The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1918-07-04
KEEPING WITHIN THE LIMITS.

AS the months and weeks pass it is apparent that the
big issues before the people at the next presidential eec
ton will be that of government ownership This is espe
cially liable to be the case if the war is
If the shall not have ended by the time of the
quadreal canvass then with that question undoubtedly
will be that Of the reelection of President Woodrow
Wilson-f the action of the Indiana Democratic conve
ton properly indicates the trend of Democratic tot
While it may be taking liberties with the future to
thus place these two questions in the lmeght for many
things may happen in two years. yet there is sufficient
warrant for this in the present trend of events That
being true the public should consider what is the proper
attitude to take upon each.
If the is still being fought, and we have millions
Of men foreign SOIL fighting for the very essence of
democracy and for the liberties of mankind, Americans
will of necessity be compelled to consider the presidential
canvass from greater and wider viewpoint than that Of
domestic affairs For the time being internal questions Of
policy must perforcc be reegated to the background of
political thot and action What do and how vote
must be determined, 10 large measure the effect 1t
will have upon the of the allied and how It
will be considered in foreign lands.
Assuredy there will not be repeated the blunder made
by the Democratic party in 1864 when in its Chicago
vention August Belmont Horatio Seymour and other
leaders guided by the maign Valandigham of Ohio
characterized Lincon's administration and rcpudiated
the Union offering all but absolute surrender to the
Secessonsts.
That will not be the ease for both of the major parties
united the proposition that the must be
The question then arises ''Io what extent may oppo'
sition and criticism of of the administration go with
out giving and and comfort to the enemy and thus in
To that question both and Republicans and the Demo-
Gratis should address themselves. for they should under
stand that tho all the people do not subscribe to the die
tmn that poitcs is djouned, there is sufficient num-
Der who do believe that should be, that they will resent
ubridlcd criticism which, matter how indirectly,
would nevertheless miurc the for which the whole
nation is fighting For that the Republicans should
keep within due bounds
On the other hand Democrats should recall the record
of their party in 1864 when the martyred Lincoln
revled by leaders and speakers of the Democratic party
that students today hardly believe such actions poss
BILE And while they may properly resent unjust unfair
criticism of their record they should invite free and
fair consideration of the history they have made in their
stewardship of the past eight years
Criticism that is instructive and constructive is po
tent force in democracy The right to make such cr
es need be abridged protect the interest of all the
people But that does not mean that the political cam
paign which will take place this fall and that two
years hence should go the extreme of causing division
among the electorate degree that will lose sight of the
great and powerng duty to destroy the Hun and his
magn influence i'm the world.
BUY w s. S.