Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1912-05-10

carolina Calls Attention to Services
Other Educators Have Rendered 70
tho Republic-opposition to Governor
Wilson Comes From tho PRIVILEGED
interests.
BY DR.. FRANCIS p. VENABLE.
President of tho University of North
Carolina.
Some of the politicians have coutcmp.
tuousiy dismissed Woodrow Wilson's
claims as statesman and n candidate
for the highest office In the gift of his
party by speaking of him rs "only IL
schoolteachcr."
Ihere are several hundred thousands
OF teachers i'll the country, and many of
us are proud of the name. We resent
the sneering use of 1t with the implica.
tlon thut because we are teachers we
are unfit for other service. do not
feel called upon to debate this point
nor think that 1t is ut all necessary
Inc ning Is nm altogether unworthy one
anu shows n regrettablc ignorance of
the service rendered by teachers in the
building of the nation and the part
they have played us leaders.
Can we forget the part played by
Johh Witherspoon, another president
OF Princeton, in securing the indepcnd
ence of our couisry and in safely
launching the young republic. and that
college president, james 4. Garfield.
was later on president of this republic
when 1t had become the mightiest ia.
ton OH earth, and that Robert Il. Lee
thought 1t no lowering of his dignity
nor lesser service TO end his life us n
college president?
Has Not Lost Hope.
Now, 1 am not writing as II teacher
or college president, but us Il citizen.
one who has FOR years thought over the
problems which confront us In this
great democratic experiment among the
nations; one who has been perpleXcd
and fearful of disaster, seeing slight
hope in the various eXpcdicnts which
the years have brought forth and lind
ing small comfort In the leaders pro
duccd, yet not losing hope. 1t has beer
the passion of my life to labor for the
uplift of my people.
In Woodrow Wilson ! find n man
who has analysed the situation as only
master mind could do. He has pierre
ed TO the very center of things as with
surgeons knife and laid bare the
source of the trouble. ! know of no
other man who has done this or shown
the capacity to do 1t. | know that this
Is the first and absolutely essential
step in the eradication of disease.
Furthermore. he is rcsourccful
man and not without n remedy. If
this Is government by the people
then in some way the people must he
got to exercise this right of ruling
Knowing that many are ignorant.
many weak, many vicious, realize
that this does not mean the immediate
usherlng In of the millennium, but
there is no other hope for Democracy.
1 know Governor Wilson to he an
honest and fearless man. who. seeing
the right. will drive straightly to it
without fear or swerving; that he Is n
foe to all wrong and untruth and In
justice and under no bond to any man
nor group of men.
l know him as strong man. who
has won decisive victories for the right,
relying on himself. the justice of his
cause and direct appeal to the people
l know him as one whose whole life
has been searched by those who would
do him harm and no fault found that
would stamp him rs untrue or I'M
worthy.
Reasons For Opposition.
know him rs one bitterly opposed
by the seekers for office, the nonpro
gressives, the privileged interests
These are opposed to him because they
believe him to be the man I have de-
scrlbed and hold him dangerous where
! see In him the hope Of the coming of
better day. or course l do not class
with them others who for different
reasons find they cannot favor him.
That 1t Is said that he cannot carry
this state or that state because OF the
overwhelming opposition Of the privl-
legged interests Is no reason for turning
from him. We dare not bow to such
dictation. The people must arise in
their might and enforce their will or
there is no hope anywhere of relief
These are the reasons why I favor
Woodrow Wilson for president of the
United States.