Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1912-07-12
WOODROW WILSON'S DEMOCRACY

What fills me with confidence in
the future is that the world is
not waiting upon the stupidity of
politics. The world has an awk-
ward way of taking things into
its own hands. The life Of the
people must in the long ran express
itself in its politics, and it does
express itself in this country in the
politics we have been accustomed
to in the last DECADE.
There are two or three theories
Of government in this country.
Don't deceive yourself by suppos
ing all the people believe in dem
ocratic government, because they
do not. You have only to listen to
the utterances of very distinguish.
ed republican speakers to see that
they do not believe and do not
pretend to believe in representative
government. They will tell you
they no not believe the judgement
of the people can be trusted. And
are you going to take counsel from
these gentlemen as to the preseIva-
tion of our representative institu-
tions when they don't want them
to represent the great body of
the people?
don't know whether I was born
SO, or learned so, or what hap
pened to NJ, but | know this, that
the deepest conviction have.
arising out of observation and Cx.
]perience, is this that | would
rather take the judgement of the
rank and file than the judgement
of the men who have become
absorbed and successful leaders in
great undertakings.
And | want to ask the,c gentle
men this query: What sustains
business in the United States?
What is il that makes the United
States prosperous? Is it that we
have great captains Of industry?
What would they do without the
cunning and skill, the muscle and
the lndomitabIe aspiring hope Of
the American people? If these
people were to find hope dying out
in their hearts, they would become
dumb driven beasts, and your
enterprises would fail for lack of
the verv breath that sustains
them.
If only those who are chosen AT
the top have the right of way in,
what is going to happen TO Amcri-
ca? Did you ever hear of a nation
that was renewed from the TOP?
Did you ever hear of a nation that
was not made ~viriIe, that did not
account for its youth by renewal
from the bottom? Did you ever
hear OF a tree that drew its sar
from its flowers? nocs il not
draw it from the dark and silent
places Of the soil? Does not n
nation draw its power Of renewal
and enterprise and all its future
from the ranks Of the great BODY
of unnamed men?
If you are going to DISCOURAGE
these men: If you are going To put
the chill of fear in their hearts.
then American captains Of industry
can whistle for their future: nd
they will whistle in a wilderness
am the friend of Amcri,,n
business because | know where IT'S
foundations are laid and where
they are weak. These foundations
are solid only when laid in thc
confidence Of the common people.
A democrat? Why. a man dos
not understand history who ifn't
a democrat. A man doesn't under
stand enterprise VINO isn't u demo.
crat. And let me say this: Dem &C.
racy is not merely a matter Of
programs; II is a matter Of sym
pathy and insight. It depends upon
whether your heart heats with the
heart of the people II does not
depend upon whether you can
cunningly devise a platform that
looks firm and good. You can
build a fimsy platform and stand
on II successfully, provided It's
basis in the right kind Of spirit.
II is a matter Of sceing-not