New-York tribune., 1916-05-24
NO PUSSY-FOOTING
The Republican Party Must Adopt Straight
American Policy and Fight Hard.
IN. Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Tho necessity Of the union OF kepuo-
licans, Progressiyes and independent voters
behind a candidate who will best represent
the cause Of Americanism, genuine prepared
ness and the preservation OF our nSIIon"'
self-respect (. keenly felt in this part OF the
country. .u
In a campaign which may be fraught win
veal or woe to the future OF the kepuDilc the
personal aspirations or interests or inc pei,
sonal prejudices Of any individual should
count for very little The nomination OF a
candidate who can best cement all patriotic
Americans into a compact political unit and
deliver the country from the ineiiiciency OF
the present Administration is most I'M
portant.
We NAV az we'll face the situation squarely.
All voters who claim aflilation with the Re
publican party are not in favor OF a plat
form of vigorous Americanism. All Repub-
licans arc not in favor Of a party declaration
for real preparedness. Large numbers Of
.Republicans are obsessed with the notion that
"middle Of the road" policy would be ad-
visable; that no platform should be adopted
which can possibly give offence to any
hyphenated voter They also insist that the
candidate to be nominated should be one VINO
has taken no pronounced stand on the great
questions which have been thrust upon us by
the Great War.
There are many evidences that such senti
ments exist among Republicans Of the Cen
tral Western states. For example, one need
only refer to the victory of Henry Ford in
the Michigan primaries, his large vote IN the
State of Nebraska, the public utterances Of.
Minority Leader Mann of the House Of Rep
resentatives, the votes cast By Republican
Senators and Representatives against the
Chamberlain army bill, including the Wads-
worth amendment and the declarations OF
many clergymen and college professors
against any material increase in our military
or naval equipment. All Of these indicate
that the Republican party Is not unit on
the gravest national questions.
similar condition confronted the Repub-
lican party in 1896. A very substantial ele-
ment in the silver states split from the Re
publican party and supported Mr.. Bryan. In
the Central Western states Republican poll
ticians were inclined to "pussy-foo" on the
question of the gold standard and to insist
that the issue of the campaign was the tariff.
Mr.. Hanna saw the campaign must be fought
on the question Of the gold standard, and as
a result hundreds of thousands Of Gold
Democrats and independents supported the
was firmly fixed as a national policy.
SO in 1916 the Republican party must adopt
straightout American policy and present
that candidate who typiies the issues Of the
campaign and who can attract to his standard
several million independent voters. A mid
die of the road policy or an attempt 10 1T
tract "all elements" by the nomination Of an
untried candidate would be equivalent to an
Endorsement Of President Wilson and would
insure his reelection.
In the early days OF the campaign Of 1896
there was a dearth Of popular interest on
the free silver question. IL required the
most strenuous campaign OF education ever
carried on IN this country to arouse the
electorate Of the nation to their duty. SO nl
1916 whole peoples of many states do not yet
appreciate the crisis which confronts ourl
country to-day. These voters must be aroused
TO the national peril They must be welded
into a homogeneous unit for adequate pre-
paredness and the maintenance Of national
self-respect.
Let no Republican comfort himself with the
delusion that this campaign will be easily
won. As a result Of the unprecedented de-
mand for American products by the European
beligerents and the lack OF competition mi
other foreign markets We are enjoying an un-l
precedentcd prosperity, utterly regardless of
the present tariff law.
The coming campaign cannot be won under
spineess leadership. II will require skilf1l'
leadership, strong personal popularity and.
dynamic energy in the candidate selected ir a
victory is to be won not only for the Repub-
lican party but for the cause Of Americanism
ABNER p. HAYES.
Waterbury, Conn, May 10, 1916