Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-16
REPUBLICANS HERE SAY ROOTS
SPEECH Is CAMPAIGN KEYNOTE
Stuart, Carson, Gribbel and Todd Call
1t Masterpiece

~ AANSbSh P'SNN
Senator Roots speech before the New
York State Republican Convention in Car
negie Hall, New York, last night, was
looked upon in Philadelphia today as
stirring campaign document. As former
Governor Edwin S. Stuart put II, ut will
be the keynote of the coming presidential
campaign"
George w. Norris, former Director of
Public Works and Democrat. made an
swer to Mr. Root, but outside Of this
single instance all the comments praised
the address.
In places like the Union League and the
Manufacturers Club. where the best ele-
ments of the Republican strength are rep.
resented, the address was the general
topic of conversation, and admiration for
the speechmaker was as often expressed
as was admiration for the speech Nearly
every one placed him superlatively at the
head of the country's public men.
PRAISED BY STUART
Governor Stuart was enthusiastic over
the fine start the speech gave the Re.
publican campaign.
"Of course" he saId "the speech ex-
pressed my sentiments. as 1t did those
of Republican partisans. 4Iut the big
thing Is that coming from man like
Senator Root whom l consider. by rea-
son of his native ability and wide eXpe-
rience, the most competent man in pub
lie life today the speech last night will
furnish the keynote for the Republican
campaign"
Hampton l.. Carson, ex-Attorney Gen
eral of Pennsylvania. said:
Senator Root Is n man of most COM
manding ability, and anything coming
from him commands attention"
John GribJel's comment was equally
admiring. He said:
Senator Roots speech Is n very strong
deliverance and clearcut statement of the
actual facts, and the sooner the country
realizes the situation as he pictures It,
the better off it will be for the coun-
try"
Mr.. Hampton Todd, ex-Attorney General
of Pennsylvania:
Senator Roots speech is a very tenn
perate statement of the Republican point
of view"
NORRIS AsSAILS SPEECH.
George W. Norris said:
"Mr Roots speech is frankly stated to
be an indictment-an attempt to bring
the Democratic party to the bar of public
Judgment Framed as 1t is, with all of
Mr.. Roots great skill, and including long
arguments on each point. II Is impossible
to answer In few paragraphs. \ casual
reading of it, however, shows it is
founded on assumptions, some of which
will be denied by many.
For example. he assumes there was "a
steady decrease in American production,
in exports and in revenues. and n steady
increase in imports and expenditures
during the IS months preceding the war,
and that this was due to Democratic
control
"As a matter of fact in so far as these
facts are true at all, they were due prin-
cipaly to worldwide conditions and to
limited extent to temporary unsettlenent
of business necessarily resulting from the
tariff change.
"NIr Root further assumes our present
prosperity is wholly deu to the European
war, while the fact Is that that property
exists in many lines of business not af-
fected by the war. and may just as well be
credited to the sane tariff under which we
are now living.
NO CREDIT GIVEN DEMOCRATS.
"In his discussion of conditions likely to
exist after the war. he assumes what most
able economists deny, and gives no credit
to the Democratic party for the efforts
which it has already inaugurated to meet
those conditions whatever they may prove
to be.
He critcses the lack of timely provis-
ion for backing up American diplomacy by
military and naval force, ignoring the fact
that neither time nor public sentiment per-
mitted the Administration to act more
promptly than they did.
"As to Belgium, he voices with elo-
quence the feeling which, undoubtedly, ami
mates n large part of the American peo-
pie. but he again ignores international diff
fculties In the way of a protest which are
freely recognized both in England and
France. and even among the Belgians
themselves He critlses the President for
having undertaken. as he puts 1t, to pull
down Huerta and set Carranza up In his
place 1t would seem little inconsistent
TO him to urge in the same address that
W. should protest against murder and de-
structlon in Belgium and give our assent
and approval to the rule in a neighboring
country as a man who secured power
solely by treachery and assassination"