The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-02-16

duct, and to ask the votersof the coun-
| try to decide whether that party, Or
gained as II Is, represented as 1t has
been since 1t came into power, has
shown itself competent to govern the
country. as II should be governed, and
whether its spirits. its policies, and
its performance are the best that the
American people can do In the way OF
popular self government"
Discussing the domestic situations
before the European war began, Mr..
Root declared that during The eighteen
months OF Democratic control there
had been "a steady decrease In Amer
lean production. in exports and in rev
enues, and steady increase in i'm
ports and expenditures" Enterprises
had halted, he asserted, and new un-
dertaklngs no longer made their ap-
pearance, and the countrys productive
industries were laboring under a mis-
fit tariff devised by the Democratic
party in spirit Of suspicion. distrust
and hostility towards American bus
mess enterprise" and transportation
and commerce had become dull and
Respondent" The tariff commission
created under Republican legislation
to ascertain the facts upon which tar
III laws should be based, Mr.. Root
said, had been driven out Of business
and no substitute provided At Wash
ington, he declared, there was nerv-
Gus dread lest somebody make money"
and envy OF business success" was
an element in the framing Of legisla-
ton and the administrator Of the
laws. Mr.. Root continued:
",rhc great war has not changed
the lessons which we had already
learned when it began. II has but
obscured further demonstration. 1t
has caused an enormous demand for
some things which the United States
is able to produce in large quantities.
and in these Lines Of production, while
other industries still languish, there
have been extensive empoyments Of
labor, great exports and great in
hux Of money. But this is temporary.
1t must soon cease. and when the fac
tories have stopped and their laborers
are no longer employed we must deal
with situation for which wise fore
thought should make provision.
More important still, the war has
paralyzed the peaceful Industries Of
all Europe, and has stopped that COM
petitivc foreign production which in
July. 1914, had already entered Amer
lean markets to supersedc American
products under the tariff law of 1913.
The war has thus given to American
products an immunity from competi-
ton far more effective than any pos
sible 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 UNI
less that is prevented by wise and
competent government"
Taking up foreign relations, Mr..
Root said that for the first time with
in the memory of men now living these
relations ARE recognized as vital" He
took up first the Mexican lsoblem, re-
viewing the situation when President
Wilson was inaugurated.
His duty then was plain" Mr.. Root
declared. at was, first to Use his pow
ers as president, to secure protection
for the lives and property OF Amer
leans in Mexico and to require that