Charlevoix county herald., 1916-03-18

mission and Omission-"We Have
Lost Influence Because We Have
Been Brave In Words and Irresolute
In Action"
. In his address as temporary chair
La6an of the New York state Republican
convention. delivered In Carnegie Hall
New York. the Hon Eihu Root said:
We are entering upon contest for
the election OF president and the CON
troll OF government under conditions
essentially new in the experience of
our party and OF our country. The
forms and methods which we are
about 10 follow are old and familiar
but the grounds for action. the demand
or great events for, decision upon na
tlonal conduct. the moral forces urg
ing To Il solution Of vaguely outlin
ed questions. the tremendous con
sequences Of wisdom or folly in nation
al policy. all these are new To the great
mass of American voters now living.
Never since 1864 has an election been
fraught with consequences so vital to
national life. All the ordinary consid
erations which play SO great IL part in
our presidential campaigns are and
ought To he dwarfed into inSigniticance
Democratic Party to the Bar.
For the first time in twenty years we
enter the field as the party of opposi
ton. and indeed it is much longer
time, for in 1896. in all respects save
the tariff. the real opposition TO the
sturdy and patriotic course of Presi
dent Cleveland was to be found in the
party that followed Mr.. Bryan. 1t is
our duty as the opposition to bring the
Democratic party to the bar of public
judgment. To put ii upon its defense
so far aS we see just and substantial
grounds to criticise its conduct and to
ask the voters of the country to decide
whether that party, organized as it is.
represented us it has been since IL
came into power, has shown itself
competent to govern the country as II
should be governed and whether its
spirit. its policies. and its performance
are the best that the American people
can do in the way of popular self gov
ernment.
In the field of domestic affairs some
facts relevant to these questions had
already been ascertained when i'm Au-
gust. 1914. the great European war
began. During the year and half of
Democratic control of government in
a period of profound peace there had
been steady decrease in American
production. in exports and i'm revenues
and Il steady increase in imports and
expenditures. Enterprise had halted.
The Democratic tariff had been framed
upon an avowed reputation of all pro
lection, however moderate and reason
able. and because all protection was
repudiated practically all information
from competent witnesses as to the eff
feet new provisions would have upon
business was rejected. 1t was with
just cause that the enterprise of the
country halted, timid and irresolute.
because 1t felt and feared the hostility
of government
Foreign Competition After War.
The great war has not changed the
lesson which We had already learned
when 1t began. 1t has but obscured
further demonstration. 1t has caused
an enormous demand for some things
which the United States is able to pro-
duce i'm large quantities. and in these
lines Of production. while other indus
tries still languish, there have been ex-
tensive employment of labor, great ex-
ports and great influx of money.
But this is temporary. 1t must soon
cease. and when the factories have
stopped and their laborers are no
longer employed we must deal with a
situation for which wise forethought
should make provision. More impor-
tant still, the war has paralyZed the
peaceful industries of all Europe and
has stopped that competitive foreign
production which in July. 1914. had al
ready entered American markets to
supersede American products under
the tariff law Of 1913. The war has
thus given to American products an
immunity from competition far more
effective than any possible protective
tariff But that is temporary. and
when the war is over. when foreign
production begins again. the American
market compared with impoverished
Europe will be more than ever before
the object Of desire and effort, and we
shall become the dumping ground Of
the world to the destruction of our
own industries unless that is prevented
by a wise and competent government.
How Can Ne Defend Ourselves2
Nit 1t is not from domestic ques-
tions that the most difficult problems
Of this day arise. The events of the
last few years have taught us many
lessons. We have learned that civiliZa-
ton is but veneer thinly covering the
savage nature of man. How can this
4 nation. which loves peace and intends
Justice, avoid the curse of militarism
and at the same time preserve its in
dependence. defend its territory, pro
tect the lives and liberty and proper
ty of its citizens? How can We pre-
vent the same principles of action, the
same policies Of conduct, the same