The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1916-11-03
AN U~NDELIVERED SPEECH
By PROFESSOR GEORGE BURNAM FORSTER
Of the University of Chicago
In the Christian CenfurYl.

Here is the speech Mr.. Hughes did not make:
"Felow Citizens: / have consented to compete with
Mr.. Wilson for the presidency. In doing so, | wish to begin
by expressing appreciation of the character, ability, culture,
and high purpose of my opponent. am not a candidate be-
cause l feel superior to Nh. Wilson in these particulars. IN
~doubtedly, he is as earnest and honest and patriotic as | am.
And, while he may be a bit romantic and Platonic, there is
a touch of genius about the man which is foreign to my per-
sonality. Town that he has a splendid vision of information
alsm and even supernatonalism which it were well to add
to our old selfish nationalisms. In this field history will
honor him as a pioneer. He faces forward with high re-
solve. Out of the stones which his generation throws at
him our children will build a monument to him.
Moreover, when | turn from the man to what he has
done, l find that his official acts, namely, a, b, c, are wise
and right and good, tits difficult to see how they could be
improved upon, and am sure could not do so.
HIS OFFICIAL DEEDS
GAS to official deeds, namely, d, e, f, there is room for
difference of opinion. There are alternatives to them which
Knight have chosen. But l should have done so fully aware
that subsequently the consequences of my choice might lead
me to conclude that the alternative adopted by Mr.. Will
son would have been preferable. Take Mexico. Our Presi-
dent was virtually dealing with a huge mob, hating each
other, hating us, to put which down by force would gain
our country nothing and lose it much. The loss would have
been greater had a policy been adopted which led to war.
1t is difficult to deal with political chaos, ignorance and law
lessness. Ii l say Mr.. Wilson has %blundered, the statement
would imply that / knew at the time a course of action that
would not have been a blunder. ! knew none such, and as
an honest man l refuse to offer something that would have
only a fictitious constructive appearance.
There remain official actions, namely, g, h, i, which, l
regret to say, are in my judgment false in philosophy and
injurious in practice. | give you my reasons for thinking
so, that you may appraise them for yourselves. If | am
elected shall do what l can to correct these errors and
evils. | do not mean to insinuate that Mr.. Wilson is the
kind Of man that would intentionally commit wrongs against
his country or wreak vengeance upon any man or set of men.
BECOMING HUMILITY
In this connection ! take occasion to say with all
e~arnestness that l do not offer myself as candidate with the
expectation that ! shall make no mistakes as President.
Indeed, as | have had no experience in this high Office, and
Mr.. Wilson has, might naturally make more mistakes in the
next four years than Mr.. Wilson would.
Il am not conceited enough to boast as I put the armor
on, as he may perhaps be able to do as he puts it of.
could not respect myself nor ask respectable
people to respect me if | engaged in indiscrimi-
nate criticism for partisan and personal ends as demagogues
pilot our ship of state through the midnight hurricane. He
was never captain before and the ship had seldom had so
treacherous a sea. It is not seemly in us who never were p
captain to stand idly and snugly at the wharf and ieer at his
pale face and at its torn sails and broken timbers as it comes
reenng IN from its long voyage across the high seas. To be
sure, the captain ottentimes changed direction. the ship's
Prov was turned now this way, now that, so that the d-
rneectlon OF The ship at one time was inconsistent with its
direction at another, but consistent with the goal or with
the winds and waves which had to be reekoned with.
AS TO CHANGE OF POLICY
AS q Christian | know that the prophet Isaiah in a
changing situation so changed his policy that at later date
IL was a Hat contradiction with his earlier action; but he did
not on that account change his principle, but upheld It
Iatner- NO, through 1t all our captain was not stanpeded
put showed a quiet courage which / am frank to say COM
mands my admiration.
why, then, my countrymen. do I accent your nom;na-
ton? Because two political parties are better than one
my traditions and %sympathies are Republican, monist
instead Oh a plurahst IN civic philosophy-and the Republi-
can party mas been a good servant for the most part for
many years, and the specific p~lanks-not so manv-
OF your platform meet with my approval. and of
course because the great honor Of the position appeals "a NV
ambition and aspiration