The Glenwood post., 1916-09-16


spoilsmen as no other president has
done in twenty years.
We have all heard him declare for
pitiless publicity; and have seen him
conduct the most secret administration
of our time. - u.
We have all heard him announce
himself as President of all the people,
and have seen him, as the most parti-
san president of his generation, flout
and oppose the Progressives, whom
now, because he needs them, he seeks
to conciliate and enlist. =
Worst of all is this: When every
principle of freedom and equality for
which our fathers fought was at STAKE
in the great war, when . our whole
country eagerly awaited the leadership
of the president, Wilson lodged. He
refused to take sides on the greatest
moral issue of our time. He advised
our people to be "neutral even in
thought undecided between right and
wrong. While our friends abroad were
fighting for the principles we held
equally with them, he taught us that
profits and ease were better than self
respect. President Wilson has done
our nation the most serious injury that
any leader can do to any people by
making us finch with him from
great moral decision. Thereby he
weakened our hold as a nation on the
principles which alone can make any
people self-respecting, safe and strong
Having led us wrong on the ground
that we must be neutral in the face of
the deliberate breaking of the worlds
peace, he has just reversed himself
again, and in his speech at Shadow
Lawn now assures us that "No nation
can any longer remain neutral us
against any wilful disturbance of the
peace of the world.'
1t is bad enough that Wilson's for
eign policy has left us, as the war
draws toward its end, without friend
among the great nations of the world,
and without the respect of any of them.
What is worse is that he has kept us
from standing up for what we know
to be right
The ignoble standard of profit over
principle which Mr.. Wilson forced upon
the country in our foreign relations,
he has applied to himself as president.
In what he has said, done, and left un-
done, the record shows him steadily
dominated by political expediency.
These facts, and many others like
them, have forced me to see that what
Mr.. Wilson says is no sign of what h,
has done, or Of what he will do. The
one thing his record shows is that what
he stands for now he is not likely to
stand. for long. I do not care what his
platform or his campaign declarations
may be, because the common expert
ence Of us all has taught us that to him
they are simply "molasses to catch
flies.n
Hughes, on the other hand, is a man
of his word. His record as governor
of New York proves that. 1t shows
him to be honest, fearless, and freo
from the domination of special inter
ests and corrupt politicians. So far as
the conservation policies are concerned,
both what he said and what he did
could hardly have been better. l am
confident that under him these policies
will be safe. He is strong man WHO
will dodge no moral issues, and he will
give us an honest and an efficient at
ministration. 4 ~
As Progressive believe in Nation
alism. So does Hughes. I am certain
that under Hughes the progressive poll
cies will fare better than under Wilson
and that the safety, honor, and welfare
of the country will be in immeasurea-
bly, surer hands.
I cannot vote for Wilson because
cannot trust him. He does not do what
he says. Hughes does. Therefore my
choice is Hughes, and shall work and
vote for him.
Very truly yours,
CLIFFORD PINCHOT.