Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 73, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1920 — GEN WOOD’S CAMPAIGN. [ARTICLE]

GEN WOOD’S CAMPAIGN.

The attacks an Gen. Wood do not! make much impression on political) sincerity or intelligence. His cam-i paign managers sag the books are open for investigation and critics are invited to see how the money is I 'being disbursed. The implication in 1 -the criticism that an attempt is be- । ing made to debauch the political , honesty of the whole country is a reckless and violent imputation of dishonesty to a man whose record has been one of service to country. Some men of wealth are backing Gen. Wood, presumably because they believed the country be the better with a man of mi character for president. Because they have wealth does not imply that they have malign purpose in politics or that Gen. Wood would serve them if they had. Politics requires money 'or organization, and within the laws limiting and controlling expenditures it can be used in bringing a candi-. date before the people without damning the candidate. Gen. Wood is running on his record as a soldier, administrator, and citizen. Mr. Bryan prays that the country may be delivered from a military president. Mr. Bryan i» a pacifist whose work and influence did much to cause the country to make unnecessary sacrifices. Gen. Wood, in the military service of his ctountry, did much to prevent some sacri- | fices. Our lack of officers was on reason Germany thought we were almost negligible. Gen.- Wood, with the training* camps, gave us the only start we had when we went to war. Bryan, who hurt the country, would offer as his qualification for the presidency the fact that he did hurt it and wants to hurt it some iriore, and would offer as Gen. Wood’s disqualification the fact that he helped it. - This perversion goes to the extreme of demanding that no man who been a soldier should seek an important office. That is, if a man has remained at home in safety he has fitted himself for a post and if a man has offered himself to be shot at he has unfitted himself for that very reason. We do not believe the American people will follow that idea in large numbers. Gen. Wood is entitled to make his campaign without being attacked by insinuations and pacifists prejudices. He has done great work for his country in whatever position he has been placed, as an administrator m the Philippines and in Cuba, ana as a soldier in war and preparation for He is entitled to be considered by the people upon this record and upon the facts and presumptions of his character. He is not to be shouted out of an ambition which American citizens honorably harbor merely because he served his country when it needed service most. —Chicago Tribune. /