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The Commoner
OCTOBER, 1916
15W
The Outlook
Every day increases the prospects of demo
cratic success in November. The women are for
"Wilson because he has kept the county out of
war with Mexico and out of the war in Europe.
The farmers are for Wilson because of the
Pural Credits law and other legislation in the
interest of agriculture; business men are for
Wilson because of the Currency law; labor is
for Wilson because of the Eight-Hour Day law
and legislation against government by injunc
tion. These are special reasons that appeal to
different classes, but all classes appreciate the
fact that the President has considered all ques
tions from the standpoint of the masses, while
Mr. Hughes, like Mr. Taft, stands for the big
interests as against the people.
Let every democrat work from now. until the
polls close to make it unanimous.
W. J. BRYAN.
REAL BRAVERY
A press dispatch gives the following illustra
tion of real bravery:
"New York, Aug. 28. Through the plague
stricken district of New York, Miss Theodora
Booth, daughter of General Ballington Booth of
the Salvation army, last week observed the suf
fering being wrought by infantile paralysis.
" 'We are looking for someone of strong phy
sique to inoculate with infantile paralysis virus,'
one of the tired doctors told her.
" 'I'm willing to be inoculated,' spoke up the
young woman.
" 'But,' said the physician, 'it might mean
your death you wpuld have to pass through
every stage of the disease.'
" 'I'd sacrifice my life if it would moan any
thing to- thcao little children l see suffering,' she
said firmly. -
"The physicia'n said nothing more about the
offer, but when Miss Booth returned to- her
father's home at Blue Point, L. I., she showed
her boast wasnot an idle one. She sent out
word that she would be a subject for the experi
ments the physicians wish to make. Because of
her athletic physique, she may be chosen.
" 'I would do anything,' she said. 'My life is
iot worth as much as the hundreds of children
hat I might save.' "
'The above is commended to professional sol
diers and .jingo ministers. This will doubtless
suem like weakness to those who exalt killing as
a manly art; but it is the Christian way, and it
is as high above the brute method as heaven is
above the earth.
CONGRESSMAN HENSLEY
Among the many congressmen who have done
well, Congressman Hensley of Missouri i deserves
special mention for his untiring efforts, in behalf
of peace. He should be returned by unanimous
vote.
PROHIBITION GROWING
Nineteen states dry and eloven have gone
dry within four years. That is a good record,
but it is better than that. Several states aro
voting this year and four more aro preparing to
vote on the subject next year, with several oth
ers approaching the issue. By 1920 not loss
than twenty-six and probably thirty states will
bo dry.
And what is the record of the democratic
party? Eleven of the nineteen dry states go
democratic at every election, and the democrats
are leading the fight for prohibition in Texas,
Florida,' Montana, Utah, Iowa, and Now Mexico.
The young men coming out of the colleges aro in
the fight for prohibition. The future is theirs.
Watch your step, and your vote.
MORE POLISHED, BUT
Senator Root's speech defending Mr. Hughes
is more polished than the speches of his candi
date and Colonel Roosevelt, but the ideas-Well,
the ideas are Mr. Root's, the same Mr. Root
who prepared a constitution for New York. And
what was the fate of the constitution? Defeated
by several hundred thousand.
Colonel Roosevelt declares in a speech that
the United States must be strong enough to de
fend herself against all foes and must also never
wrong the weak. The colonel will probably ex
cept the United States of Colombia from the
latter list.
Mr. Hughes has had a hard time of it finding
an issue that any considerable number of per
sons were interested in. With all of the planks
that Boies Penrose and the other boys put into
the republican platform the candidate ought to
be able to find one at least that would float.
The value of a straw vote on the presidency
is most evident and best appreciated by a man
if Hi rcouit ravortf his candidate. If otlierwiso
he is instantly able to perceive how piffling and
worthless such a method of ascertaining the
trend of public sentiment is. '
The republicans were sure for about two days
that they had discovered a joker in the child
labor law that destroyed its effectiveness. It
proved, however, that the only joker was the
chap who sprung the story in the hope that he
could get away with it.
There is a growing conviction among those
who havelieard Mr. Hughes that Mr. Taft n.ust
have underestimated the importance of the su
preme "bench when ho selected Mr. Hughes for
the position from which he resigned.
A WET EXECUTIVE
The papers are publishing an interview given
out by the mayor of Davenport, Iowa, boasting
that more whiskey is consumed under prohibi
tion than when the city had saloons. The mayor
of a city ought to be enforcing the law instead
of bragging about the lawlessness of his com
munity but this is what is 'to be expected
when the liquor element is allowed to pick the
officials. . - . '
If the liquor interests of Iowa are assisted in ,
their efforts to lift Mr. Harding into the gov
ernor's chair, the voters will have only them
selves to blame if their chief executive gives out
interviews similar to the one for which Daven
port's mayor is responsible.
The old tariff issue has been brushed as clean
as possible and new buttons and a new collar
sewed on, but somehow it seoms to bo exceed
ingly difficult to conceaL-the worn condition of
the seams and the poof quality of the cloth.
There seems to be no doubt that Mr. Hughes's
speeches are helping Mr. Wilson. The import
ant question is whether the republican candi
date's strength will hold out long enough to in
sure the re-election of the President.
If Mr. Roosevelt has any friends left after
his desertion of them at Chicago they may in
terpret his speeches to mean that Mr. Hughes's
defeat this year will open the vway for Mr.
Roosevelt in 1920.
THAT BATTLE CREEK SPEECH
One can not read Colonel Roosevelt's Battle
Creek speech without wondering whether the
Colonel wants 'Hughes elected or is really trying
to defeat him. Surely he can not think that
such a speech hurts Mr. Wilson.
What do the people desiro above all other
things? Peace and prosperity. Mr. Wilson and
the democratic party has given them both. That's
a pretty fair basis for a prediction as to tho
outcome.
The Woman Vote
Democratic womon will not allow thcniBolv.es
to bo misled into turning tho government back
to tho reactionaries who t.ro responsible for Mr.
Hughes's nomination and who will control tho
government if ho la olectod.
Tho women's party wants to make suffrage a
partisan Issue, but it would be a grievous mis
take to do so. No party Is likely to control two
thlrda of both housos rnd three-fourths of tho
states, and that is what a constitutional amend
ment must secure. Tho womon who met at At-,
lantlc City recently wero right in refusing to
make woman suffrage a partisan Issue. Surely
tho presumption of wisdom Is on the side of the
majority who opposo making woman suffrage a
partisan issue rather than on the side of the few
who aro trying to use tho Issue to aid tho re
publican candidate.
And why does tho womon's party rely on Mr.
Hughes's utterances Instead of on tho repub
lican platform? Republican senators and re
publican congressmen aro not bound by any
thing that Candidate Hughes says. Thoy ar
bound only by the republican platform which it
, not as strong as tho democratic platform. Th
republican platform after endorsing woman suf
frago, leaves the question to tho states, while
tho democratic platform recommends tho ox
tension of woman suffrage to women.
As between tho candidates, Mr. Wilson hae
much tho better record. Mr. Wilson wont to
New Jersey and voted for woman suffrage a year
ago, while Mr. Hughes did not feel Interested
enough in the question to vote when his vote
might have decided tho question In New York.
President Wilson was tho first president to put
tho influence of the white housj on the side of
woman suffrage. Is it not fair to assume that
his action is largely responsible for tho recent
growth of sentiment that forced the republican
party to go as iar an it cucnr it must be remem
bered, too, that President Wilson is responsible
for the fact that the democratic platform pn
dorsed woman suffrage. Being tho unanimous
' choice of the convention his wishes wero con- '
sidered in making tho platform. So far as. Is d
known, Mr. Hughes had no 'part in making tho
republican platform.
W. J. BRYAN,
THE REAIi ENEMY
Mr. Roosevelt is still w.aging war on Mexico
and Germany, but his shells are falling in the
.camp of one Charles Evans Hughes. -
No wonder they are talking of sending Roose
velt to speak in Texas. He can not do any harm
to Hughes there, which is more 'than can bo
said of his speeches in the close states.
Old General Apathy, who commanded an
army of many millions when the campaign be
gun,, is reported to be about to resign because
he has run out of an army.
THE HERO OP THE BLIND ALLEY
Mr. Hughes has started out in so many direc
tions and been compelled to back out that he
has earned the title: Hero of the Blind Alley.
HUGHES'S CANDIDATE BEATEN
Tho San Francisco Chronicle says:
"Most certainly Charles E. Hughes will bo
better pleased to see a straight-out republican
chosen as tho republican candidate for the sen
ate. It is a wise presidential nominee who does
not express opinions upon state selections, but
it is a million to a dime that ho would prefer
Booth." -ti
But Booth was defeated. Johnson won In
spite of the effort of the 'Booth men to connect
their candidate with the presidential candidate.
THE VALUE OFEXPERIENOE
Tho New York World enquires how Mr. Hughes
can, without repudiating his own logic, ask that
an experienced President like Mr. Wilson be
turned out to give a place for an Inexperienced
man like tho republican candidate.
THERE'S A REASON
If Secretary Daniels Is ever irritated by the
amount of space Life gives to criticisms of him
and grape juice he may find a reason In the
larger amount of space sold to advertisers of
whiskey, cocktails and beer.
GOOD OUT OP EVIL
Since entering the war Rumania has closed
all tho saloons. Good. War, it would seem,
hath her victories no less renowned than peace.
,
CHANGE DANGEROUS
Mr. Hughes thinks it almost a crime to, change
ambassadors in France during tho war. What
about changing presidents at a time like this?
DESERVING DEMOCRATS
Let's see, it is about a month now since Mr.
Hughes has made any reference to "Deserving
Democrats."
Republicans claim .that Mr. Hughes is getting
his "second wind," but considering tho use(J lhe
makes of it it would seem an added misfortune.
