Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-02

Editor Every Evening Mr. Taft's
speech last evening before a crowded and
very appreciative audience was un-
douhtedly fine exhibition Of logical
power and very speclous and adrOit
special pleading
But the fabric he reared with so much
oratorical skill, grace and humor was
really founded upon airy nothings.
Although he furnished his hearers with
delightful intellectual treat, vet il was
impossible not to suspect that he was
conscious that he WAS the self-deudcd
victim of sincere belief in his own in
sincerity
Most Of his speech was devoted 10 try
ing to show that the fourteen items Of
President Wilson 5 terms of peace We're
not sufficiently specific and sat isfactorv.
But he proved that he was a better critic
than constructive statesman for ~ did
not attempt to specify what better terms
he or his party preferred 10 offer IN lieu
Of the President ; terms. which have sub
stantiallv been approved by our Allies,
and entirely accepted hy Germany and
her allies
He contended that the President could
not have carried out his leading war
measures without the help rendered him
by Republican Senators and Repre-
sentatives. and especially the enactment
Of the Draft act which ne saws. the Re
publicans originated and which really has
decided the war; and that therefore. as
he claims. the Republicans are entitled
to have the credit for the successful con
duct of the war and the maintenance of
our rights and liberties intact
He omitted TO mention, however, that
the majority of the Republican members
OF the House voted III favor OF the Nc
Dernore resolution forbidding Americans
TO exercise their right to the freedom Of
the seas, and that if the Republicans and
not the Democrats, had had the con-
trolling majority in Congress, said resolu-
tion would have passed and then W.
might have had no war at all with Ger
many. and no glorious part In the world
WIDE struggle for free government, hu
manity and Christian civilization, and
conseouentlv no credit for the Republican
party.
He did, however, declare that there was
no improprietv IN the President appeal
to the people to elect majority OF Demo
cratic Senators and Representatives, and
he thus rebuked the Incorporate Repub-
lican attacks upon Wilson for exercising
this legitimate and appropriate right
Mr. Taft is foremost among the ablest
statesmen and most powerful and active
advertiser of his party and its politics
Yet it was unfortunate to every intel
hgent and impartial auditor present that
he was obliged TO resort to really trivial
criticism of comparatively minor and
international public matters, and that he
was laboriously striving 10 create noun
tairs out Of molehils In short, Mr. Taft
made it perfectly clear that the Repub-
hcan leaders realized that President Viii
son and the extraordinary success Of hls
administration had completely taken the
wind out OF their sails and left them no
political capital and no substantial
grounds in this campaign for asking the
American people TO repudiate the PresI-
dent and refuse his just appeal for
friendly Congress which will cordially and
harmoniotsly support him and his wise
policies and efficient administrative
measures
Observer