The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-10-04
WHY CHARLES e. HUGHES IS THE
1916 "HOPE."

One of the chief bones Of contention
in the coming presidential election
will be free-trade versus protection
Free trade means that the American
manufacturer most compete with
goods made in Europe and Asia un-
der conditions which allow their man
ufacture at a much lower cost than
they are produced in this country.
Free trade would cause a violent dis
turbance in the business and fnan-
cial circles here, probably amounting
to a panic Merchants and manufac-
turers would be driven to bankruptcy,
factories would close, armies of men
would be unemployed, wages would
be greatly reduced, farmers would
have to work harder and sell their
produce for less, competition with the
underpaid peasant labor in Europe
and Asia would make conditions in
this country similar to those of for
eign countries, and the working man
OF the United States would change to
an underpaid subservient peasant
class Who wants to be like the Ash
attic coolie?
The effects of free trade are not
yet in evidence due to the artificial
war prosperity, but after the war this
country will be flooded with cheaply
made goods from Asia and Europe
Free trade means that the revenue
formerly derived from import duties
will have to be gained by direct taxa
ton. We have had taste of it III
the war tax" on so many items.
Protection means prosperity for all
If the manufactures is prosperous he
will pay his employees goods wages.
The factories will all be running and
there will be no army of unemployed
If our exports exceed our imports
there will be a full treasury and less
direct taxation. If American produce
does not have to compete with cheap
labor every producer will get more for
what he turns out By protection is
not meant exhOrbitant import duties
ties on imported articles which are
manufactured and produced in this
country, to afford American capital
and labor the fair chance which is due
them
The Republican party stands for
protection, the Democratic party
stands for free trade. Take your
choice.
The Candidates Records.
Either Mr. Hughes or Mr.. Wilson
will be our next president. 1t is for
American voters to choose which man
he wishes to guide the ship of state
The president must be capable of
have the records of each candidate to
judge by
For the past four years Mr. Wilson
has been our president In Mexico his
policy has been failure. Villa is still
at large, Carranza is unable to con-
troll the situation and he virtually
defies the United States The deaths
of American men, women and child
rem at the hands of Mexican bandits
were not prevented and remain I'M
avenged A vacilating policy has been
pursued with Mexico throughout and
secrecy has been strictly observed in
the dealings with this country, as it
has on other questions, instead of the
promised "pitiless publicity"
He Kept Us Out of War9
Has he kept us out of war? Vera
Cruz was occupied by armed forces
General Pershing's army is now in
Mexico, both acts of war. Wilson's
policy with all the warning powers
would have involved us in war if they
were not too busy Why he couldn't
have forced a war; Mexico is too
weak to fight. Even the neutral coun-
tries directly adjacent to the warning
powers are not at war so how could
we so far removed get mixed in.
Truly it is not remarkable that we are
not at war spite of the presidents
actions
The submarine controversy is quiet
ed, but the situation is not settled.
Notes, idle threats, and final defeat
is really all that resulted. Nothing
has been accomplished
Great Britain has not been called
to account for intering with our COM
merce for taking possession of ships
and cargoes. nor for robbing our
mails. Protests have been entered.
but they proved unavailing and the
administration accepted defeat and
backed down.
Party pledges have been ignored by
the president He has taken things
in his own hands and done as he
pleased
Mr.. Hughes Record.
Charles E. Hughes has a good rec
ord behind him. From 1910 to 1916
he served as chief Justice of the SUI
preme court of America. While on
this body he proved to the nation
that he belives in justice, that he can
recognize justice when he sees it, and