The Detroit times., 1911-12-14
GOV, WILSON is MAN OF
THE HOUR. E ROWlEY
Well-Known Ex-Newspaper Man
and Prominent Democrat, for
New Jersey Man.

strong letter TO the Lansing State |
Journal. well-known ex-newspaper
publisher, l.. Z. Rowley, declares him
self for Gov. Woodrow Wilson for
nomination to the presidency by the
Democratic party. The letter fol-
lows:
Editor State Journal have been
asked To state the reasons why / favor
the nomination OF Woodrow Wilson
for president. IL would be too great a
feat In literary compression to recite
them all within the limits OF an ordin-
ary newspaper communication, but here
| are some of the more obvious and
vital OF them:
| Because OF all the Democratic lead
ers OF the present day he puts the most
| trust In democracy.
Because he is big enough TO per-
ceive that the evils of government and
OF our highly commercialized social
organism are not the ills of democ-
racy-that in every case they are the
result either OF distrust OF the people
or the encroachment of greedy private
monopoly.
Because he does not believe that
democracy ends I'm mere government.
but favors applying Its principles to
business-especially TO Big Business.
Because he knows that the only hope
Tor the country Is democracy--that the
more nearly we can saddle all govern
| ment and business responsibility upon
the masses OF men the purer politics
| Will pt the more nOnCSI anu
cleaner business will he.
Because he recognizes that all the
great reform movements are but the
striving toward more perfect democ-
racy-that they are the sequence of an
ever growing popular desire to realize
larger measure OF equity in our
national life.
Because he is Democratic Progress
sive from instinct and sympathy as
well as from intellectual conviction.
Because he Is familiar with the
sweep OF economic history and has
synthetic conception OF the laws gov
erning the social and political advance. |
Because he is chief among those who |
have visibly raised the national ideal
OF political morality.
Because he is one OF the people and |
for the people without foollng them. |
Because he is the most courageous
and consistent foe OF political bossism
in the country |
Because his own titles to leadership |
are based upon sheer ability and the |
most disinterested public service.
Because his deliverances have not |
only the ring OF sincerity, but the |
stamp of the highest reflective and |
ratiocinatiVe powers.
Because he does not indulge In |
style of political cant which has been |
honest people. He expresses himself
in refreshngly direct and unambig- |
uous manner and carefully avoids the /
use of the first personal pronoun,
Because he isn't consumed with l
feverish anxiety TO start something"
just for the sake OF keeping himself
in the center OF the stage. The re-
forms he advocates are always OF the
most utilitarian sort.
Because he, knows there Is no vir- |
tue in discomfort unless IL Is backed |
up by honest effort-the kind OF ef-
fort. for Instance which he has made
In New Jersey to the terror and un-
doing OF the corporate and political /
gangsters OF both parties.
Because he believes with Emerson |
that hight is the best policeman" and
urges publicity as one OF the most ef-
flclent means OF improving modern
social and political conditions.
Because his personality has not only |
the charm of a rare intelle ectuality, but I
the homely tang which was the out
standing trait in Lincoln and which is
found only in men of real elemental
greatness
Because he Is not only "a man full |
of the spirit Of wisdom" but is ito bor-
row Macauley's famous phrase) "the
consummate master OF the whole art
of intellectual gladiatorship" To the
ability to initiate measures he unites
in an unusual degree the skill to elu-
cidate and defend them.
Because he does not regard himself
as Indispensable but merely endeav-
ors to make himself useful.
Because he does not belong TO the
hurricane variety OF reforRers. but is
a cheering example OF the perfectly
sane and constructive progressive,
Because In a time when so many
things have got so badly twisted up. i
and when even the most venerable
political organizations are feeling the
dissolvent touch OF new forces. his is
the clearest voice that is heard pro-
claiming the way - better, saner and
more democratic order OF things.
Because he has never INDUCED In L
reckless attacks upon the great COM
mercial and industrial enterprises OF
the age, many OF which he has declared
20. he "the victims 0f altered stan
dards," and has never sounded any sec
tional or alarmist note To use his
own words: The processes we are en-
gagged In are fundamentally conserva-
tive What we need Is 10 come
20 common view which will not bring
antagonisns, but accommodations. The
programs OF parties must now he pro-
grams OF enlightenment and readjust-
ment, not revolutionary but restora-
tive" And again What we are wit
Messing now is not so much conflict
OF parties as a contest OF ideals,
struggle between those who, because
they do not understand what is hap
pening. blindly hold on to what is.
and those who. because they do see
the real questions OF the present and
of the future In clear, revealing
light. know there must be sober
change know that progress none the
less active and determined because II
is sober and just Is necessary for the
maintenance OF our institutions and the
rectihcation OF our life"
Because the people can say OF him |
as they said Of Grover Cleveland: I'VE
love him for the enemies he has made"
IL IL weren't for the opposition OF the
special interests and the machine
bosses he would get the nomination
by acclamation In the national conven-
tion.
Because. finally. everybody e. e.,
everybody who doesn't belong TO either
of the two above mentioned classcs) i
feels that he has made a great and
glorious governor of New Jersey. and
that the immense responsibilities of
democratic leadership cannot be trusted
TO any other man with such conf L
dence az TO him. II IL wonderful l.
demonstration of ability, Independence,
free speech, wit, patriotism and sand
'""' L. z. RowLEY.
Lansing, Dec. 1S.