The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-10-21
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been criticising it lately because it [
has denounced President Wilson's
Mexican policy, or rather want of ,
policy, and some Of them have even
gone so far as to accuse the Star of
being republican and supporting
Hughes.
To all such we will say, first show
that the Star has misrepresented
Wilson, and second give reason why
conscientious newspaper should
praise in democrat what it would
condemn in republican.
1t is unjust in anyone to say the
Star is against Wilson. The Star be-
gan supporting Wilson before almost
anyone else in this section thought Of
him, and it has supported him stead
lily ever since. 1t has given two of
his campaigns help in the only eff
cacious way paper can help in this
section-namely, raising campaign
funds, and in this line has probably
done more than all it's critics put to-
gether.
There need be no doubt that the
Star is for Wilson. 1t is for him first
and foremost because he is the dem
ocratic nominee, and if he is defeat
ed the party will be defeated, and all
the program Of constructive legisla-
ton the democrats have been build
l. .snIl Ivy nd
personally we have desired to see the
republican policy of high tariff and
special privileges abolished. Since
the democrats have been in power, the
country has come some distance on
the way. There have been halts and
digressions, but in spite of them there
has been progress, and if Wilson is
reelected we shall continue to pro-
gress.
Second, we believe that Mr.. Wilson,
if reelected, will do better than Mr..
Hughes. We see nothing in Mr..
Hughes record to make us believe he
will do anything better than Mr.. Will
son, and we fear he will do some
things worse. We do not think either
of them is the strong man that Amer
lea should have at the head of affairs
in world-crisis, but it is one or the
other, and of the two the Star believes
Wilson is the best.
Had there been no war, no Mexican
crisis, we think Mr.. Wilson would
have gone down in history as one of
Americas best presidents. His admin
istration has been clean, and he has
plainly shown that he is not in the
least subservient to the great inter-
ests that have hitherto controlled the
country. He has proven that he is
incorruptible and has the welfare of
the plain American people at heart.
With the help of Congress he has
planned and enacted into law more
beneficial measures than the republi-
can party has put on the statute books
in its sixteen-year lease of power.
All these things are of more i'm
portance to the country than its for
eign policy, for if we are sound and
well governed at home we can survive
almost anything.
When we say these things and act
up to them, we have done our duty
and need not to defend Mr.. Wilson's
Mexican plumbers.
Mr.. Wilson may, and we hope he
will, during his second administration
learn to cope with the organized bru.
tally of the military caste of Ger.
many and the reckless ruffianism OF
the men who have torn Mexico to
pieces. Up to date he has not done
so.
Let our critics disprove history. Ir
the first place, the democratic plat
form said four years ago that al
American citizens, at home and
abroad, must be protected in then
rights, and no wrongs permitted
against their persons or property
The Star is standing on that platform
and doesn't expect to get off of it.
Mr. Wilson said to Congress on Au-
gust 9th, 1918: 1--WE should let ev.
eryone who assumes to exercise au-
thority in any part of Mexico know in
the most unequivocal way that we
shall vigilantly watch the fortunes OF
those Americans who cannot gel
away, and shall hold those responsible
for their sufferings and losses to O
definite reckoning. This can be ane
win be put beyond the possibility Of
misunderstanding. On the same
day he sent to the American consul
general and consular agents in Mex,
leo two kilograms instructing them te
notify all officials, military or civil
exercising authority, that they would
be held strictly responsible for any
harm done to Americans or for injury
to their property"
These were fine words, like those in
one of Mr.. Wilson's notes to Ger
many IN which he said the United
States would omit no act to secure
and preserve the rights of its citizens
And about as well lived up to-.
In Mexico when the revolution
gathered Roadway, there were many
foreigners. There were English, Ger
mans, japanese, French. Americans
Spaniards and Chinese. Mexico was
afraid Of and respected Germany