Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1916-10-27
SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN FOR
WILSON.
(From the Springfield, Mass, Repub-

" iOiii liiS OPP lIlStltlut NlaSS., NeDuD-
lican)
Mr.. Wilson, in the face of difficult
ties and criticism such as have con-
fronted no president since Lincoln.
has accomplished much. To declare
his foreign policy futile is idle. The
conclusive answer is contained in
the bitter protests of the radical fac
ton i'll Germany that the German
submarines have been caught ain n
net of notes." The outstanding fact
is that Mr.. Wilson, without bringing
the United States into war, has
forced recognition of neutral right.
With relation to Mexico, Mr. Will
SON has grasped the underlying prin-
ciple that we shall not have a per-
manently peaceful neighbor to the
south of us until the most patent
wrongs which the masses of the
Mexican people have suffered are
righted through their own efforts.
The recognition of this principle in
the long run means the minimum of
evil to this country from the Mexi-
can problem. 1t is to Mr. Wilson's
everlasting credit that in spite of diff
ficulties, discouragements and pos
slbly of incidental mistakes, he has
not wavered in his endeavor to apply
this principle TO the changing cir
cumstances of the times.
MIR. Hughes Obligations.
Much is made, and very properly,
of the fact that Mr.. Hughes, il
elected, would take office free from
hampering pledges. But if free from
pledges he is not free from obliga-
tions. Having courted and gained the
support of Colonel Roosevelt. it would
be impossible for Mr.. Hughes, as a
matter of practical politics, to sign
treaty with Colombia redressng the
wrongs done that nation when Colo
mel Roosevelt "seized" the canal zone.
MIR. Roosevelt has angrily and bitterly
opposed such action on the part of
our government, correctly estimating
that 1T would be reputation of his
course and personal humiliation to
him. Consequently for Mr.. Hughes
to support such a treaty would be to
invite all experience to that which be-
fell Mr.. Taft. Yet adjustment of Co
!ombia's wrongs is important for the
United States, not merely as II matter
oil honor. but as matter of dollars
and cents in our commercial dealings
with all Latin-America, where sym-
pathy could be gained to so large n
degree by no other act.
Wilson is Progressive.
Under Mr.. Wilson's leadership the
democratic party is today a better
instrument of progressive govern
ment than in generation, if not i'm
ITS entire history, and, what is more
TO the point, better instrument. in
the opinion of this paper, than the
republican party promises at this
moment to become under Mr.. Hughes
Various episodes have emphasized
the tact that the Democratic party
mas mad comparatively few outstand-
ing leaders OF national reputation.
But 1t is one Of the chief items of
Mr. Wilson's leadership that during
MS term progressive and enlightened
democrats such as Newton ID. Baker.
secretary OF war, have been brought
more and more to the front while
the reactionaries have been sent more
ana more to the rear. The party has
been In training and it has gained
But IN spite OF any comparative lack
of leaders, the democrats meeting in
caucus, whenever caucus has been ne
cessary, have threshed things out and
determined to support, one after
another, long series of soundly con-
structive legislative measures of his
toric Importance, notably among them
the income tax, the banking and cur
rency act, the rural credits act, the
child labor. bill, the federal unemnloy
ment service, the humanitarian fea-
lures of the seamen's act and the
provislon for vocational training for
civil life in the army. TO achieve
such a record without leaders. if il
were literally true that the democrats
mad had no leaders would be in itself a
triumph OF democracy and better
promise than any amount of leader
snip stamped with the political concep-