The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-09-21
"A MAN OF IMPENDING RECTITUDE
. On Dem3sc psmher5.1olG
lem.l september 5. 1O10.

titude in any situation in which he
may be placed II invested with the
authority of the presidency. Neither
the power Of wealth nor the pressure
OF the populace nor labor-union
threats WIN Bwcrye him from fol-
lowing the dictates OF his clear con
ylctions.
Only yesterday we spoke OF the
panied disappointment with which
Mr. Hnghes's friends and admirers
have been reading his campaign
speeches. II would be absurd to con-
tend that this feeling Will at once
disappear, in consequence OF his ut
teranac OF last night. But on the
other hand II Is only just to say that
the Nashville speech, coupled with
his incorporating refusal to soothe
German-American susceptibllIties at
st. Louis, must compel revision OF
Judgment. HIS campaign has not
been un impressive one; 1t has fallen
far short OF what 1t might have been
But in the light of what MIR. Hughes
has now done, both in relation TO
the labor vote and to the German
American vote, the most damaging
criticism upon his campaign falls to
the ground completely. His bearing
In regard to the subject Of Germany
has been widely ascribed to fear OF
the COMMUNICATIONS or desire to
retain their favor. We could wish
that 1t had been far other than il
has been; we could wish that, even
Mt the last. he had chosen some bet.
ter way of confutIng that view than
by blanket endorsement OF Colonel
Rooseyclt'a speech. with all its crudi-
ties, and its personal abuse OF tho
president. But confutc 1t he has. No
longer VIII any German American
organ claim him as an ally; no longer
Will any reasonable or unbiased per-
son charge him with suppression OF
his convictions for the sake of con
clliating the "hyphenated" voter. Tho
man that stood before the st. Louis
Commandments as he did few
days ago, the man that last night at
Nashville calmly threw down his gage
on the Issue OF labor-unIon domino
ton, is not man against whom the
charge OF pussyfooting" can here
after be made with any prospect Of
success.
AS for tho issue which Mr.
Hughes's declaration at Nashville
tends to bring to the front of the
political stage, II remains to be seen
whether 1t will actually play an i'm
portant part in the campaign. What
other prominent Republicans Will do
about IT.; what, IL any, will be the
disposition of the campaign managers
In relation to n; whether Mr.. Hughes
himself will decide to keep 1t to the
frontal these things are at the
present moment doubtful. There are
great potentialities in the issue, but
they may remain undeveloped. And
there VIII, In any case, remain, In
addition to the personal attributes of
the candidates, other questions OF /
prime Importance, especially two. On
the question of our relations with
Mexico. here Is Il sharp conformation |
of the opposing sides, certainly as re-
CARDS the past, probably as regards
the future. On the tariff, the con-
trast is not so pronounced as 1t has
been In former campaigns or as ii
would be in this but for Mr.. Wilson'S
concessions to protectionism; yet
clearly the Republican side stands for
protection as a principle and the
Democratic side against it. These
two great elements in the contest will
weigh powerfully in the scales with /
voters who are as yet undecided, n |
multitude probably far surprising in
number what has been known at the
corresponding stage of any former
presidential campaign. But, while |
the force of these and other elements
in the contest remain unimpaired, it
remains true that In one most i'm
portant respect the campaign will
henceforth, in virtue of Mr.. Hughes's
declaration at Nashville, take on a |
new, and more inspiring, character.
acter.