Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-16
ROOT SOUNDS KEY
NOTE OF CAMPAIGN
Senator, in Address to New York
Republicans, Says Campaign
Most Vital Since 1894.
WILSON REGIME is FAILURE

NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-The poll
cies of President Wilson and the
democratic administration toward
the international situation arising
out OF the European war and the
Mexican disturbances, and, as relat-
ing to domestic conditions, toward
the tariff, were attacked by former
United States Senator Elihu Root
today in his address as temporary
chairman of the New York state re-
publican convention, in assembly
here.
No other presidential election since 1884
has been so fraught with consequences so
vital to national life as the one now APP
preaching, Mr.. Root said, and all ordinary
considerations which play so great part
In presidential campaigns 'are and ought
TO be dwarfed into insignifieance." He
promised that IL the republican party is
returned to power tho people may ex-
pect foreign policy which will leave
mo doubt anywhere in the world of
Americas purpose and courage TO protect
and defend its independence. It's territory
and the lives and just rights OF its eiti-
zens under the laws OF nations" and that
the people may expect, also, that the
government will stand for full and ade-
auate preparation by the American people
for their own defense"
Lack of Foresight.
Mr.. Root charged tho present admins
tration with "the lack Of foresight to
make timely provision for backing up OF
American diplomacy By actual or assured
military force" with "the forfeiture OF
the worlds respect for our assertion OF
rights by pursuing the policy OF making
threats and OF failing TO make them
good" and with "a loss of the moral
forces of the civilized world through fall
ure to truly interpret to the world the
spirit OF the American democracy in it's
attitude toward the terrible events which
accompanied the early stages of the war"
These. sail Mr.. Root. were the adminis-
trations three fundamental errors" The
temporary chairman Eaid in part:
For the first time in twenty years we
enter the field as the party OF opposition.
and indeed it is a much longer time. for
in 1896. in all respects save the tariff, the
real opposition to the sturdy and patriotic
course of President 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 It upon its de-
Tense so far as we see just and substan-
tial grounds TO criticize it's conduct and
to ask the voters of TIE country to decide
whether that party. organized as It Is.
represented as II has been since It came
into nonsrr. hssrshown itself competent to
govern the country as It should be gov-
erned. and whether ,.s spirit, its policies
and it's performance ere the best that the
American people can 10 in the way Of
popular self-government."
Domestic Policy IL Failure
Discussing the domestic situation be-
fore the European war began. Mr.. Root
declared that during the eighteen months
OF democratic control there had been "a
steady decrease In American production.
In exports and in revenues, and a steady
increase in imports and expenditures"
Enterprise had halted. he asserted. and
new undertakings no longer made their
appearance, and the country's productive
industries were laboring under a misfit
tariff devised by the democratic party in
a spirit of suspicion distrust and hostility
toward American business enterprise"
and transportation and commerce hal be-
come duh and despondent." The tariff
commission created under republican leg