Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-11-22
Woodrow Wilson---A Study.

hS DtSo'aShSy VI S''> ''NS>>
States is the most commanding pulpit
In the world A president with the
power of saying anything as Woodrow
Wilson could say it would be bound to
be a parsonage OF extraordinary in
fluence. Mr.. Wilson'S ideas being
what they are, 1t is difficult to res
train the imagination from pictur-
ing the next president as perhaps the
most influential figure in our nationhl
history His prime political princi-
Pile being to open public business to
public participation, to substitute
common counsel for expert interested
advice, his gift Of clear and persuasive
statement, will be tremendous asset.
Speaking from the chair of Washing
ton. Jefferson and Lincoln with a
skill which no other occupant OF 1t
ever commanded: with both the desire
to make partners of all the people and
the ability to address them with con-
summate art, it would be strange If
Mr.. Wilson does not give us in the
White House new type-a president
largely independent OF congress,
largely delivered from depend ence up
on the customary necessities Of poll
tics, because of his direct relations
with the men and women of the
country, the great body of citizenship.
That was, of course, the secret of
his success in the governorship OF
New Jersey. He had hostile legis-
lature: at least it thought 1t was
hostile, in the beginning. But the
governor had only to issne few public
statements, intimating that it would
be his practice to issue the like some
what regularly and innocently to
suggest that he would be happy to go
into the district Of any ssemblyman
or senator who disagreed with him
and talk the matter over before the
people-he had only to do this, and all
heart fell out Of the opposition.
What Governor Wilson did in
Trenton, President Wilson can, and
undoubtedly will do In Washington.
1t Is pure statement Of fact that no
president has ever approached him In
power of statement, ability In debate
and persuasive charm before the peo-
ple-the man is wonder.
New political prospects open, surely
with the advent of president likely
by inclination and fitted by equip
ment to make himself peculiarly
president Of the people.
But new prospects other than those
OF Immediate practical policies open to
The country Is about TO learn that
it has put into the White House a
man Of outstanding individuality on
many sides. Mr. Wilson is not merely
a man Of ability and Judgement. His
policies are, the majority Of the ma
tion apparently believe, sound; they
are not especially novel. But the
country has yet to discover that
underneath those abilities of his
which have commended him to their
suffrages there is aspirit Of originality
a philosophy out of the ordinary.
Most of those who have come into
contact with Mr.. Wilson have felt the
radiance OF his personality-"a con-
stant influence, peculiar grace" 1t
is not spirit or philosophy that is
violently self-assertive--iti is It's very
essence not to be that-but 1t is dis
tinct and Individual, suffusing all his
acts and words with its genius.
hor t0 ha OF Cirt ba
evening of the day of bis nomination.
1t was rather affecting time, and
the governor was unusually sober.
Still he could not resist indulging
whimsicality or two when someb ody
prophesied, over the telephone wire
the fine "run" he was sure to make.
81 am afraid l shan't run" quite
as fast as the darkey did when he was
shot at just as he was getting away
with the chicken. 'Ah don heah dat
bullet twice, he said, telling about it
afuerward. Twice! Eyes boss, twice.
suah nutf. Ah heah dat bullet once
when he pass me an den again when
ah pass him."
Still" continued the newly named
nominee, II hope shall run to better
purpose than Alice did when the Red
Queen and the Chess Queen dragged
her off. They were breathless when
they stopped and Alice had a chance
to look around. Why she exclaimed,
we're just where we were when we
started! "Oh, yes said the Red Queen
calmly, you see you have to run twice
as fast as that to get anywhere.
It's pity to spoil a good story or a
literary reminiscence with moral,
but-Mr. Wilson has run to better
purpose than Alice. Even if he had
not attained the presidency, he would
hove reached a magnificent result.
The speeches which Mr.. Wilson has
been delivering during the campaign
constitute series of utterances COM
parable only with Lincoln's historic
deliverances Of slavery and union.
II he had been defeated, the history
of the United States nevertheless,
could never have been what it might
have been with those speeches unde-
livered.
No one can read those speeches
a. l,o,,N co~eo - <t,c