The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-01-01
WHAT EDITORS SAY OF WILSON

New York, Jan 1.-The following is
from the New York World
A quizzical smile stole over the in
tellectual features of Woodrow Wilson,
governor of New Jersey, as he leaned
back in his chair and repeated the
question.
'What is a progressive democrat?'
The former president of Princeton
University paused for moment, un-
hooked his eye glasses from little
gold catch on his vest and, holding
them in his hand to emphasize his
reply, said;
81 can best answer that question by
first trying to define republican. |
do not mean a progressive republican
for a progressive republican is only
republican in a way to become a
democrat-but an orthodox republican,
still dominated by the older standards
of his party.
"An orthodox republican is man
who really believes that the govern
ment of the country ought to be a
sort of trusteeship; that those who
have the biggest material stake in its
industrial affairs should be made the
trustees, and that all policy should be
made to conform to their judgment and
interest, in the expectation that, as
trustees, they will hand on to those
whom their enterprise controls fair
and reasonable share of the prosperity
of business.
Now, a progressive democrat is q
man who sees, what ought to be patent
to everybody, that these self-constitut
ed trustees have. been both blind and
selfish; that dangerous and inequit
able system of business has been built
up and that changes must be effected
which will square the commercial and
industrial methods of the country with
the general interest. the interest oi
the people at large, as understood by
the people themselves and not by spe
cial coteries. When the representa-
tives of big business thing of the peo
pie, they do not include themselves.
Forestalling the next question, Gov
ernor Wilson continued:
What policies characterize progress
sixe democracy? All those policies
whose object is to wrest government
from the control of special groups O
men, and restore it to the control O
the general opinion Of the country. Al
the policies that re-establish tn con
nection between representatives ant
the people. All well-considered meas
ures that will tend to re-establish gen
eral opportunity and freedom Of enter
prise.
1T will need wide common counse
to work such policies out. No one class
or group of men can work them ou
alone. The man of affairs and the pol
itician must come into conference witt
the student and the ardent reformer.
"Do you not think that there il
everywhere manifest very great dis
content with existing conditions?" wa'
the next question.
Most assurdedly. 1t is disconten
with the trusteeship and its results.
From Governor Wilson's manne
there could be no doubt that he hal
abundant confidence in his own abilit.
to meet and correct" the existing
evils. So the next question was:
rs the demand of business men Il
Ibe let alone reasonable in the cir
cumstances ("
Governor Wilson toyed for a me
lment with a pencil on the desk, an
said.
"The demand does not come from
the rank and file; it comes from thos
who have created the very condition
we wish to correct. They wish-so ia
as can make their program out
have the government accept the con
sequences of what they have done
llegalize them, and assume control 0
them. without the least effort at COZ
Irection.
There is nothing the matter wit
the mass of business in this country
1t is as sound as it ever was. No chang
contemplated need touch ordinary bus
mess men at all, except to set ther
free of some Of the trammels and dis
advantages under which they no'
labor. The very object in view is Z
set business free-free from tne COZ
troll of the few-and then let it alon
tContinued on Page Two)