The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-10-05
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
A REASONED CHOICE

placcd chief emphasis the word "lndependent'
Never having followed in blind faith any political
| leader OF party, it has exercised the right TO eN-
pross its sincere convictions all public matters
without fear or favor During the past three years
| il has felt compelled to oppose various policies
acts and utteranceS of Democratic Admlnstra-
ton Not one word of this criticism does 1t regret
| or would now wish to withdraw. Yet the larger
question of preference between parties remalnS
and at this point in the Presidential campaign it is
fitting that the reasons for that preference be
frankly discussed.
In a gratifying way the progress of the political
debate which has been engaging the attention OF
the country has cleared away great deal OF rub
bish which encountered it at the beginning NO
responsible Republican any longer trothS at the
mouth in charging that President Roosevelt Is SET
ting out to be dictator after the style OF Stah
or Hitler. The wild assertions that ne intends 10
tear up the Constitution and destroy the Supreme
Court are not heard today from any serious speak
en- The Democratic platform by its silence really
put QuietuS upon the excited orators who were
saying such things. Equally, on the other side OF
the party fence, ridiculous personal accusations
have fallen to the earth. No opcn-eyed man speaks
today of Governor Landon as hopeless reaction
airy. To call him creature of Hearst now pro-
vokes only a smile. That he will be willing tool
of wall Street" and the big corporations is be-
Hcvcd only by those who believe anything that they
hear said in loud voice. The two candidates, Lam
don and Roosevelt. stand as party leaders today
free of all this political mummery.
This leaves the way open for an estimate OF the
issues as they exist at this time between the two
parties. Discussion has increasingly shown that AT
MANY points the lines are not sharply drawn. If the
lol atta no IL
ministration and all its works, they have since
dropped that strategy. Governor Landon mas open
" adopted several Administration policies. He
would use every dollar of federal money necessary
to care for the needy He finds fault with the Ad-
ministration's farm policy mainly on the GROUND
that it does not go so far, spend much money,
as he proposes to do. Other adaptations OF con-
limitations of the Roosevelt policy respecting drouth
relief soil erosion. and prevention OF floods, strong
Federal protection for the investor and penalty for
the reckless or crooked promoter Governor Landon
quietly makes his own
One outstanding argument, however, runs heaV-
Iv against the Republican party and its leader in
this campaign. They have advocated even II only
half-heartedy. a policy of aloofness and isolation
for the United States, They would make protective
tariffs more prohibitive of foreign trade than ever
before They would at once abrogate the existing
recrprocal trade agreements, and repeal the very
law which gives the President power to negotiate
these agreements-a law long endorsed by eminent
Republicans Those treaties already in effect they
attack as destructive to the true interests of Amer
lean farmers After thus proposing to do all IN
their power by legislation to shut foreigners out
of our markets, the Republicans proceed to the
pitch of absurdity and efrontery by demanding
he "
ing them Of the means of paying All this policy,
which NAV be called that of Little Americans,
leaves the advantage on international issues dis
tinctly with the Democrats.
Reviewing all these factors, weighing what has
been ACCOMPLISHED what is now proposed and what
uncertainties still lie ahead, The New York Times,
a conservative newspaper in its own sphere, be-
leves that the public welfare will best be served
this year nv the continuance of the Democratic
party in power and by the reelection of the Presi-
dent Three considerations which regard as
dominant in the circumstances have led us to TINS
conclusion:
First, we believe that Mr.. Roosevelt is Keen
enough Judge of public opinion to make his second
Administration more conservative than his hrst IN
tho sense that conservatism means consolidating
ground already gained and perfecting measures
host;Iv enacted We believe this both because the
tide Of public opinion is running with steadily
increasing strength against hasty experimentation
and because the President himself has moved DEN
nitelv in this direction. 1t is significant that most
Of the genuinely radical ideas sponsored by the
Roosevelt Administration ideas which were radical
in the sense that they departed abruptly from the
American tradition-NRA and AAA, for example
were products of the panic period, when, as the
personal experience of Governor Landon testihes'
MANY Republicans and many conservatives hailed
these very innovations essential to the safety OF
the country.
Second, not only do we believe that forces now
operating strongly will tend to make the next
Roosevelt Administration more conservative, IN the
sense of conserving the best of what has been ac-
complshed since 1888 also believe that in
very fundamental way the Presidents reelection
will provide insurance against radicalism of the sort
which the United States has most to fear. We say
this for several reasons.
1t would be blind not to recognize the necessity
of adapting and amelorating our political and Geo.
nomic structure to the changing circumstances OF
the modern world and equally blind not to appre-
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