The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-08-08


Wilson in this strong, statesmanlike
speech, has shown a clear grasp of the
present situation in the United States,
and has set forth a constructive policy
calculated TO meet the approval Of all
right thinking people. 1t is worthy of
study by every citizen:
Er. James and Gentlemen Of the Notih-
cation Committee:
Speaking for the National Democratic
Convention, recently assembled at Balti-
more. you have notified me Of my nonni-
nation by the Democratic Party for the
high Office lof President of the United
States: Allow me to thank you very
warmly for the generous terms in which
you have, through your distinguished
Chairman. conveyed the notification, and
for the thoughtful personal courtesy with
which you have performed your interest
ing and important errand.
I accept the nomination with deep
sense Of its. unusual significance and OF
the great honor done me, and also with a
very profound sense of my responsibility
TO the party and to the Nation. You VIII
expect me in accepting the honor to speak
very plainly the faith that Is IN me. You
will expect me, in brief, to talk politics
and open the campaign in words whose
meaning no one need doubt. You VIII
expect me to speak to the country as well
as II yourselves.
We cannot intenigently talk politics IN
less we know to whom we are talking
and in what circumstances. The present
circumstances are clearly unusual. No
previous political campaign in our time
has disclosed anything Ike them. The
audience we address is in no ordinary
temper. It is no audience of partlslans:
Citizens Of every class and party ana
prepossession sit together, a single people
to learn whether we uncerstand their lie
and know how to afford them the coun-
sci and guidance they are now keenly
aware that they stand in need Of. We
must speak, not TO catch votes, but to
satisfy the thought and conscience of a
people deeply stirred by the conviction
that they have come to a critical turning
point In their moral and political develop
ment
AN AWAKENED NATION.
We stand in the presence of an awak-
ened nation, impatient Of partisan make
believe. The public man who does not
must be singularly unsusceptible to the
influences that stir in every quarter about
him The Nation has awakened to a
sense Of neglected ideals and neglected
duties: to consciousness that the rank
and file Of her people find life very hard
to sustain. that her young men find oppor-
tunity embarrassed. and that her older
men find business difficult to renew and
maintain because Of circum stances of
privilege and private advantage which
have interlaced their subtle threads
throughout almost every part of the
frame work of our present law. She has
awakened to the knowledge that she has
lost certain cherished liberties and
wasted priceless resources which she had
EOlernnlV undertaken TO mold m trust LOT
posterity and for all mankind; and to the
conviction that she STANDS confronted
with an occasion for constructive states
rnanship such as has not arisen since
the great days In which her government
was set up.
Plainly. It IS a new age. The tonic of
such time is very exhilarating. It re-
ouires self-restraint not to attempt too
much, and yet II would be cowardly TO
attempt too little The path Of duty
sogTerIv and bravely trod is the way to
service and distinction, and many adven-
furious feet seek to set out upon II.
There never was a time when impa-
thence and SUSPICION were more keenly
aroused by private power selhshly en-
ploved; when jealousy or everything con-
cealed or touched with any purpose not
linked with general good, or inconsistent
with it. more sharply or Immediately dis
PLAYED itself.
Nor was the country ever more sus-
ceptibe to unselfish appeals or to the high
arguments OF sincere Justice. These are
the unmistakable symptoms Of an awak-
ening. There is the more need for wise
counsel because the people are so ready
to heed counsel If 1t be given honestly
and IN their interest.
FACING QUESTIONS OF RIGHT.
1t Is in the broad light OF this new day
that we stand face to face-with what?
Plainly, not with questions Of party, not
with a contest for Office. not with a petty
struggle for advantage, democrat against
republican liberal against conservative,
progressive against reactionary. with
great questions Of right and Of justice,
ratheT-questions OF national develop
and of standards Of action no less than
Of a better business system, more free,
more equitable, more open to ordinary
men, practicable TO live under, tolerable
to work under, or a better fiscal system
whose taxes shall not come out of the
pockets Of the many to 90 into the peck
cts of the few, and within whose intri-
cacies special privilege may not 50 easily
E.s7 ~ ne fnrrag If 4hA nation
are asserting themselves against every
form OF special privilege and private con-
troll and are seeking bigger things than
they have ever heretofore achieved. They
are sweeping away what is unrighteous
in order to vindicate once more the es-
sential rights OF human life; and, what is
very serious for us: they are looking TO
at once honest and fearless.
At such time. and in the presence
Of such circumstances, what is the mean
ing of our platform, and what is our re
sponsibility under it? What are our
duty and our purpose7 The platform Is
meant to show that we know what the
Nation is thinking about, what 1t is most
concerned about what It wishes cor
reeted and what It desires to see at
tempted that Is new and constructive and
~ intended for its long future But for Us
ct IS very practical document. we are
not about to ask the people Of the United
states to adopt our platform; we are
about to ask them to entrust US with
their affairs. They WI wish to know
what sort Of men we are and Of what
definite purpose; what translation OF &C
ton and Of policy we intend to give to
the general terms Of the platform which
the Convention at Baltimore put forth
should we be elected
PLATFORM NOT A PROGRAM.
The platform is not a program, A pro
gram must consist Of measures, admins
trative acts. and acts Of legislation. The
proof Of the pudding is the eating thereof
How do we intend 10 make 1t edible and
digestible? From this time on we shall
be under Interrogation. How do we eX
pect to handle each of the great matters
that must be taken up by the next con.
gress and the next administration?
What is there to do? 1t is hard Ia
sum the great task up, out apparently
this is the sum Of the matter: There
are two great things TO do, One is t.
set up the rule OF Justice and Of right
IN such matters as the tariff, the regula,
ton Of the trusts and the prevention oil
monopoly, the adaptation Of our banking
and currency laws to the varied uses tC
which our people must put them, the
treatment of those who do the daily labor
in our factories and mines and through
out all our great Industrial and CONNER
cial undertakings, and the political life
- he Of T0byffv,v,4v,1z 90