The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1916-06-29
WHY THE WORLD SUPPORTS
WILSON.

The World has kind and affec-
tionate regard for Charles E. Hughes.
1t was through the Influence OF
the World that he was appointed
counsel to the Gas Investigation
Committee, which gave to him his
first public recognition. 1t was
through the recommendation OF the
World that he was selected as coun-
sci to the Armstrong Insurance Com
mittee, which established him as one
Of the commanding figures in New
York affairs.
The World not only urged Mr..
Hughes nomination for governor by
the republicans, but it supported him
vigorously for election. 1t again sup
ported him in 1908. 1t upheld his
administration long after large ele-
ment of the republican press had de-
serted him because of the fractional
quarrel that he had created within
his party.
There are circumstances in Which
the World would be glad, indeed, to
support Mr.. Hughes for president. If
he were president today, in the cur
cumstances in which Mr. Wilson is
president. we should throw party and
politics to the wind and exert all the
influence that we could WELD to
prevent a change of administration
and to keep Mr.. Hughes in the White
House. we should feel that the cleo
ton of any other man, no matter how
able or how competent, would be
calamity, in that it would reveal to
the world lack of political stability
on the part of the American people
and a failure to appreciate the neces-
sity of a continuing foreign policy in
this great crisis of civilization.
For the same reason we should re-
gard the defeat of Mr.. Wilson by Mr..
Hughes as national calamity. Aside
from all other considerations, there
would be a period extending from
Nov. Z to March 4 in which the for
eign affairs of the United States
would be in chaos. Europe would
know that the American people had
repudiated Mr.. Wilson. 1t would
have no official knowledge of Mr..
Hughes, of what he purposed to do
and what he purposed not to do. That
very interregnum might in itself
plunge the United States into war.
This is peculiarly the case when Mr..
Hughes candidacy is vehemcntly sup
ported by the professional German
leaders. who are determined to pun
ish the president for presuming to
have foreign policy that does not
meet the demands of the German
government.
Great as Mr.. Hughes abilities and
talents are, we can find absolutely
no reason in public WELFARE why he
should be elected president at this
time. He is the candidate of sor-
did and reactionary power and privi-
lege. He has no issue on which eth
err he or his party dares to take an
uncompromising stand. At best he
would be an experiment when the
country cannot afford to make expert
ments His lack of experience with
the foreign affairs of the country dur
ing the war would be continuing
handicap. The leadership of his par
ty would compel him either to be an
other Taft, or to waste his admins
tration in fruitless factional feuds,
as he did when he was governor Of
New York.
1t has been the good fortune of the
World to be able to contribute what
ever measure of public influence it
could exert to the political advance
ment of both of the candidates for
president We have battled for Mr..
Hughes and we have battled for Mr..
Wilson, and we are grateful for the
opportunity that enabled us to do it;
but in this campaign we are unquali-
fiedly and unreservedly on the side
of Mr.. Wilson, whom We regard as
the greatest living leader of democ-
racy.
Not for partisan advantages does
the World support the president in
this crisis; not to serve the ends of
the democratic party or of democratic
politics, but unqualifiedly and unre-
servedly for the republic.-New York
World.