Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1916-09-28
Should Mr.. Wilson Be Endorsed Or
Repudlated sssSsf

some ISSUES WHICH SHOulu engage INT
mind OF all Americans, regardless OF their
callings. A minister OF the gospel can
well afford to speak forth his sentiments
in a contest so clear-cut and far-reaching
as this one. Should President Wilson be
urned down by the American people, or
should they give an endorsement OF his
administration at the November polls
such as will express thereby their appre-
citation OF him and his work
Let none be deceived as to the root OF
the opposition. Not every Republican is
as big as Thomas Edison. The majority
OF men who are politically "out' wish to
get Gin" Ordinarily this would be taken
good naturedly and as matter OF course.
But not in the present political contest.
This is no time for Americans 10 be DOM
mated by the mere shibboleths OF politics.
This is time for men TO be men. II the
man in the presidential chair at this time
is meeting unheard-of conditions and un-
paralleled perpleXities as a statesman,
then who will be politically so small as to
drop into the groove Of party politics for
the sake of seeing his own party in power?
Itis said that Mr.. Wilson has wobbled.
Conditions have wobbled. The world
has never seen such days. Mr.. Wilson'S
strength is nowhere so distinctly shown
as in his ability to adjust himself TO chang
ing and changed conditions, and in moth
ing does his courage show forth so clear
ly as in his willingness 10 change his mind
when circumstances have made former
opinion untenable or obsolete. Henry
Ward Beecher, when chided for saying
in his pulpit one Sunday what he in a
week after repudlated. mildly remarked:
odd say that last Sunday? Well, if did
| believed it then" At no time hTs the
saying had such significance Fools never
change their minds.
II is said that Mr.. Wilson has blunder-
ed in dealing with Mexico. Who knows?
We know that we have not been rushed
into war OF buShwhacking and disgrace
with half-civilzed and much-wronged
people. We have not stained the flag
with the blood OF our weaker brother and
done violence 10 the best instincts OF our
best people just TO please some annex
ationists," who have large holdings in
Mexico. And we have not tried TO de-
throne Cananza to please certain strong
ecclesiastical organization. II is note
worthy that at present one hears little
about the blunders in the Mexican affair.
The opposition has found new cause
for complaint-one that, for The present.
is the way OF the least resistance, namely,
the new eight-hour law. But il the
Mexican situation was so important and
the issues fraught with such possibilities,
why so suddenly stop talking about il ?
Why? Because it never was more than
a talking point. And very poor one at
that. BY election time it will seem good
10 some other folks 10 "change their
minds"
II is said that Mr.. Wilson was guilty OF
being "held up" in the eight-hour legis-
lation. Here again the opposition grasped
eagerly for a chance TO criticize. What
might have happened 10 this entire coun-
try had not Congress, at Mr.. Wilson's
suggestion, taken the matter in hand as il
did ? While the railroads were saying
that they would insure the running OF
trains, yet the necessities OF life were 60
ing sky-high and the railroad managers
seemed helpless TO control conditions.
Had not some action been taken such as
was taken, and which averted the most
tremendous and wide spread strike the
world has ever seen, no one can say what
suffering might have resulted. II is evil
dently a case of, "You'n be d if you
do, and be d if you don't" Mr.
Wilson took the way that was best for
the most people, and disappointed there
by his opponents who were pleased all his
perplexity and hoped TO see him entrap-
ped in the meshes OF commercial snares.
On the other hand, is there nothing TO
commend ? Has not the schoolmaster
made good ? Was democracy ever so
finely exemplified in the person OF man
as in Woodrow Wilson? Did a man
ever win by his courteous and manly
treatment OF Congress the members OF
that body as has Mr.. Wilson, Has any
President been so consistently the friend
of the rural man as the President who has
adjusted banking conditions as never be-
fore 10 fit farming interests ? Has the
party in power failed TO redeem pledge
il made, save perhaps that the President
would serve only one term? Who could
foresee when that was promised what
the world would come to and what this
country would need in the way of Presi-
dent in 1916?
Much ofthe opposition can be illustrated
by what happened in Congress some
months back, when Republican moved
to Investigate" the civil service sp-
pointments (and those that seemed to
violate civil service) during this admins
tration. A wise Democrat added an
amendment, namely, "durirg the exist
ence of civil service" which would in
clude, OF course, the Roosevelt dynasty
and the investigation died then and
there. Some one has well expressed the
whole situation ofthe Wilson administra-
ton by saying: A vessel has made trip
over the ocean through storms and waves
The like OF which had never been heard
OF, and as the boat glides into port, some
what battered, but sound, with no lives
lost, complaint is made that during the
voyage waiter upset plate of soup in
passengers lap