Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-02
What Could Hughes Dor

| inc american people want aggressive.
efficient eInd harmonious government for
the next four years they will vote on Tuesday
FOR the reelection Of Woodrow Wilson and
Tor a Democratic Congress. That sort OF
government could not be expected under the
administration of Mr.. Hughes.
Mr. Hughes has given TO the country his
theory OF the presidency and of presidential
duty. My conception of the presidency"
he has said differs absolutely from that OF
Mr. Wilson. I look upon the President as
the administrative head Of the government.
lie looks upon the President primarily the
political leader and lawmakcr of the nation"
Perhaps Mr.. Hughes obtained his concep-
ton of the presidency from his painful cX-
pericncc as Governor of the State Of New
York. I'm that Office he showed himself alb
solutely unqualified TO direct Il political party
his cwn--or to obtain from its representa-
tlvcs III the Legislature measures he de-
clared most important TO the public good.
The Republican machine scorncd and nouted
him. His record as Governor is Il record of
good intentions gone adrift, so that he is
wise to announce In advance that if he
becomes President he will undertake no tasks
of leadership.
But even if he had another conception OF
the functions of great nations executive it
would avail him nothing With a Demo-
cratic Senate, practical certainty, unanimity
IN government method and ideal would be
Impossible under Mr.. Hughes. 1t would be
impossible not only on account of the Demo-
cratic Senate, hut because of differences in
the Republican party. for that party contains
elements ranging from Hiram johnson and
LaFollctte to Pcnrosc and Reed Smoot
Hughes is dcnouncing the Underworld
Simmons tariff and LaFolctte. in Wisconsin,
and Townsend, IN Washington are making
their campaigns for the Senate partly on their
advocacy OF that measure. Hughes is de-
clarinE the Child-labor bill Il delus ion and q
snare, and yet it had the support of ma
Jo!ltE of his party in the Senate and House
OF Representatives. The Republicans split
wide open on the question of denying the
protection or the government to American
citizens travelling the high seas, but most of
them favored that policy OF dishonor. More
than half hundred OF them voted in the
House - REPRESENTATIVES, f0T the Adamson
cight-hour law which exctes the candi-
dates wrath. There is not a Democratic
measure included in the whole record of leg
islation Mr. Hughes says ought to be re-
pealcd which did not have more or less Re-
publican support
If Mr. Hughes were competent and sue
cessful leader. instead of a leader whose in
competency had been established he could
do nothing with party divided. Uncer-
tainty in foreign relations. doubt and IN
decision iii matters domestic, would be the
inevitable outcome of his victory at the polls
Men marvel nowadays AT the drift TO Presi-
dent Wilson, which set in three weeks ago
and continues all over the land 1t is not
really TO be murvclled at. The American
public has many reasons to support the Demo-
cratic candidate but none more compelling
than realization that only in Democratic
victory resides real hope Of steadfastness,
consistency, vigor and efficiency i'm national
government