The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-09-20
wilson Discusses
I5Sues IN Great Speech

Gov. Wilson's speech in full. fol
lows:
AIR Chairman. Your Honor. and
LaGIes and Gentlemen 1 esteem II a
rarO privilege 20 race an audience like
this. and 4 must say that l have never
felt the eNhilaration OF conquest as
feel IL I'm the year 1912, because there
seems 10 have come into our politics
agai a some of the original spirit which
While While 4 we live. Our Fourth Sp et July eel.
ebraIJons had grown perfunctory- We
have grown To repeat certain great
phaI ~ that had illuminated our history
as In We had forgotten their meaning,
DEEPER tdence and OF the Virginia bill OF
right g. In which IL is written. though
meE repeated IL as IL they didn't un-
derst and IL, that whenever a great free
COVER pment Is not suitable TO It's pres
ent reeds. IL has the right, the inde-
fenstl,le right TO change that govern
ment as IL will We had begun TO re-
peat them like and empty phrase and
to fol's ct that IL was the foundation
stone OF everything that we had build
ed. because in these hitter years We
have become aware that our govern
ments, our state governments. and our
federal government were not respon-
sfve to our needs didn't lend them
selves to the use or the common life
I'm this country, and there are great
long il IT, will you tell me. that this
country has been interested In the
question OF the initiative and the refer
end nmr Why Is IL interested I'm those
questions now? Do we want to changs
the fundamental character OF our gov
ernu,ehl1? No. we do not but we want
TO get at our government And we
know that something has been stand
ing between US and II.
Explains Initiative.
aefNa-.
representative assembly does not rep
resent US, then we will undertake "a
iegislate for ourselves; that III a legis-
lative assembly does not represent us
and passes law. n on Which ,ns. We d ,sop
bills be submitted to us for our tudg-
ment. for fear they should put upon
the statute books things that do not
munity This Is the meaning OF the mi
tiative and referendum. Nobody has
proposed TO Substitute popular legisla'
tion for representative legislation as 9
practice, as a rule. This L. something
which we have occasionally In some
parts OF this country demanded In or
der that we sh ould again recover the
control OF our own affairs. and we will
recover II unless we discard the spiri,
OF 1875, and forget what our declara.
tions OF right mean, And so IL seem:
10 me I'm this year 1919 we are chang
ing the rhetoric OF the Fourth OF July
into the reality of political govern
ment,
Government for all People.
Now, I say these things for this rea
son that the fundamental question W.
are debating In 1919 Is this: Shall the
government of the United States bs
seryiceable 10 the whole people OF the
United States? That In the question
And UNDERLYING that question IL this
What kind OF government can he ser.
vkceable TO the people OF the United
States? There In only one kind thai
can be. and that Is free government
I a government which Is no dominated
by some OF US. but responsive to all OF
Il And our. study in the present cam
patgn Is q, study Of the best method o
Iregaining control CT the instrumental
lity by. whlch we govern ourselves.
\ do not need ITO explain to YOU that pas
fefon has passed out OF the question
THAT the government OF the United
Sta heS- has been responsive to the gen
erai interests and has seemed not q
BE- responsive to the general Interest
OF the people of the United States
have seen this myself I'm the state OF
New Jersey and I presume YOU hav'
also seen II In this state. ] have just
gathered from the intimation OF your