good as
demonstrated his incapacty to grapple the
greater difficulties which loom. so serious are
the problems promised that they are certain to
confound party that is essentially ignorant.
The war has terribly tried poor Mr.. Wilson
Nevertheless, except for the war he would now
be political bankrupt, his credit gone with the
people The war furnishes Mr. Wilson his stock
in-trade and excuses the democratic party their
error.
But for the wars interposition between the
Wilson Underwood schedules and their inevitable
consequences, the injured and exasperated voters
would now be awaiting election day to avenge
their nearly three years endurance OF few jobs
and small pay.
What the war did was to apply instantaneously
the reverse lever to the country's autotruck,
which the first seven months OF l9l4 under the
democratic tariff saw skiddng down the steepen-
ing slope OF depression into catastrophe. The
saving jerk nearly dislocated our anatomy; but
the miracle, a special dispersion in our favor,
preserved our financial life. Wars spontaneous
huge demands stimulated us to extra production,
and European suspension mprovised an effective
substitute for the protection OF which our IN
dustries had been stripped
The prosperity resultant which we have with
us still, is not Wilson prosperity 1t exists
despite Mr.. Wilson, in contradiction of his tariff.
Individually the prosperity is war prosperity, de-
with the wars cessation--,inless indeed, the
wars end shall find US reprovfded with pro-
lection more adequate than Mr.. Wilson'S such,
in fact, as the democracy have neither the wit
nor the will to devise.
Thus it comes about that by the wars grace
alone Mr.. Wilson remains possible candidate.
But for the war the name of his party would now
be anathema in every mans mouth. Shall that
man, then, who was singularly prevented from
wrecking the country's prosperity have conhded
to his ineptitude and that Of his partsans the
reconstruction OF our economic defenses-a re-
construction imperative before Europe's competi-
ton shall have revived!
:,
Nor IS thesprotection whicn the exigency m
vokes, which Mr.. Wilson and ms democracy are
incompetent to construct conhned % ecohomic
defense; Under It Is comprehended also me
physical security OF American SOIL tne guaraian.
snip OF American iives moreover, IL pos.uiates
the assertion OF American rights, the vindication
OF Americas honor.
II is such protection as great nafion' not
dispossessed IN any OF ITS functions, dispenses IN
the interest OF rs citizens for the weiare OF us
people, and enJoins the whole worid' every part
to respect. :.
II Is nationalism, It IS hmericanism, 1or lack
OF wnicn we are oes.ined 70 dehqIescenee,
dessication, disintegration, decline. unless II
aourishes, no accidental prosperity howsoever
lush or prolonged, can save US from ultimate
shame and the hnai despoier
Such competent protection no government OF
southerners, by southerners, for soutnerners can
bestow. Nor OF constitutionally Jeffersonian
president can it be had. For such nationalism
IS not consistent with their philosophy, and such
Americanism is either too broad tor their Sec
tionalism or too narrow tor bryanistic pan-hu-
manitarism yet this century VIII be one to com
pei the United States to think-not continentaily
as Alexander. Hamilton entreated-but double
hemispherically in terms OF world-import.. Come
to that we must presently, or drop out OF the pro-
SSSSsoAi'