Evening star., 1912-11-05

Contemporary history does not record the
name of 'the original Woodrow Wilson
man" The present head OF the demo
cratic party says so himself in state
ment that so far he knows, the hrs'
person to mention his name as a presl-
Dental possibility was an undermined
man in an unrecorded town of the great
middle west, the suggestion being MADE
in a letter to a newspaper whose very
shouting of approval that followed.
Against Domination of Money.
This was not quite three years ago.
Woodrow Wilson, as president of Prince
ton University, had been battling for the
cause of the study body against the 2
cursed domination of money" as he came
to call it. and hardly was the moral VIC
tory he fought for won than events set
themselves to call him to greater task,
for. September Is, 1910, the democatic
state COHNt NtHtIUIi IiciitOii, ~ S.' hciiii
mated him for the governorship of that
state. anu when the votes were counted
for the state that two years before had
given Taft a plurality of $1,000 it was
found that New Jersey had gone for VIII
son by plurality of $4,000. and that he
had changed the political faith of $4,000
-. 900 yatarS
What He Did as Governor.
His nomination for the presidency at
Baltimore and the events of the cam
paign are of too recent occurrence TO
need repetition here. 1t is familiar his
tory. But 1t is interesting to note that
the new Governor of New Jersey, in 1911,
with his party in control of only one
chamber of the legislature and with a
faction of his own party against him. put
through a program of legislation that
redeemed one of the most backward,
corpor a ation-ridden states in the Union;
that he Indicated the primary that had
nominateo for United States senator
man who-, re old bosses didn't approve;
that he .oade it clear that he had abso-
lutely meant his campaign promise that
he would take office without obligation
to any man. group or interest, but only
to the people of New Jersey; that he
worked out a direct primary and election
law which is now the model for other
progressive states. and that he secured
the establishment of a public utilities
commission with power TO nix rates, ap-
praise properties and regulate the finance
of railway, express, telegraph, telephone
light, heat and power companies.
Endorsed by Public.
He put into effect an employers liabil-
ity law; legalized the commission form
of city government. with initiative. refer
endom and recall-that he did all this
and more, and did it all in such way
that overwhelming pubic sentiment In
dorsed his every act, and interests which
tried 10 resist him We're won over to sup
port measures of whose wisdom. even
from their point of view. he convinced
them.
It was before all these things were done
by the new Governor of New Jersey that
the unidentified man in the middle west
sent up his call for Woodrow Wilson for
the presidency. And then the fame of his
performances as governor and the per-
sonali:y that had wrought them going
through the land. there came rolling up,
as he once said the great voice of Amer
ica comes, mot from seats of learning.
not from corridors of universities, but in
a murmur from the hills and woods and
the farms. factories and mills. rolling on
and gaining volume as ii comes from the
homes OF common men'-there came
laundering on TO Baltimore the demand
that would he denied that pArnx.
Wilson be named democracy's choice for
PRESIDENT.
Born in Staunton, Va.
What manner of man is he? He was
born in 1855, during Christmas week in
the town of Staunton, Vain the beau
tiful Shenandoah valley. Seven Presi-
dents had come from that state and the
democrats regarded that as an omen OF
good fortune should they nominate him.
Stories and articles began TO appear In
regard 10 his lineage and character. His
ancestry was analysed. OF facts in tha,
respect the following stand out:
His grandfather. James Wilson, was
born in Ireland, whence he emgrated.
landing in Philadelphia a little more than
a century ago. James Wilson was a
printer. He obtained employment in the
Office of the Aurora. which was the lead
ing democratic paper of the day, recog-
nized as the organ of Thomas Jefferson
philadelphia was then the capital of the
Jnited States) James Wilson worked
hard and prospered In the year 1912 he
appears by the Philadelphia Directory OF
tIat date as publisher of the paper As
such James Wi son must have known
jefferson. who continued his interest in
the Aurora after his retirement from
the presidency.
Grandfather Founded Paper.
About the year 1870 James Wilson CON
tracted the western fever and moved to
Steubenville, Ohio. where he founded oil
bought the Western Herald and made
himself power in the democratic party
in Ohio, becoming Judge" Wilson.
In this background of vigorous western
life, among the pioneers of the state oi
Ohio, Woodrow Wilson's father, JOSEPH
r.. Wilson, was born and grew to man
hood. Joseph r. Wilson began life as 9
teacher. first in an academy. then IL
Jefferson College. then in Hampden-Sid
ney College Soon. however. he entered
the Presbyterian ministry. He married
Janet WoOdrOw daughter Of the PreSby