The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-01
Only Election Can Show il
Bold Course Was Correct
Way to Win
ISSUES ELIMINATED
AS THEY APPEARED
AS Practical Candidate Chief Execu-
tive Has Not QuibbIed at Changing
Mind Whenever He Thought 1t
Necessary in Campaign
by HUGH w. ROBERTS

Washington, September so.-(spe-
ciaL only the result of the presf.
Dental campaign can determine thu
status of Woodrow Wilson as a politi.
clan. The chief executive has played a
game and an exceedingly bold game.
The conservative estimate at the pres.
emit time is that the republicans stand
a better chance to win than the demo-
Gratis. There is. however. no question
but that the issue is in doubt.
What is the political game that Mr..
Wilson has played? It was his purpose
to eliminate all possible issues between
the two parties-to give Mr.. Hughes
nothing on which to stand, nothing on
which to cite difference. AS a result
the voter must with his ballot favor
Hughes, personally, over Wilson, or
vice versa. Between the two. from a
personal standpoint, there is little ma
terial difference. Both are upright. In
telligent, possessed of a sublime cona-
dence in themselves. and a certain un-
attractive aloofness which Is sometimes
construed as GOODNESS"
Democratic campaign leaders are APP
parently willing to submit the contest
on an issue of personality. Independents
observers. however, are OF the opinion
that while 1t sometimes happens that
democracy carries northern state on
a vital, economic issue. all states
above the Mason Dixon line, with the
possible exception of Indiana. are
normally republican. With nothing vital
at stake, can Wilson win?
ELIMINATING ISSUES
1t is the opinion in the east that the
cause which prompted Mr.. Wilson so
often to change his mind on questions
of legislation was his desire to elimi-
nate political or party issues. In the
beginning. as is recalled, Mr.. Wilson
inveighed against preparedness
When it was evident that prepared
ness" would be an issue, he declared
for preparedness" and IT was only the
insistenoe OF democratic congressional
leaders which prevented the achieve
ment of preparedness" to an extrav-
agant degree.
And then the republicans set up a
cry for a tariff commission. Mr.. Wilson
ate train commission. The republican
cry became more insistent. Mr.. Wilson
declared for a tariff commission, and
Congress acted in response to his
declaration.
And then the republicans, criticixing
the tariff, declared that following the
war German importations would de-
stroy those American industries which
had undertaken the manufacture of
|dyestuffs. Mr.. Wilson. after hesitating.
declared for a protective. really q pro-
hibitive. duty on dyestuffs, and forced
Congress, through the enactpent of such
provisions. to abandon the principles
of the party and adopt doctrine in-
herently republican.
G.. o. p. SOUGHT ISSUES
On the other hand. 1t is evident that
the republicans wanted an issue. They
feared to risk the battle on the merits
of "whiskers or no whiskers." And so,
Mr.. Hughes, despite the inhibitions OF
his platform, declared for equal sur
frage through the enactment OF an
amendment to the federal constitution.
And there was an issue-even though
it was and Is a very small. insignihcant
issue. But for several weeks following
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