New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-14
WILSON ON DEMOCRACY
Explains Objects of Party in In
dianapOIis Speech.
PRIVILEGE HAS MANY FORMS
System and Not Men to Blame
Questionable Legislation
in Committee Rooms.

Indianapolis, April 13.-Crging the Demo-
cratic party to state its creed In the con-
crete and define clearly the especial forms
Of privilege II declares against in gen.
eral campaign ''for the rights OF the peo-
pie" Governor Woodrow Wilson Of New
Jersey. in an address to the National
League Of Democratic Clubs here to-day.
set forth the objects Of the party as he
believed they existed and should be stated.
He said in part:
Democracy is not a mere theory of gov
eminent. II Is an energy OF life dwelling
in the rank and file, Interpreted once ana
again by great leaders, but not confined 10
their private cult and understanding. It's
blood is the blood Of the people. Us pur-
poses are the purposes shared by all man
kind. Its hopes are the hopes OF all ra-
tlonal civilization.
This is the day upon which we utter Our
creed and renew our views. 1t behooves us
to ask ourselves what our creed U.s.. and TO
answer the question without subtlety or
sophistication, in the plain terms OF every
day life. We must state our creed In the
concrete. not in the abstract.
We say that We are against privilege ana
for the rights Of the people, but privilege
has worn many forms What is the espe-
cial form OF privilege we now fight? How
does II endanger the rights OF the people
and what do we mean to DO in order 10
make our contest against IT eftectual?
What are to te the items OF our new dec
laration of independence?
Meaning Of Privilege.
BY privilege. as we now fight it. we mean
control Of the law. Of legislation and OF
adjudication, by organizations which. 40
not represent the people, by means whlch
are private and selfish and worthy or all
condemnation. We mean specifically tne
conduct OF our affairs and the shaping OF
our legislation In the interest OF special
bodies Of capital and those who organize
their use. We mean the alliance Tor tnIs
purpose Of political machines with the cap
tains OF organized industry. We mean the
exploitation Of the people by legal and po-
litical means. We have seen our govern
ments under these influences cease 10 De
representative governments, cease 10 Se
governments representative OF the peopls
and become governments representative OF
the special interests, controlled by md
chimes which in their turn are not con-
trolied by the people.
We are not attacking men, we are at.
lacking a system. The men are, most OF
them, honest. The great majority OF theIl
believe that in serving their own they are
serving the interests OF the country a.
large. Their conception OF prosperity -
their management. They are willing, IN
deed they are anxious. that the peopt
should share in it. but 1t must orlginat s
with them and be under their experienced
view they seek their objects not py pun.
lie argument. but by private MANAGEMENT
and arrangement: by influence, not Oy
open political process. ,;...a
They are serving, served ana sssls.eo,
not only ty the political organization
which put men into Office and INTO ou'
legislatures. but also by our present lneln
COS OF legislation. Legislation DIS we nov
adays conduct II Is not conducted IN th@
open. s.hate
/ II IS not thrashed ont in open deoate
upon the floors Of our assemblies. II Is. on
the contrary. framed. digested and con
Guided in committee rooms; IL IS IN con-
mittee rooms that legislation not desi.eu
by the interests dies. II Is IN conlnitiee
rooms that LEGISLATION desired by. the IN
tercsts Is framed and brought forth;
There IS not enough DEBATE OF II IN ope'l
house. IN most cases. 10 discover the rea
meaning OF the proposals made. clauses
lie quietly undiscovered in our statutes
which contain the whole gist and purposc
OF the act: qualifying phrases which escape
the pubic attention and casual defnltlons
which do rot attract attention. classlhca-
tions so technical as not TO he generally un
derstooc and which every one most int
mately concerned is careful not to ex.lal1
OF expound, contain the whole purpose ol
the Jaw. Only after II has been enacted
ard has como TO adjudc ton in the courts
IS it's scheme as whole divulGed. the
beneficiaries are then safe behind thelf
bulwerks.