Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-11-06

est protection possible to every
American working man and the larg-
est participation possible in the pros
perity Of our industries with special
favors to none.
Finally 1t is to be remembered that
every European government is put
ting itself behind its industries; or
ganizing them, encouraging them and
suggesting economies. When the
commercial struggle begins anew, the
industries of every European country
will go into the world markets back
ed by the effective co operation and
intelligent oversight of their govern
ment.
Our national policy requires that
government maintain a strict super
vision of business organization. This
can he done effectively and yet leave
the government free to encourage le-
gitimate and wholesome business en-
terprise. stand for such supervision
and control of business, but ! demand
also that business great and small
(and especially the small business)
be treated fairly and justly. Only
under such conditions can business
pay living wages or compete with for
eign manufacturers.
In this respect again the present
administration holds policy entirely
opposite. 1t has viewed business enr
terprise with suspicion and has made
the government brake to stop the
wheels of legitimate industrial prog
ress. 1t has treated the business men
of this country as though they were
suspicious characters. 1t has as
sumed that capital and labor are nat
ural enemies. N four years 1t has
put this country further on the road
to class war than has been accom-
plished in a generation before. The
men who stand with me believe in
the honesty of the American working
man. they believe no less in the hon
esty of the American business man,
and they believe that the common
good is to he found not in class war
but in mutual justice and fair deal
ing. not as between capital and labor
in the abstract but as between men
and men.
You know the road we have trav-
eled this last four years. Mr.. Bryan
and Mr.. Daniels are its monuments
of executive efficiency. Our mur-
dered and forsaken citizens in Mex
leo reveal a conception of American
citizenship plain enough to see but a
new one for American patriotism to
adopt; the monument of class bitter
ness raised by this administration
throws a sinister shadow across our
political horizon; the unjust accusa-
tion against business men has left a
bitter taste in our national life. If
you prefer this path it is plainly
marked. And the end of 1t is class
war.
You ask what road I propose to
travel? These are the milestones
which mark it: An executive re-
sponsibility to the whole nation a
cabinet chosen from the ablest Amer
leans. foreign policy that stands
courteously but firmly for American
rights, flag that protects the Amer
lean in his lawful rights wherever
his legitimate business may take him,
a preparation for trade competition
which shall protect all groups OF
American workmen, government
oversight of business which will fear
lessly eliminate abuses, but will act
on the assumption that the average
business man is honest and finally a
domestic policy which looks to indus
trial peace, and to sound and perma-
nent prosperity based upon the de-
velopmept of American trade and the
building up of American industries.