The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-01-24
Woodrow Wilson's "Ingratitude"

intentionally he was hurting Instead
OF holping-the explanation, OF course.
being that the Wilson position was
bound to be regarded as eQuiyocal by
people who could not see how he
could be an editorially monopolized
candidate OF Morgan publication II
he were honest in his advocacy OF
progressive policies.
Thereafter Woodrow Wilson held
his peace. When questioned after the
disappearance OF his name from the
magazine's masthead, he contented
himself with saying that Colonel
Harvey runs Harpers Weekly entire
ly on his own judgment"
He has been assailed for that nom
comm!ttal statement. But we fail TO
see how any reader, with instincts or
gentleman, can fail TO share the
deduction that when two friends re-
quest a confidential interview, the
telling OF honest truths is the test OF
friendship and self-respect, and the
reservation Of the confidence 10 sim
pie decency.
The confidence has been broken
but not by Woodrow Wilson. Con-
corning what happened in the privacy
OF the conference imposed upon him
by the friends who made the matter
public. seemingly concertedly, GER
tainly simultaneously, with denuncia-
tons OF Gov Wilson from almost
every quarter of the country. we
think that the deductions OF a blind.
but very clearvisloned. senator, Gore.
OF Oklahoma, may be OF value TO our
readers in forming their own opinions
of the ingratitude OF Wilson:
1T seems that the head and heart
OF the governors offending Is that he
told the truth.
mo honest man can accept an Of
fee, least and last OF all the presi-
dency, with lien upon his conscience
or mis- conduct. Continuous support
implies and imposes some obligation
upon him who consents TO accept II
or who acquiesces In Its continuance.
NO one has plenary power to select
either his friends or his opponents In
politics. To decline rendered aid and
alliance is a most difficult and delicate
task. Few men have the courage and
the candor to do this when battle is
joined. But, in the light of higher
ethics and politics, II Is better to de-
cline support in advance. no matter
what the sacrifice, than TO renounce
the obligation after the service Ia
rendered and the benefit enjoyed.
1T, do this in the face OF danger 10
an act OF moral and political heroism
of which few men are capable. Per
adventure, the governor may have
learned by experience that there are
men who would undertake to cap
italize. gratitude and to commercialize
influence"
There will be much need during the
coming national campaign to discuss
the ethics of gratitude In politics. and
the application will not be restricted
TO any one man In any one party.
There will be much talk thereupon af-
fecting Taft and Roosevelt and La
Toilette and Cummins. as we'll as Will
son and Harmon and Underwood and
Clark.
There will be ample opportunity
for US TO argue from our postulate
tina. the less of a certain sort Of
gratitude and the more of certain
sort Of ingratitude that are born into
our public life the better for the well
fare CT the people and the peace and
progress of the nation.
But our purpose Is not arguments
tive today. We simply submit as q
closing query to our readers, whether
they do not think the concerted at
tack upon Woodrow Wilson does not
single him out, as have the assaults
upon Theodore Roosevelt, as the one
man OF his party most feared by the
powerful forces controlling most Of
publicity as well as most Of all other
agencies dependent upon capital and
credit, that are opposed TO human
rights, progress and popular govern
ment in this country.-Philadelph
North American.