The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1912-11-01
Woodrow Wilson'S Message to tbe American People

Sea Girt, N. j., oct. 10. 1912.
10 the Voters OF ARericai
an glad to have an opportunity 20 state very
simply and directly Why an seeking to be elect
cd President OF the United States. Ifeel very
deeply that this is not an ambition man should
entertain for hfs own sake. He must seek to
serve cause, and must know very clearly what
cause It IS ne Is seeking to serve.
The cause an enlisted in lies very plain
to my own view: The Government Of the United
States, as nov bound by the policies which have
become Characteristic Of Republican administra-
tion Ia recent years, is not free 10 serve the
whole people tmparttallY, and 1T ought I 0 be set
free, It has been tied up, whether del tberat ely
or merely by untntenttonal development, with
particular interests, which have used their pow
er, both to control the government and to con-
troll the Industrial development Of the country.
1t must be freed from such entaugl ement and al
1ianees. Unit IL 1T IS freed, 1t cannot serve the
people as whole. Until it is freed it cannot
undertake any programme o. social and economic
betterment, but must be checked and thwarted at
every turn by its patrons and masters,
In practically every speech that make, I
put at the front OF what have to say the ques-
tton OF the tariff and the question Of the trust
but not because OF any thought Of party strategy,
because believe the solution Of these ques-
Gtons to lie at the very heart of the bigger
question. whether the government shall be free
or not. The government is not free because it
has grant ed special favors to particular Glasses
by means OF the tariff. The men TO whom these
special faVors have been grant ed have formed
great comb mat Ions by which to control enter
prise and det terntne the prices Of commodities
They could not have done this had 1t not been for
tho tariff. No party, therefore, which does not
propose to take away these special favors and
prevent monopoly absolutely in the markets of the
country sees even much the most elementary
part Of the method by which the government is
TO be set free.
The control to which tariff leglslation hiss
1ed both in the field OF politics and in the
field Of business, is what has produced the most
odtous Feature Of our present political sttua-
tton, namely, the absolute doninatton OF pover-
ful bosses. Bosses cannot exist without busi--
ness alliances. With them politics is hardly
dtettngut shable from business. Bosses maintain
their control because they are allied with men
who wish their assistance in order to get CON
tracts. in order &c obtain special legislative
advantages, in order to prevent reforms which
Will interfere with monopoly or with their en-
joyment OF special exemptions. Merely as polit-
ical leadera, not backed by money not supported
BY securely intrenohed special interests bosses
would be entirely manageable and comparatively
powerless. BY freeing the government there
fore, We at the sane time break the power Of the
boss He trades, he does not govern. he ar
ranges, he does not lead. he sets the stage for
what the people are TO dol he does not act as
their agent OF servant, but as their director.
For him the real business Of politics is done
under cover,
The same means that Will set the government
free from the influences which nov constantly