Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-08
LEWIS COLEMAN REPLIES
TO EX-SENATOR BURTON
Occi'nes to Join Hughes National
College League and Will
support Wilson.
WRITES STRONG, OPEN LETTER
answers Criticisms OF Administers
lions Militia and Mexican Policies
and Asks Why Burton Didn't Men.
fton Other Acts OF Administration.

Lewis NJ. Coleman, Of New York.
formerly Of Richmond did not take
kindly to proposal that he enroll I'm
the Hughes National College League.
The invitation to Mr.. Coleman to be-
como member Of this organization
came from former Senator Burton OF
ohio. Mr. Coleman is an alumnus Of
The University Of Virginia. His reply
10 Senator Hurton follows
Theodore T. Burton, Cleveland Ohio:
My Dear Sr.-I have received your
letter. addressed to college men. urging
us TO support Mr.. Hughes. thank you
for your a1truistic interest In us IL
Is very proper for a college man who
has devoted 80 much Of his life to the
publc to incitc us to 4 more active
performance OF our duties as citizeny
or the greatest nation on earth But,
MI burton. college men are more prac-
'ical than they used to be. and are ap-
PLYING their knowledge and testing ii
ny experience. ! hardly think you will
nc successful In untonizing college men
Tor Nj. Hughes. Most college men are
progressive thinkers. and many belong
TO that great body Of independent
voters whom President Wilson and Mr..
Hughes arc SO earnestly seeking to
10 say. neither can be successful
Eut let ny return to our mutton and
consider thc few questions you have
so casually mentioned The study OF
economies must convince the college
men that the appointment OF 5, nom
partisan Tariff Commission. with more
ample and more permanent powers
than heretofore given a congressional
committee. is the most scientific method
OF reaching the truth. II. perchance.
you and your tarin coadjutors have
persuaded any old time free traders 10
take this step toward :: scientific and
honest settlement of tho tariff question.
you have done more scrvicc TO your
country than TO your party. The high
tarin advocates have never been sci
cntiiic: they have been practical men"
each ready TO give the other AS much
As the public could be cajoled or forced
Z" hear. provided he got All he needed
n President Wilson'S commission can
after nonpartisan considerations. dis
cover what tariff changes arc fair TO
The manufactured and the public. is
not this what the honest student OF
economies. the college man. is seek
Ing
Now. do not remember when. II
ever. President Wilson said unuusli-
hedly that our army and navy were
adequate. hut certainly the admins
trations nf Presidents Mckinley.
Roosevelt and Taft thought them ade-
Uuatc. or they should have done more
TO increase them. The truth is. Mir.
Burton. the people OF the United States
have not been i'll favor OF large
standing army. and it is very hard
them 10 realize the necessity, and you
must know how close Congress has
hcep to the people. Things have been
moving pretty rapidly during this adj
ministration For progress. rather n |
month Of Wilson than cycle OF his
prodcc essors While all the world was !
sane and Al peace we might have got
ton along with the navy Secretary |
Meyer left us. but we may need the |
largest navy in the world" which YOU !
say Mr. Wilson now advocates. \ navy
can't he built in day. SO he is right
TO he getting ready.
You find fault with the President for |
favorins the Garrison army plan and
then failing 10 veto the Hay bill and
the subsequent act providing for
swearing the Stale troops into the ma
tional service. Was not Congress
against the Garrison plan, and docs
not your study OF tho Hay bill convince
you That il ia long step in the right |
direction? ! personally believe there
should he universal service, and every
y Dung man should have one years ac
tive training and he in the reserve for
TWO years. but ] prefer the advance
made by the Hay bill to standing still
under the old law.
Most college men believe a great.
powerful, wealthy, enlightened nation
can, and should, be slow to fight: no
ono can question its courage when oc-
rason demands The President was
using an old but sound quotation in
the words too proud to fight" | did
not know tho classical aIluSjop Mn