Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-02
TAFT CALLS ON
NATION TO ELECT
PARTY CONGRESS
Republicans Best Qualified TO
Determine Problems Fol-
lowing World Peace

Portsmouth, n. H., Nov. 2.-For-
mer President William II. Taft, in
an address here, called upon the
people of the country to elect 4
Republican Congress next Tuesday.
That Congress will begin to en-
ercise its power on the fourth OF
March, 1912" said Mr.. Taft, and
will not go out of office until
the fourth of March, 1921. During
the two-year period of its life some
of the most important issues this
country has ever had in its history
are to be settled. The question
which you have to decide is who
are to settle them.
The Germans for fifty years have
spent their time in creating a mag
niicent military machine. and
while all can see the handwriting
on the wall there still is formidable
resistance to be overcome. This
will be greater if we insist upon an
unconditional surrender, as we
must.
This war has not been fought by
the President only. 1t has not been
fought by the Secretary of War
only. 1t has not been fought by
our armies in the field alone. This
war is the war of the solid Ameri-
can people. 1t is they and their
growing intensity and indignation
and soul-stirring unanimity in the
spirit of sacrifice who have carried
this war, so far as the United States
tory stage. Win a Democratic
Congress be more likely really to
help than a Republican Congress?
How can we judge? Only by what
the Democratic majority has done
in this war in Congress, and what
the Republican minority has done.
Which in view of it's record in the
present Congress is morely likely
TO stand back of the President effec-
lively for the winning of the war
and holding him TO an unconditional
surrender?
The example of Lincoln in call
ing his political opponents, who
sympathiZed with the war, into his
councils. was specifically rejected
and a course pursued which Justl-
fies the statement that never in
peace OF war have We had a more
partisan administration than during
this critical period in the nations
life. The Republican party was
represented only by the Republican
minority in the House and the Re
publican minority in the Senate. The
members of that minority have been
moved in their concerted action by
no partisan purpose. The country
owes much to them for the Stim-
illus to better "a preparation by
forcing public attention upon its
defects. Without them and their
votes and the leadership of such
men as Julius Kahn in the House,
the Draft Act would have failed
and the raising of our armies would
have been impossible. What we
have had of the Democratic ma
jority and its leaders is a fair basis
for Judging what we may expect OF
another Democratic majority if that
be returned. With these lessons of
the past before the people of the
United States, how can there be
any hesitation in returning a Re
publican majority to each house so
far as the war is concerned and
maintaining the proper lighting
trim of our gallant armies?
President Wilson fails to recog-
nize that without the Republican
minority his prosecution of the war
would have been a failure. He asks
the American people to entrust him
with unlimited control over the set
tlement of a peace that will AFFECT
them for a century. when he mas
given many evidences of a wish 10
pursue a course against which their
faces are set like flint, to-wit, peace
by negotiation. His appeal for un-
restrained power is unprecedented IN
the annals of the country, and 1t is
as unrepublican as it is unnecessary.
The President expresses the fear
that the election of a Republican
majority IN either House will embar-
rass him abroad as a vote of want
of confidence in his prosecution OF
the var is wholly without force.
The return of a Republican Congress
will confirm our Allies in q knowi-
edge that the American people in
sist upon unconditional surrender
and repudiate a pace by negotia-
ton. 1t will make for the united
action of the Allies and the achieve
ment of the high purpose of the
world in this war.
THE character OF thu Presl-
dents appeal, the ~partisanship which
in the light of his whole administra-
ton can be read between the lines,
his utter misunderstanding of our
constitutional form Of government,
and its division of power IN order
to secure popular safety and con-
troll, require from the people now
the reputation OF the appeal and
the return of 4 Republican Con-
gress."