Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-07-13
FAIRBANKS INsTRUCTs HUGHES

About one minute after he had
thrown off the robe of the greatest
of judicial offices, Mr. Hughes sub
scribed his name to this statement:
lit is regrettabiy true that in our
foreign relations we have suffered in
calculably from the weak and yacil-
lating course which has been taken
with regard to Mexico-a course
lamentably wrong with regard to
both our rights and duties
Ii this utterance was not an mex
cusable Indictment to war upon a
weak nation at a time when the ad-
mlnistration was facing many provo
cations south of the Rio Grande, it
was an exhibition of reckless parti-
sanship which happily has few paral-
lels in the history of the country.
For sixty years some Americans
have been in favor of invading, con-
quering and anneXing Mexico, but
they have been found in the ranks of
our get-rlch-quic tilibusters and jim
goes and not among the justices of
the supreme court of the United
States.
Practically every disinterested
American for two generations has ap-
proved in compassion the policy first
announced by Abraham Lincoln,
which Mr.. Hughes in haste and bit
terness denounces rs weak and vacil-
lating aud lamentably wrong.
Citing notable case in proof of
this, The World Oh Sunday repub-
lished an address by Charles w. Fair
banks to the Editorial association of
Indiana in 1918. in which he said
president Wilson is dealing with
it (the Mexican situation) az best he
can. We may not entirely agree that
his course is better than that of his
distinguished predecessor, neverthe-
less we should endeavor to uphold
his hands. There should be no diff
ference of opinion rs to that. BY
doing so we shall make his task q
comparatively easy one.
"lt Is not an hour for either little
politics or sensational journalism.
The clamor of the jingoes should not
be allowed to drown the voice of
rational, deliberate craftsmanship.
1T is a pretty safe rule, when we
come to deal with grave international
problems, to put our faith in the
president of the United States and
follow where he may lead He speaks
for the country when we come to deal
with international affairs. The
president OF the United States is a
safer guide than sensationalists and
the soldiers of fortune who come to
the surface whenever international
controversies arise.
Mr.. Fairbanks today is associated
with Mr.. Hughes AS the republican
candidate for vice president. He has
been active in politics for more than
twenty-five years and nobody has
ever questioned his robust partyism.
A lawyer, he has had no experience
as a judge, and so he has not been
accustomed to divest himself of parti-
sanship. ct he is able to instruct
Mr.. Hughes on a point of personal
fairness and public decency.
The presidential campaign is GER
tain to be conducted on high plane
unless Mr. Hughes shall otherwise
elect. There will be no war with q
distracted and impoverished neighbor
unless passion and folly shall SO
decree.
If Mr.. Hughes persists in the error
of his telegram of acceptance and
ignores the patriotic counsels of Mr.
Fairbanks and the example of Abra.
ham Lincoln, we regret to say that
the passion and folly are likely to be
on this side of the, border New
York World.