davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01
WHY WILSON FAILED.

National Republican: President Will
son has been an Opportunist, a time
server, a seeker of power for himself
and success for his party or faction.
The underlying motive of his career
has been wrong: Through his whole
political record runs the thread of
personal and party policy; not of pas
sion for service. This is the explain
alton of his frequent changes Of po-
|sition upon fundamental questions
which with men dedicated in spirit to
human service are matters of deep
seated conviction, for which those who
are possessed by such conviction would
battle to the end at any cost. At
Washington and. at Paris President
Wilson was realty to throw aside any
belief, any conviction, any idea or
ideal, for the glamor of temporary per-
sonal achievement. Therein he failed
as any man, great, or small, must fail.
Strategy, and not the passion for
real public service dictated the organic
alton Of the Wilson administration
from the beginning. TO the music OF
fine phrases which stirred the pulses
of every American who read them be-
fore they had been translated, or trans
posed, into deeds, President Wilson
chose a cabinet of incompetents. He
organized the national business for
failure. Every important post of pub
lie service was filled with a view to
personal and party strategy rather
than of the country's good. Some OF
the men originally appointed to cabi-
net posts President Wilson himself rep
Iudiatcd; others the public has repudi-
ated. @; t+i
The Wilson record on domestic ques-
Il tons was failure before the Euro
pean war began. The tariff law which
embodied the tNEilsOnian fiscal policies
had produced in midsummer of 1914
an industrial panic similar to that
which accompanied the Wilson tariff
law of twenty years before. Three
million .Americanwage earners, willing
and anxious to work, were jobless.
Millions of others were suffering losses
through this condition of unemploy-
ment. The national loss through this
slowing down Of American industry
under the existing tariff law was Il
billion dollars a month. If the Euro
pean war had hot been precipitated,
with its elimination Of European COM
petition in Aemiraan markets and the
tremendous demand which Immediately
arose abroad for the products of
American farms and mills, the Wilson
administration would inevitably have
been swept out Of power in 1916, as
disastrously defeated as the Cleveland
administration in 1894 and 1896.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

thousands Of new structures should
now be building, but they are in the
blueprint stage because Of the wrong
policy pursued by the government in
handling the nations money problems.
Smaller taxes would mean 4 POSSIBLE
ty of making money on smaller profits.
The high cost Of living would be struck
a deadly blow by reducing government
taxation. Building operations could
be resumed on big scale, which
would mean increased employment diff
fusion of money among the people, re-
duced rentals and greater public and
private comfort. These building oper-
|ations would encourage the extension
of trolley lines, electric light, water,
telephone and gas systems ard public
roads. Thus many branches Of in.
dustry would be invigorated and made
to yield wealth, which, in turn, would
yield taxes.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01
REDUCE The TAxEs.

Washington Post, ind: The present
taxes are extremely burdensome, both
directly and by discouraging enter
prise and thus throttling new sources
of revenue. If the country were less
tied down by the red tape of taxation
and the unwise effort to pay off the
whole cost of the, war within few
years there would be unprecedented
activity in the United States and the
new sources of wealth would yield a
large share of the taxes. The United
States is better able to pay the war
debt now than it was in 1918, because
Iof the increased population and
wealth; but it will be still better off
ten years from now.
The European governments are re-
funding their debts as fast as practic-
able, converting them into longtime
obligations which will be carried in
part by posterity. That is the common
SCuSc hlCtlIOu " puiSuS, SAhSS Viz pShN
fits of the war will be chiefly enjoyed
by posterity, while 1t is the present gen
Grafton that suffers most from all
kinds of losses and sacrifices.
1t is not wise to continue the pres
ent burden of taxation. The country
suffers from it in more directions than
can be specified or demonstrated. If it
were possible to figure up the total
earnings of possible new enterprises
strangled in their inception because of
the present taxes, an idea would be
gained of the handicap imposed upon
the present generation by saddling up
on it too great proportion of the war
debt. Excessive taxation is paralyzins
the building industry, which is not
meeting the imperative demands of
the new population of this country.
The people need more houses, more
business blocks and more railroad ter
minals and warehouses Hundreds of
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

Can anybody question the sincerity
Of William Howard Taft's support of
the principle of Il league of nations
He was strong enough for league to
support President Wilson's plan. Now,
however he sees there is no hope for
the kind of league covenant that Will
son brought home and in his Judgment
the surest way to secure some sort of
international agreement looking to the
plan suggested by Senator Harding.
Herbert Hoover. another well know
friend of league. agrees with Mr..
Taft
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01
WAVE OF IMMORTALITY.

Iowa Falls Citizen: Complaint is be-
ing made that the country is Icing
swept by Il wave of immortality, that
the nights are being married with orgies
of crime, that young girls are being en-
ticed away and ruined, that The dane
ing mania is rampant everywhere, and
that the ordinary rules of decent be
haviOr are becoming lax and loose.
Germany is being Mortified by naked
dancing, perhaps natural sequence OF
the war. Fathers and mothers and
brothers can do much in this country
by insisting on proper rules OF decorum.
1t is the life of your sister, not some
body else's sister, that is at stake. No
girl can afford to j. be. out running
around at night without her parents
knowing exactly where she is and
what she is doing, nor can she afford to
be doing anything of which she would
be ashamed to have her father or broth
er know. The manifest thing for every
girl to do is to keep away from all
places and conditions of temptation and
danger and ut all times to observe the
proper rules of behavior. There are
few girls who do not know what they
ought to do. The same may be said Of
bOyS.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

have which are contested if they are
going to be in position to cooperate
with President Harding. Senator Len
root is having hard fight in Wiscon-
sin. and the chances are against him,
as there is an Independent Republican
in the field who is being supported by
the LaFollctte faction. Senator Spen-
Ger is making the fight of his life III
Missouri. a Democrats state, and it
would not be surprising if he is defeat
ed. Smoot, too is threatened in Utah
and Watson will need every vote he
can get in Indiana. The Republicans
of Iowa who are dissatisfied with the
new railroad law can gain nothing by
defeating Cummins further than to
satisfy the spirit Of revenge, because
that law will not be repealed no matter
who is elected senator from Iowa or
any other state. 1t is a nOn-partisan
measure. When it was presented to
President Wilson for his signature, he
examined it carefully, as is his custom,
took his pen and wrote at the bottom
approved. Woodrow Wilson"
The Democratic platform says it
should be given fair trial and the
Democrats in the house and senate
who supported it. and nearly all OF
them voted for it, are not going to vote
for its repeal until it has been given
an opportunity to vindicate itself.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01
A FAIR STATEMENT.

When Secretary of War Baker re-
Gently visited Des MOines he was ask
ed some questions in writing and de-
ferrcd answering them until a later
date Recently he took occasion to re-
ply and stated the reasons for our en-
trance into the war. We didn't go into
the war to help anybody, to assist any
nation, to make the world safe for
democracy, for the fourteen points, or
for anything else except to protect the
rights and interests Of the United
States, according to Mr.. Bakers state
ment, and we believe he is right about
lit. His conclusions are in line with
those expressed by Senator Harding in
the United States senate when he was
explaining why he voted for war. Mr..
Baker says in part in his published
reply:
Subsequent subdivisions Of the
questions assert your belief that the
president, at the time Of our entrance
into the war, should have bargained
with Great Britain about Ireland. The
allies never sought our aid in the war
in the sense of your statement. The
American army went to France be-
cause congress decided that the vital
interests of our country were at stake
in the war levied upon us by the Ger
man empire. Clearly, neither the pres
ident nor congress would have been
justified in demanding price from
Great Britain as condition of our
willingness to defend our own inter-
ests, and any such arrangement as you
suggest would have been Il collateral
purpose which, whether desirable or
not, had nothing to do with the defense
of American rights against German
aggression. 1t is the singular glory OF
America that in chr participation In
the war she was able both to vindicate
her national rights, which had been as
lsailed, and to remain free from cOllat-
leral purposes beyond the general adj
vantage to all mankind which would
come from peace both just and perm
anent."
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01
FORGET suPER.MAN STUFF.

Times Republican: The discharge Of
Frcem' Conway as secretary Of the
Cedar Rapids commercial club be-
cause faction of the club want a
super-man at supcrsalary, for secre-
| tary is but Il manifestation of Il divi-
sion of sentiment that exists i'll every
commercial club. There is in every
| town group who think that all that
| is necessary to build up IL town is to
pay salary enough for booster secre-
tary and thereby obtain master mind
who will cloud the landscape with
smoke stacks by some magic power.
1T can't be did, as the boys will
say and if it could there is large ques-
ton whether it would be best for the
town. Cedar Rapids today is about
5000 times better as a city i'll which to
live than Chicago. New York or Pitts
burg. Cedar Rapids should be content
with Il wholesome normal and clean
growth. Whenever any of its own citi-
zens or their friends and acquaintance
have project worth while Cedar
Rapids Should get behind it and boost
but all the while the leading business
men of Cedar Rapids should be work
ing to make their town a better town
in which to live. Size in population
and smoke stacks will not make Cedar
Rapids as distinguished as it now Is
if qualify is lost in the growth.
Furthermore substantial, sound In
dustries do not follow the beck OF com
mercial clubs. They just grow. A
supcr-man as secretary could not bring
the Kind of industries that town
should desire. The business men OF
Cedar Rapids themselves must orga-
nize them, put their own money into
them and wait until they grow. This
is too slow process for the patience
of restless. aggressive spirits, but 1t
is the only process that will build up
a town. Forget the supcr-salaried,
super-man secretary idea, boys. There
is nothing in it and besides a good,
clean town like Cedar Rapids is far
better town than any great city belch-
ing smoke from thousand stacks and
swarnling with millions Of poorly
housed foreign born, illiterate, un-
Amcricanizcd tenement dwelling opera
tives.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01
WITH CUNINIINS IN IOWA.

New York Herald: With his home
spun devotion to American traditions
and his manly practice Of American
principles, it could not fail to give
Warren G. Harding satisfaction to go
into Iowa. where temporary illness
dcbars Senator Cummins from making
an active personal canvass for reclcc-
ton. And: to have had Mr.. Harding
go there could only rejoice the heart of
independent, self-rcliant American citi-
zenship.
Senator Cummins is now the object
of un-American assaults because in
the matter of railway legislation he
refused to do the bidding of public
ownership and labor union bosses. No
member of the senate had given deep
er study to the railway problem. No
member of congress in either branch
had acquired a more thorough UNDER
standing of the pressing dangers of the
transportation system and the impera-
tive needs of the country for better
carrying facilities and soundcr railroad
foundations. But his great work on
railway legislation earned for him the
bitter hatred of special classes.
Senator Cummins long had favored
public regulation of rates. At one per-
od he inclined strongly TO q control
which savorcd of state management.
But from his very mastery of the rail-
way problem he came TO Il full under
standing of the hppelcssness Of solu-
ton through government ownership or
operation. From his grasp of the rock
bottom details of the plight of the
roads and of the needs of the country
he gathered clear realization of the
fact that il the railroads were starved
by the rate making power the public
could not be served by the railroads.
From his long and arduous labors in
working out this vast national problem
he reached the conclusion that the
roads must be protected, to the extent
that such projection was possible and
practicable, from wanton strikes as dis
astrous to the nation as to the roads.
formed his heavy labors to save the
railroads for the good of the country
that they proclaimed that he had for
feited his political life.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01
LITTLE DIFFERENCE.

Gov. Cox insists that he will accept
such reservations to the league of ma
tons covenant, in the event OF his
election. as may be necessary to secure
ra tifcation, declaring that it can be
amended later on if desirable. That il
just the position w. J. Bryan took Il
year ago, saying it was unthinkable
that the matter should be deferred UNI
til the fourth of March, 1921, when the
new president takes his seat. But
Wilson and the Democrats in the Sen
ate Overruled Bryan and Wilson sue
cceded in getting reservations defeat
ed. Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Wilson has said
their minds are one on this proposition
and Mr.. Cox has insisted that lie would
carry out the Wilson pledges. SO it is
difficult to tell just what he will do if
given authority.
In his speech at Huntington, w. ",
the other day Mr.. Cox undertook to de-
fine his attitude and said:
81 will sit down with the senate and
reach an agreement about our going
into this league. There is no other,
and any talk of a new association is
but idle phrase. The important thing
is to get a start and help to stabilize
world conditions which vitally affect
the interest and welfare Of America.
For us to remain out of the league for
two years or until another election
could be held is unthinkable. If too
much has to be given to compromise
now in order to insure our entrance in
to the league, the people themselves
will have an opportunity to modify and
correct later. 1t cannot be a matter Of
executive will. The popular will vote
ed at the polls must control. The
sort of agreement which ] shall be en-
abled to obtain will be determined by
the senatorial elections"
In 1918 President Wilson made an
appeal to the people to elect Demo-
cratic congress if they wanted him to
be their "unembarrassed spokesman at
home and abroad" He knew and the
country knew that there would be Il
treaty to promulgate and ratify. The
people elected Republican congress,
but that fact made no difference to
President Wilson. He refused to ac-
cede to the wishes of the senate and
Gov Cox supported his attitude in his
and ridiculed the sugges-
lions Of Mr. Bryan to the effect that as
this was Il government of the people by
methods the president
should accept the Judgment of the ma
jority of the senate and acquiesce in
the reservations to the covenant that
the senate deemed wise. Now Mr.. Cox
is standing Squarcly upon this Bryan
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

If the election this year should hap
pen to be as close as it was four years
ago the state that is slowest in reveal
ing it's final place in the electoral col
lcge will be given undue credit for the
result, as California was in 1916. As
matter of fact California didn't dc
any more to elect Wilson the second
time than any other state of equal
strength in the electoral college that
voted for Wilson did. The fellow who
brings in the last score at a ball game
when the clubs are tied is given credit
for winning the game, but he does nc
more to win than the man did who
brought in the first score.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

pla tform, but he is standing there be-
cause, unquestionably, he thinks he can
get more votes by SO doing.
The governor is also initiating Sen
ator Harding's position, who has re-
peatedly said that he will consult with
the best minds of the country, if elect
ed president, take the matter up with
the senate and work out the best pos
sible plans for world league, saving
J all that is good in the Versailles cove
nant.
President Wilson and Gov. Cox have
much to say about 1.-THE solemn refer
endum' upon this question. But the
referendum is no more solemn upon
this than upon the other questions in
volved in the campaign! The Republic
can party stands for the re-establish-
ment of the protective principle and the
Dem ocratic party is against it. Would
Mr.. Cox for moment hold that if
the Republicans win congress the
Democrats should and will support tell
Republican tariff ideas? OF course
not. When the Republican party revis-
ed the tariff under Mckinley the Dem
ocrats in congress stood soildly against
the bill and the same situation prevail
ed when the tariff was reviesd under
the Taft administration.
But suppose referendum were be-
ling held, wouldn't senators and repre-
sentatives in the lower house be bound
to respect the judgment Of the voters
that elected them? The men elected
from Illinois would stand by the Hi
nois decision regardless Of the decision
in Mississippi or any other state. The
only way a referendum can be held
THAT is at all binding is when it is sub
mitted separately, freed from partisan
ship and voted for independently. Even
then it is not always respected.
Why, a number Of years ago Iowa
held a referendum on the question OF
prohibition and the people voted for
prohibition by majority of 10000. Yet
practically every Democrat elected to
the Iowa legislature bitterly opposed
every bill offered by the Republicans
in their attempts to comply with the
referendum of the people.
In 1916 the people of Iowa held a
referendum Oh the question OF woman
suffrage and the proposition was dc.
feated by something like 10000. How
ever, the legislature elected in 1915
promptly ratified the enlargement
amendment to the national constitu
ton. without party division.
And again a few years ago the ques
ton of constitutional prohibition was
submitted to the people and it was de
feated by a substantial majority, yet
the legislature elected in 1918 ratified
the national constitutional prohibitory
amendment, Democrats and Republi.
cans alike voting for it. 1t was held
and rightly, too. that conditions had
changed and the people OF Iowa
although they had voted against prohl
lbtion and woman suffrage only few
years ago, were now, undoubtedly, In
favor of both.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

Article X, as has been pointed out
from the first, is rather innocuous
declara ton of world purpose, when we
|examine it closely and note its specific
terms. The reason why'it has become
an issue with us is because the fight
against the league as whole was CEN
tered on it, and President Wilson rec
ognizing that the stand might as well
be taken at one point as another. took
his stand there.-Des MOines Register.
The Register, it seems, is trying to
belittle President Wilson. SO article \
sis a rather innOcuous declaration OF
world purpose?" But Mr.. Wilson has
said it is the heart of the league. In
nocuous declarations" would not ere
ate much of heart for anything.
SO the president opposed reserva-
lions to article ten because the fight
against the league was conferred ON that
article? He should have called the
opposition and made it show its
hand. He could have done that by ac-
quiescing in some changes in this in
nocuOus declaration"
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

Senator James A. Reed, of Missouri,
one of the ablest and most courageous
figures in public life today, says he
fears the influence of Woodrow Wilson
if Cox is elected president and of Elihu
Root if Harding is elected. But Mr..
Root has never indicated that he want
we'll as large share of the outside
world Moreover, Mr.. Harding is not
catering to Root, nor to any other in
dividual.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

1t is not surprising that Gov. Cox
and the entire Democratic party Is so
anxious to attract the attention Of the
country away from the Democratic rec
ord of administration during the past
seven and half years, by giving so
much time to discussions Of the league
covenant, but it will be surprising If Il
sufficient number of Republicans arc
caught by such bait to continue the
Democratic party in power another
four years There is no question OF
the ability of the president as IA
politician. He is past master IN the
game. He understands fully that the
Democratic party stands no show Oh
succcss this wear, and has understood
it ever since the 1918 elections, unless
the party can win upon something be-
sides its record. This is the reason, we
verify believe. why he refused to ac-
cept any reservations to the league
covenant. He thought there was a
chance for Democratic success II he
could fool the people a second time as
he did in 1916 1t was the rallying cry
that he kept us out of war. Now the cry
is that the league will keep us out OF
war. All right. it is Presidents Will
sons fault that we are not now Il mem
Der of The lea que and he hopes to reap
reward for his party because he sue
ceeded in keeping the question open for
the present campaign.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

If there are any Republicans i'll Iowa
who are going to vote for Cox and
have not yet written the Des Moines
Register about it they better hurry
or it will be too late. Judging from the
record as disclosed by the Register
columns there must be at least 200
or 800 Republicans in Iowa who will
vote the Democratic ticket this year.
That might cut the majority for Sena-
tor Harding below 100000.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-11-01

If Herring is elected governor OF
Iowa and has the opportunity he will
surely appoint a Democrat to the
United States senate who will vote for
a non-protective tariff and other laws
which Iowa is opposed to. This is a
good year for Republicans to vote her
straight, just as nearly all Democrats
Including Porter and Herring-are
going to vote their ticket.