The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-11-20
WATTEnS0A EXPECTS TROUBLE
PRESIDENT WILSON WILL HAVE
NO EASY ROAD TO TRAVEL.
oftce Hunters Rushing upon Him.
Rough Work Ahead for Him With
Them and With Congress.

Col. Henry Watterson. in an artic le
on THE New Dispensation," consid-
ers the prospects and the difficulties
Of President Wilson's administrations
as follows:
Now that the election is over and
the battle won. and that the shouting
mas had time to subside into sigh of
satisfaction and relief, let the minds
eye Of thoughtful Democrats glancing
from heaven to earth and from earth
TO heaven call attention Of the less
thoughtful to some Of the giants and
dragons which will presently rise
across the party's line Of march to di-
vide its counsels and obstruct its prog
ress
They may seem just now to unre-
fiecting and optimistic enthusiasm but
airy nothings, mere figments of over
wrought or Of prejudiced imagination.
Yet they are real, and it will not re-
quire the poets pen to give to each
his form and pressure, even to dis
tinguish each by tag bearing a local
habitatiOn and a name.
The Democratic party out of the
two terms of Grover Cleveland got
nothing except agreeable interludes
/ "a
partyism. Woodrow Wilson is ADLER
and far more highly equipped-much
better qualified to make a really great
Democratic President than was Grov-
or Cleveland.
But the obstacles which Cleveland
Lad to meet and overcome were foot
hills by comparison with the noun
tains already arising across the high
way that stretches out before Wilson,
Within Mr.. Clevelands easy reach
If he had know how to profit by them
were men Of the first order of intel
lect; men trained to the responsible
ties OF government; men used to the
affrmations Of public policies; men
who had sat in the high places of leg
islation and administration.
Mr.. Wilson will have to rely for the
most part upon discoveries and crea-
tions Of his own political amateurs
new to official life; novitiates to prac-
tical and large affairs. Barring a few
members of the House, {, few Sena-
tors having chiefly negative expert
ence. he will at once encounter in the
lower branch Of Congress q top heavy
majority with possibly a divided
leadership, and, in the upper, If sup
port at all, yet too close for comfort
Public opirion is not here crystal
liZed. 1t is in a fluid state. He VIII
saddles and brides and successfully
rides the monster without a head call
ed Democracy must be possessed OF
the gifts Of the nation makers Of old
and in addition be attended by the
good fortune which genius sometim IS
attracts and sometimes compels.
The objections which were general
ly offered to Woodrow Wilson as the
nominee, that he was rather school
master than statesman, Il not tyran-
nous and intolerant, yet tactless, in
capable Of making corlnon cause and
working to harness and lacking a
high sense Of personal obligation. as
suming them founded in fact may or
may not show themselves TO be weak
ness In the elected President.
Upon the threshold he will have
rough work to do. 1t is safe to saw
the onrush Of Office hunters will sur-
pass anything ever known before. A
gentle, kindly, grateful man would
ma himself submerged beneath the
ccoss currents of sentiment and duty.
X Will require the most obdurate Of
masters, used to the disciplinary and
u1Sracious TO resist the appeals
some OF them real, but most Of them
spurious, which will echo through the
1vlng rooms of the White House.
which will assail him during all his
waking hours and pursue him in his
sleep and dreams, morning, noon and
'Sht, never escape from the mean
and sordid and brazen in the rank
| isnominy of self seeking.
lie "ho does not stand like a sta.
lie OF wrought iron with mo" con-
"tGHt upon his lips, who does not barr,
MS bosom to the storm knowing in
advance what of obloquy and abus,
rc'lde, might easily break his heart
loforc the arrival of a Compress
bound still further to test his man