The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-07-24

Eiihu Root Says Party Contests should
Not he Wagcd Where Damage
from Disloyal Votes Threatens.


ever danger from disloyal votes does
not threaten. we should strive vigor-
ously to elect republicans to the SEN
ate and the house of Representatives"
declared Former United States Sena-
tor Elihu Root. i'm an address he de-
livered here tonight before the in
formal Republican State convention.
The proper conduct of the war re-
Quires loyal republicans i'm congress"
continued Mr.. Root. mo governments
can AFFORD to go on without the test
and criticisms of policy and perform
ance which can hardly be furnished
during the continuance of this war
except by putting republicans i'm con-
gress. With the tremendous power
which the exigencies of war have
vested I'm the executive branch of gov
ernment. IL is very difficult for legisla-
tive members of the party i'm power
TO express. or indeed To form, inde-
pendent Judgment. and to subject
measures proposed for legislation to
the process of correction and improve
ment by discussion and amendment
Yet without this. terrible mistakes are
certain to he made. a study of re-
cent legislation will shov that the in
dependent support OF the republicans
in the senate and i'm the house given
10 every forward step of the presi-
dent In the conduct of the war. not be-
cause party leader told them to give
IL, but because their loyalty and
judgment constrained them to give it.
has been of the highest value. No ma.
ton can dispense with the kind of in,
dependent and feafless service which
was rendered by Augustus Gardner
OF Massachusetts when he led the
night for preparedness, and by Ju-
Illus Kahn of California when he led
the house of representatives in the
passage of the selective draft act. 1t
Is moderate statement that n large
part of the democrats who exercise
power i'm Washington are not very
familiar with the vast and complicat-
ed industry and commerce and fin
ance which underlie the taxpaying
power OF the United States. Nor are
they very sympathetic with the men
who are engaged i'm that industry
and commerce and finance. There are
some men among them who seem to-
feel that an element of punishment
may properly he included i'm taxa
tion. That Is dangerous i'm the
highest degree. Taxation should be
absolutely controlled by the purpose
to raise the necessary revenue and
preserve the sources of revenue by
fair distribution of the burden, and
unless there Is independence and
courage to insist upon this principle
we are liable to he hampercd I'm the
war by sharp decline i'm our power
to raise money.
There is another reason for sending
republicans to Washington arising
from the effect upon American poll
tical and social institutions which
must result from the measures neces-
sary To carry on the war
I'VE have been building up by great
mass of statutes an executive author
ity unprecedented i'm scope and abso-
lutism. We have done with alacrity
because II was necessary for the con-
duct OF the war. We shall continue
IL so long as the war lasts. But when
the war ends. all this system OF exc
cutive government will have to be un-
scrambled and we shall have to get
back To government of limited pow
ers and individual freedom. We shall
rot go back where we were. That
never can he done And IL ought not
10 be done. because we are learning
valuable lessons and we must utilize
them In the Encouragement which fol-
'N"' 'hN Wai. nut lntl Ic-aff1nSc-
ment must be based upon the same
fundamental principles which have
made America great and free. Never
In American history have brains and
character been needed more I'm the
Congress of the United States than
they will be at the time. probably
within the life Of the next congress
when Germany breaks and peace
comes.
Beyond that day of victory new
world will rise from the ashes Of
sacrifice. The new relations i'm n
community of nations subject To the
rule OF law ana morale. and the cx-
tension and development of the prin-
ciple of sclf-governcd freedom. will
demand the highest capacity for poll
teal organization md uuI,lic service