The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-10-18

puUilC berVAQL OF extraordinary EN-
cheney. fidelity. and courage has dem.
onstrated his Presidential stature is an
excellent reason so far as It goes. but
1t Is not definitive Pages can be writ.
ten concerning his eminently useful
career as the peoples lawyer, progress.
sive Governor, wise and constructive
turist. But the point 1t is necessary to
hammer home Is that Mr.. Hughes
would be better President than Mr..
Wilson Broad.minded Republicans
welcome not merely the opportunity,
but the logical necessity for clear-cut
comparison Of the chief candidates
achievements. their personalities. the
politics to which they stand commit
ted and the manner in which they may
be expected to put them into effect
Why do We need change Of Presi.
dents at this time? Because Woodrow
Wilson's four years OF misrule have
brought about combination OF unde.
sirable and even dangerous conditions
which nothing but a change Of admin.
istration will rcctify. Here are a few
leading counts in the Indictment:
Our nation has been Inundated and
weakened In the eyes Of the world by
President Wilson's failure to protect
the lives and property Of its citizens.
Mr.. Hughes declares: 81 stand for the
unAinching maintenance OF all the
rights Of American citizens on land
and sea-"
Although boasting that It has kept
the country out OF war, the Admins.
tration has burdened 1t with oppres.
sive and irritating taxes entirely un.
warranted in time Of peace. lncreas.
Ing expenditures to an unprecedented
extent, 1t has rejected the logical and
least oppressive method of raising the
revenue necessitated by its own cx.
travagance. namely, a protective tar.
If, which would serve as bulwark
against the inevitable assault upon our
industries and labor to follow the
close Of the European war. Mr.. Hughes
demands simple, businesslike bud.
get to avoid financial waste. be.
lieve In protective tariff. Our Sc.
verest tests will come after the war.
We must make a fair and wise re.
adjustment Of the tariff, based on the
sound protective principle, to insure
our economic independence"
The Administrators vacillating,
self.contradictory course toward Mex.
leo has incurred the hatred Of its PEG.
pie and the contempt of our own.
Vera Cruz, Columbus, Carrizal, are
names at which patriotic Americans
blush with shame. Mr.. Hughes pro.
posed "a new policy, with regard to
Mexico, Of firmness and consistency"
The Administration has fouted the
principle of civil service to make
places for deserving Democrats" Ell
fcient experienced diplomats have
been ousted in favor Of political ap.
pointees. Mr.. Hughes says: "I stand
for our civil service laws. No body
has right to pay political debts with
the good name and honor Of the Unit.
ed States"
The threat Of 100000 railroad EN-.
ployes to tie up the nations trans.
portation system caused President
Wilson to surrender the principle OF
arbitration for industrial disputes and
dictate rapid.nre legislation by Con.
gress. fixing wages for q special class
Of workers. He defends his course
by calling 1t eighthour day legislation.
Mr.. Hughes says: 81 stand for the
principle of fair, thorough arbitration,
and for legislation on facts. l am
opposed to being dictated to by any
power on earth before the facts are
known and in the absence OF the facts.
The Adamson law fixes wages. It
does not fix hours Of labor"
Mr.. Wilson having been weighed in
the balance and found wanting. the in.
dependent voter will say: IF Mr..
Hughes will fulfill his promises he
should be elected. How do know he
will make good his word?"
There Is but one answer: Turn to
his record. In public life the name
Hughes connotes character. For more
than decade It has been synonymous
with an enlightened conscience trans.
lated into terms OF aggressive action
Hughes brings right things to pass
The nations pioneer progressive, he
received and deserved the title long
before 1t possessed partisan politl
cal significance. The most construc
tive set Of laws put upon the statute
books Of an American commonwealth
within a generation are Hughes.made
laws, stamped with the indelible, i'm
print Of his originally.
In those days Of strenuous discus.
sion, when the country was awakening
to a new civic consciousness to be
labeled "a Hughes man" was a bril-.
liant badge Of honor. Its bearers today
are equally proud, but the distinction
is less exclusive; there are so many
Of them.
A popularity OF Mr.. Hughes's plat.
form rhetoric is his reiteration Of the
phrase. II stand for" this or that
principle or policy. This Is not acct.
dental, but springs logically from the
mans mental makeup. 1t is sign
Of his positive character. Does any.
body know what Woodrow Wilson real.
ly stands for?
Fearless investigator Of evil in high
places, virile, Independent Governor OF
a great State, Justice Of the Supreme
Court. scrutinize every chapter Of his
record for an indication. however
slight. that ever in the course of his
distinguished career Charles Evans
Hughes has departed one hairs
breadth from the path of sincerity and