The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-05-18
WOODROW WILSON AND THE
WEST.

WOODROW WILSON AND THE
WEST.
In this month of May millions OF
Americans will hearken to the mes
sages which Woodrow Wilson will
deliver to the people of the far west.
This, Of course, is not the first
opportunity that Woodrow Wilson
has had of addressing the people Of
that great section, but in former years
it was as the president of a famous
university, as an exponent of educa-
ton, as a scholar, that he spoke to
them, and as from a mere SCHOOL
master" if you please, his message
was received.
Governor Wilson goes forth as the
spokesman of the people of one OF
the nations greatest commonwealth.
and in that capacity he will be heard
and in that light his message will be
regarded by the people of those 9TH
er great commonwealth that makes
up the mighty west.
There is something very significant
about this journey. The mere an
nouncement of it centered the atten-
ton of the whole country upon the
ments in the state.
Those who know the temper of the
western spirit realize that Governor
Wilson, at the very outset, lust en-
counter in the minds and hearts Of
the western people that deep-seated
and not altogether groundless dis
trust with which all other sections of
the country regard the men and the
motives of the east.
But the people of the west will
not make the mistake of imagining
that the men of the east-the COM
mon people of New Jersey and New
York and New England-are of a
different race than they of the noun
tains and prairies. They will remem-
Der that the people of the east-the
common people-are facing the same
problems that they are facing; that
We are fighting the same battles, ex-
cept against more powerful foe, that
they are fighting; that We are look
ing for the same qualities in our lead
ers and spokesman that they long to
find in theirs; that their aims ara
our aims; that their interests and
our interests are inseparably bound
together, and that their ideals and
our ideals are forever the same.
The people of the west will re-
member, too, that the same underly-
ing principles that promote and sus-
tain the civic and political progress
of the people of New Jersey will
prove helpful when applied to the
problems and conditions of other
commemorative or of the republic
itself.
Why are the people of New Jersey
worthy of the attention and conf.
'dence of the people of the nation
Let his achievements answer:
1t was Woodrow Wilson who, in
four months, accomplished more fol
the people of New Jersey than had
been accomplished in twenty years
by machine-bound predecessors. II
was Woodrow Wilson who gave New
Jersey election reform and public
utilities reform. 1t was Woodrow
Wilson who gave the workingmen O.
New Jersey the long hoped for Sc
curity against the carelessness O.
employers. 1t was Woodrow Wilson
who gave the people protection
against the slow poison of misuset
cold storage. 1t was Woodrow Will
son who made the bribery and the
debauchery OF voters a dangerous ane
despised crime in New Jersey.
was Woodrow Wilson who establish
ed here beyond possibility of revo
cation the principle of popular rule
in the selection of United States
senators. 1t was Woodrow Wilson
who aiding in pointing the way fol-
practical state and federal co-opera
ton in great waterway projects.
1t was Woodrow Wilson who unit
ed democratic assembly and a re-
publican senate in honest, jealous
public service. 1t was Woodrow Will
son who inspired a politically divided
legislature to sink factionalism and
to forget the ancient strife of parties
in the joyous work of doing the peo-
pies Will. 1t was Woodrow Wilson
who, in the long line of American
governors and legislators and con-
gressmen and senator's and presi-
dents, first fulfilled every campaign
promise made in his behalf by the
party convention.
Yes, he has done even that, in
credible as it may seem to the people
OF Otner states, Where, Tor genera
tons, the promises of politicians have
been listened too with distrustful
scorn and where party platforms
have ever been esteemed a meaning
less joke.
Yes, impossible as it seemed even
in New Jersey, Woodrow Wilson in
the first four months of his admin
istration, has returned to the people
every pledge made in his campaign,
marked, redeemed
These are some of the things that
Woodrow Wilson has done for the
people of New Jersey. And these are
some of the reasons why as he goes
forth to meet our brother Americans
in the Golden West, New Jersey bids
him an almost unanimous God
speed.
Almost unanimous, of a truth! For
probably never since the days of
WaShin ptOn did a favorito con foro