The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-07

en 1t careful study. It means. think no, it couldn't mean that. Per haps it means that we can have a hu- manitarian outlook when it pays. One thing is sure; that statement cannot be twisted or wrenched to mean that we are permitted to have humani- tartan outlook, even if 1t does not pay.
 A humanitarian outlook? Once a man had to keep a sharp lookout or some other man would eat him for dinner. From objections to this pro- cess arose the first humanitarian out look. We have made progress to- day, the other man only wants to eat your dinner.
 Some of us-Progressives and oth- ers-would like to do a little more pro- gressing along these lines; looking for ward to the dim and distant Utopia where a man shall eat another mans dinner.
 Not the least among the truths we hold to be self-evident is this neglect ed truth; that a high tariff is one of two things; a shrewd device to enable me to eat another mans dinner, or O device to enable another man to eat my dinner.
 After so much dispraise of MT. Hughes I feel bound to state that he improves as the campaign goes on. He discovered in Nashville-to his very great astonishment-that workaday people find a sharp difference of opinion no cause for anger-having learned long. since and sadly that their most cherished opinions are often wrong. There are few workaday people who have not seen a stubborn sun indubitably go down while an en- tirely honorable and much-beloved watch bore indignant witness that the hour was high noon.
 MT. Hughes has lived in that rarified stratum of the upper air where to challenge the accuracy of an eighteen jewel mind was a species of blas- phemy Nashville opened his eyes. In no uncertain terms he flung defiance to a hostile audience and won from that audience more enthusiasm and admiration than he had hitherto ac- cumulated in all his prudent journey ings, by all his prudent and censored speech.
 Snice that day the "austere courage of Mr. Hughes has been less austere and more courageous. An in one of the speeches he made last week, his words were plain and direct. You did not have to guess at what he meant; you did not blunder, blindly and be- logged, to a wrong understanding of what he meant. I disagree, very heart ily, with what he meant; but it would be ungracious for me even to name that subject here. This man may be my President That his opinions are not mine is a small matter. That the man is still growing. and capable o1 vacillation is very great matter.
 MT. Hughes has improved in other ways. In another speech last week he used these words: "Our friends, the Democrats" Then he stopped and added, "For they are our friends"
 That is the right spirit. That is Americanism, perhaps.
 With no unkindly purpose I recall that Mr. Hughes was not always thus In the not unrecent past, the undilut- ed Americanism of MT. Hughes has sometimes needed a chaser. X MT. Hughes is growing. I congratu- late our Republican friends. They are our friends.
 "Americanism" is a new word. It has no meaning. It serves the pur- pose of a dummy on a bookshelf. Let us hope that we will yet get good books to fill that shelf; let us hope that the action of Americans will clothe this new word with a noble meaning. V
 "Americanism" should not mean ha- Shn1r1d mean friendship and mutual tolera- tion of Americans. Americanism will mean, I hope. something like this; We are in the same boat; don't rock the boat"
 It might be well if we \should all row in the same general direction; it is certainly better, when weNdiffer as to destinations, that we do not thwack each other with the oars. that we talk it over. The practice of row ing in circles is much esteemed and undeniably exhilarating; but the chance of a landfall is somewhat di- unfinished.
 At the present time we are fairly we'll agreed as to the most hopeful di- rection in which to row; but there is some question as to whether we shall all row.
 A few, believe, prefer to go as pas sengers; and there is some wild talk from oarsmen with blistered hands of Tightening ship by throwing few overheard. Curiously enough, they mention the same few who prefer to be passengers.
 am opposed tof this measure, rfy- self My outlook is humanitarian, for one thing; and after all, the sharks have done nothing to me.
 MT. Hughes has learned much since Nashville. He is teachable citizen, I think. But he has had mighty bad teachers. I prefer MT. Wilson for President for many reasons; not the