Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-10-27

uOWCftI, QcDCllOS uHVh "A 0tEIcc "
which the people are interested or III
interested in the campaign. The less
the people are interested. the more
campaign work counts, but the more
they are interested, the less campaign
work counts. When the deep, silent
un%der-currents of public sentiment
have set in, in favor of any particular
candidate, all the campaigning in the
world that can be done for his oppo-
nent will avail little or nothing.
In all probability the election that
will take place en- November seventh
next is decided at this minute. This is
indicated by the general complaints
made by campaign managers that
there seems to be a disposition on the
part of the people not to attend polit-
ical meetings or to manifest other
signs of interest in the election. 1t
should not be assumed from this COM
plant that the people feel no concern
over the situation, but rather should it
be assumed that the great majority of
them have made up their minds how
they shall vote and no amount of argu-
ment or influence can persuade them
to vote otherwise. The deep under
currents Of sentiment have set In to-
ward one Of the two candidates, and
all the signs indicate that Mr.. Hughes
is the candidate so favored.
Some Of the Big Issues.
There are a great many important
issues In the present contest which
affect different classes Of people diff
ferently and will have more or less of
an influence upon the general result.
These issues, such as u attitude to-
ward the belligerent nations in Eu-
rope, the Mexican situation, the tariff
question and the so-called eight-hour
law, are receiving full attention from
the campaign orators and are exhaus-
lively discussed In the newspapers.
Many voters are p~redisposed or preju-
diced one way Oh the other on the
questions thus presented, but 1t seems
a safe assumption that the average.
everyday American citizen, who rep
resents the great bulk of the voting
strength of the nation, has asked him
self which of the two, Hughes or Will
son, is the safer man with whom to
entrust the vital affairs of the govern
ment for the next four years and has
answered the question to his own
satisfaction in favor of Mr.. Hughes.
1t Is not a question with the great
mass of the people whether Hughes
favors this or that Or whether Wilson
Is for this or against that, but what
they are principally concerned about is
which of the two candidates is the
better fitted by his record and his
character to serve their interests. And
here comes the crux of the situation.
Any close observer of public opinion,
any one who keeps his finger on the
pulse of the people, knows that the
general impression prevails that Will
sons house is built upon shifting
sands and that Hughes stands as solid
as a rock against the buffeting waves
and tides of passion, clamor and preju-
dice.
Wilson az a Self Reverser.
It is a fact and not a mere campaign
accusation that President Wilson has
reversed himself on almost every grea.
issue that has confronted the country
In the last three years and a half. He
has reversed himself on the subject of
Panama tolls, on the subject of a tariff
and Tariff Commission, on Prepared
ness and the national defense, on the
question of a single term, and he has
displayed so much vacillation and in
decision In his dealings with foreign
nations that 1t is difficult to acquit him
of the charge of having no fixed policy
at all. An analysis of the Presidents
public acts and statements leads the
thoughtful citizen inevitably to the con-
clusion that Mr.. Wilson must first have
been wrong on these questions Oh
which he has changed front, or that he
has changed front On these questions
with an eye single to political expe.
diency.
MI. Hughes has in a masterful way
exposed the false pretenses of the S
called eight-hour law. He has shown
and is showing that the law was not
enacted to provide an eight hour day.
which 1t does not do, but was enacted
to give a small class of employees, the
highest paid class In the country, an
increase of twenty-five per cent In
wages. He is showing that when a
government based on order and deliber-
alton gives way to a threat of force,
the power and integrity of that govern
ment are shaken and the rights of the
whole people are dangerously invaded.
He has shown and is showing that If
our government be given the right to
increase wages. it will have the right
to reduce wages If it see fit to do SO.
But in making this exposure of the fal-
lacies and dangers of the Adamson
law, Mr.. Hughes has an additional OBJ
ject in view, and that is to show the
American people that the Presidents
attitude on this measure was only an
other indication of his readiness to fol-