South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-08-03
All the Virtues
AreNot Confined
To G.O.P.LeaderS


the day following the signing of the
rural credits bill by Pres't Wilson.
printed an editorial which was de-
signed TO demonstrate 10 republicans
that they must fight fair in this
campaign.
Fight fair. gentlemen ad-
mOnished the Post Don't assert
that the democrats are damned IL
they don't. and doubly damned If
they do. And don't tell US repubH-
cans. we implore you. that all the
abilities and all the virtues are safe
~ stored away in your breaches
pocket. 1t isn't so, and you know
it,"
The editorial said that the
president was warranted in making
something of a ceremony of his
signing OF the rural credits bill The
editorial continued:
1T is a piece of constructive iegis-
lation which is designed 10 supply
something long and VIGOROUSLY lack
ing in our financial system-some-
thing in respect OF which most other
countries have been far in advance
Of the United States. This has been
frankly admitted by our most COM
petent authorities. All political par
ties have been declaring for years
past that American farmers ought
TO be able TO get loans on easier
terms. Pres't Taft took the matter
up, and worked hard 10 get some
| thing done, but failed entirely. II
remained for a democratic admin
istration to write this important law
on the statute books. Taken with
the federal reserve act. the estab-
/ lishment of a federal trade COM
mission. the repeal of free-tolls at
Panama, and the passage of several
important bills OF the class of the
workingmen's compensation act and
the child labor law-the two latter
yet to be achieved-it makes up a
record of legislation which no repub-
lican administration OF recent years
came anywhere near matching OF
itself IL constitutes a powerful claim
Of Pres't Wilson upon the approval
of the nation.
we know what republicans will
say of these democratic laws. So far
as they are good, it will be assert
ed that they are of republican in
spiration. This is especially alleged
of the reform Of the currency. It
was begun by republicans. And. as
the Philadelphia Press ingeniously
said some time ago, the democrats
are not going 10 be allowed to hide
their sins behind the new banking
law the impetus towards which and
the material upon which it was
based came from the republican
sources. Admit all this and still the
fact stands out that il was the in
competent democratic party which
did for the country what the SUI
premely efficient republican party
was totally unable to do.
This is a wholesome thing to bear
in mind just at present, for it is
evident that the republicans will be
tempted 70 go into the campaign
with their old calm assertion that
they possess a monopoly of the poll
teal virtue and the political ability
of this country. Mr.. Hughes him
self, in some things he has said. APP
pears 10 lean that way. Nov. if he
/ begins making speeches Glong that
line affirming that the country
needs great things done for il which
only the republicans have the skill
and power TO dO-he will be con-
/ fronted with the democratic record
have ret n
will have TO deal fairly. if he wish
es TO retain the respect Of his coun-
trymen. If he elects to attack the
federal reserve law. or the rural
credits bill, let him do so squarely.
and with reasons given. But * will
not do for him or any other repub-
lican orator or editor to argue that
the enactments are good, but that
the party responsible for them is
incurably bad. Above all. it will not
do to go up and down the land with
the pretence that the republican
party is alone fit 10 rule: that it
is a thousand times wiser and more
effective and purer than its rival.
The fact is otherwise and is
known of all intelligent and fair
minded men to be otherwise II is
a SANDER and an insult 10 one-half
the voters OF the United States 70
tell them that they are not capable
of banding together in a political
party TO work for the ends they
have in common. And it is always
a bad sign for party when its
leaders begin to assert for it mo-
nopoly of knowledge and OF good
ness. This is a form of pride which
gOeth before destruction. It was a
similar naughty spirit which the
/ Tories of England affected along
in the first years of this century. Mr.
| Balfour said in almost so many
words that il was inconseivable that
any party but theirs should be in
power. But they shortly went out OF
power. TO stay out 10 years. and with
no present prospect OF returning.
Ana we have not forgotten the kind
red arrogance of republican leaders
in this country-Root and Hay and
ROosevelt-who Landed their party
10 the skies as the sole efficient agent
of government in the United States.
just before il fell into the most
lamentable ruin that ever overlook
political organization in this coun-
try"