El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-03
WOODROW WILSON, SCHOLAR,
To LEAD THE DEMOCRATS
Governor of New jersey Former Head Of Princeton Uni
versity, Author and Progressive, the Democratic
Nomnee-Began Life in Humble Way and
Has Risen Steadily By Hard Work

prudence and politics In 1902 he was
, elected president of Princeton
Enters Duties rs President OF Princeton
President Wilson made 1t clear at
| the start that conditions at the uni
versity were to be changed, and, Wheth-
er for better or for worse, to be
COLLEGES needed TO be reVOlutionlZed,
and went so far as 10 say he would
ondeavOr to graduate students as IN
Ike their fathers as possible.
His policies kept him in almost con-
tinuous conflict with the university
trustees and professors In fact, the
bitterest controversies in the inStitu-
tons history marked his term VIII
sons friends say it was a conflict be-
tween a progressive and democratic
president and the forces of privilege
and aristOcracy.
Wilson Elected Governor.
In May, 1910, the graduate college
of Princeton university became the
lcSatee OF a 100000 estate, which
could not be accepted without sacrific-
ing Wilson's policies. The money was
accepted. The presidents resignation
did not come, however, until after the
New Jersey state Democratic cOnven-
ton, on Sept 10, 1910, had nominated
him for the gOvernOrship. In the fol-
lowing November New Jersey went
Democratic for the first time since
1892 and elected Wilson by large
Inauguratcs Reforms.
The spare, well formeu, grayeyed
man started his campaign by ordering
the state chairman of his party out OF
his office. never to return. He also
forced through a Democratic assembly
and Republican senate q direct primary
and election law which takes the or
ganlzauon OF both parties IN New Jer-
scy out of the hands of the bosses
Governor Wilson's % years of teach
ing had qualified him, he thought TO
be d beneficiary under Andrew Car
negie's sI5,OOO,O0O foundation fund for
the support of retired college profess
sOrs. He applied for the pension, but
did not get it. When the news of the
application and its refusal became pub
lie, Gov Wilson made this statement:
The Carnegie foundation for the ad-
vancement OF teaching is not a plan Tor
old age pensions, but for the granting
of retiring allowances on the ground
of length and quality of service. When
L had just entered the uncertain field
OF politics, I applied to the foundation
Tor a retiring allowance, to winch
understood myself to be entitled I'M
der the rules adopted by the trustees.
have no private means to depend
upon. A man who goes into politics
bound by the principles of honor puts
his family. and all who may be de-
pendent on him for support, at the
mercy of any incalculable turn Of the
wheel of fortune, and felt entirely
justified in seeking to provide against
such risks, particularly when L was
applying for what 1 supposed myself
to be entitled TO by right of long ser
the foundation and not by favor
I understand that upon receipt of
my application the executive commit
tee of the trustees of the foundation
restricted the Interpretation OF their
rule and declined to grant the allow
ance."
Changes Opinion on Great Reforms.
As governor, Wilson changed his at
titude toward the initiative, refCren-
DUN and recall. For 20 years" said
he in discussing the matter, 7
preached to the students of Princeton
that the referendum and recall were
bOSh. l have since Investigated, and
I want to apologize TO those students.
They are the safeguards of politics
They take the power from the bosses
and place 1t in the hands of the peO-
PIE. I want to say with all my power
that I favor them"
The earliest recorded mention of
I W OOdrOw Wilson as a presidential pos
sibility is in the form Of a letter writ
ten by someone in Indianapolis to the
News OF that city at the time of VII
sons inauguration as president of
Princeton. This first boom was revived
on Feb 5, 1903, at the Lotus club, New
York, where Mr. Wilson was the guest
Of honor On thai. occasion Col George
Harvey mentioned him as possible
candidate for the presidential nomina-
ton.
HarPer's Weekly Incident.
Col HarYey'S magazine, HaTpers
Weekly, for a time gave ardent sup
port to Wilson's campaign for the nom
ination, but at the beginning Of 1912
this support was withdrawn. Harper 5
printed this explanation:
The name of Woodrow Wilson as
our candidate for president was taken
down from the head of these columns
in response to a statement made to US
directly by governor Wilson, to the
effect that our support was affecting
lis candidacy injuriOusly."
In the famous Harvey con-
trOversy which followed, Col. Henry
Wattersou sided with his fellow edi-
tor and declared that Wilson, who he
lad hoped would prove another Tilden,
had turned out to be merely a school
master
It was as an author that Nj Wilson
first achieved a degree Of fame out
side Of Princeton As an author he is
now least known. His largest literary
achievement is his five valume His
tory Of the American People
As to his reasons for writing the
history, he has said:
7 wanted to make my own. concep-
! tons of American history definite, and
L wanted others to see American his
tory and American men as I myself see
them
Certain views concerning immigra-
ton which Wilson expressed IN his
| history resulted in considerable oppo-
sitiOn to him during his campaign for
the Democratic presidential candidacy.
Italians and other southern Europeans
! took exception to his references to
l. IleL4 as low INFERIOR 1ellOWS-
! It was claimed by Wilson's Opposi-
ton IN the campaign that he had COM
mended immigrants from China while
expressing concern and disgust for
Italians.
Delivers Course of Lectures.
A course of lectures delivered at Co
lumbia university in 1903 contained the
substance of his first book Congress
slonal Government" and they were
brought up to date by his attempt to
/ show how in the years between 1886
and 1903 responsibility gravitated to-
ward the president Of the United
States.
Mr.. Wilson's second book, The
| State" is used as a textbook in many
schools and colleges. This was fol-
! lowed by two books of essays. Then
came George Washington and The
! History of the American People"
Mr.. Wilson has made countless edu-
! CatiOnaI addresses, and has written a
| great number of essays on political,
| educational and economic topics which
/ have never been put into book form.
: His style in writing is clear and Wig
orOus and his dictiOn, both in writing
| and speaking, is noteworthy fov its
| cEOiceness-