The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-30
NOTED BUSINESS MEN DEMAND THAT HUGHES TELL AMERICANS
 WHAT HE'D DO AS PRESIDENT

Attention Called to Present Unequalled Prosperity
 and Fact That Indications
 Point to Continuance Under Present Leader
 ship. | New York, Oct. 30.-Fearing the election of Charles E. Hughes would bIing disaster to the business inter-
 ests of the country. twenty-two of the largest business men in the United
 States have addressed an open letter to the Republican candidate, de- manding to know exactly what he would do if President.
 Attention is called in the letter to the present unequalled prosperity and to thef fact that this prosperity promises to continue unless the laws benefting business men, which have been passed in President Wilson's ad- mfnistration are repealed, or modi- fled. That MT. Hughes would at tempt to meddle with these laws is taken for granted by the signers of the letter, who quote from his Mill waukee speech when he declared that ''the whole Democratic 1egisla- tive accomplishment must be wiped off the books for the good of the country"
 Ten specific questions are put to Candidate Hughes in the business mems open letter, which follows in full:
 To MT. Hughes: As business men we are concerned about the future. We can meet almost any conditions, provided we know in advance to a reasonable extent what we may ex- pect.
 We have considered carefully the present status of the country's busi- ness. We know that after three years of President Wilson's Adminis- tration:
 The wealth of the United States has grown faster than in any nation in the worlds history within the. same period.
 The bank clearings of our country have reached the highest figures ever recorded by any country.
 The depositors of our National banks, our National Bank Reserves, and our money in circulation have all made the best gains of which there is record in financial history.
 The stock of gold in the United States has become greater than that ever accumulated in any other land. an expansion never equalled, and fr, the number of our ships engaged in foreign trade, and in the number of metchant ships building in our yards than has ever been witnessed any where.
 Our manufactured products gain ed in value at a, rate without pre- States in 12 months have added to the Nations income over a billion dollars. a figure until now unknown in the worlds agricultural progress.
 More men are now employed in our industries and at higher wages than ever before in our history.
 Unless this development is inter ferred with by shortsighted legfsla- ton or unwise, impatient diplomacy which may drag us into war, there Is every indication that our prosper ty will continue, irrespective of the end of the war. Even the most ex- perienced leaders of business and f. nance in. your own party admit this.
 As against these conditions we need, and we feel we have a right to know what YOU are for. What will YOU do\to conserve and further ad- vance the legitimate business inter | ests of the country? What will YOU ask Congress to substitute for the | constructive legislation that has been | passed by the Democratic Admins | ration?
 You are reported in the daily news papers as declaring in your recent peech in Milwaukee that the whole Democratic legislative accomplish nent must be wiped off the books for he good of the country. In view of hat statement we insist that definite answers be given to the following1 Luestions: |
 1. Would you repeal the Federal Reserve Act, with it's insurance .gainst panic and the facilities it has ,iven us for making credit accessible O the deserving smaller business nan, as it hitherto has been avail ble to the largest business men?
 2. Would you repeal the Under wood Tariff Law, with its income tax, nd abolish the non-partisan Tariff Would you restore the ystem of tariff tinkering and politi- al trading which has always, caused usiness distu Oance and invited Eu- opean retaliation, or would you wait the public presentation of the acts by the new Tariff Commission 8 a basis for scientific dhanges whenever changes may be necessary ] ecause of new conditions? s
 8. Would you discontinue the ( federal Trade Commission, which is elping us to establish jAst relations v etween business and government nd aiding the development of thous- s nds of smaller enterprises by giving hem practical interruption of the ( ighest value? Would you go back 0 the old condition under which a lngle Commissioner of Corporations.
 political appointee changing with