East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-10-17
The New Meaning Of Government
BY WOODROW WILSON
(In Woman's Home Com panion for NovcIuber)

Democratic government has, the
world over, had deep and far-reaching
results Il has created a new concep-
ton of the functions of government,
II is not merely that democratic gov
ornmcnt is based, as the old phase
used TO go. ON the consent of the
governed" but that it is based upon
the participation in government Of all
CLASSES and interests; and whenever
this conception can he realized, when
ever government is disentangled from
its connection with special interests
and made responsive to genuine public
opinion. throughout the length and
breadth of the great country, it at
once gets new ideals and responds to
new impulses. II then becomes an
instrument OF civilization and Of hui
manity.
America has SO prospered, her en-.
crgy has been so great, and her achie-
Nemeut hitherto so easy that she has
not until our day felt the real diff
Guilty and eXigynCy of government
She has not had time, apparently,
amidst her various and expanding in
dustrils, to think of making her gov
vrnment economical in its administra-
tion and efficient at every point, as
her own business enterprises are.
Every dollar that the government
spends ought to he spent as carefully
as if the resources of the country were
limited Every dollar of eXpendi-
ture ought TO mean something done
or provided for the people. Waste is
also weakness. Inefficiency brings
confusion.
1t is part of the new meaning of
government, therefore, that its re-
sources are not to be put at the dis
posal of governing class or of any
limited set of governing influences.
Nut that those who exercise its au-
thority must keep house" for the
whole people; must use the money
raised by taxes as if it We're expended
IN trust to produce the best possible
results in the ordering and stimu-
1ation Of our life.
II is an interesting circumstance
that government is becoming less and
tess a business for politicians that
minds and energies of every kind are
turning towards it as part of the gen
eral enterprise of life. The reason
we want our government to he free
from every kind of private or mar
ROW control is that we want to have
1T see more things than it would
see IL it served only a few. Those
who conduct it ought to have the Wis
non of the nation itself-ought to be
sensitive to impulses from every
quarter. The statesman should sit
down with the philantrOpist, with the
engineer, with the forest expert, with
she student OF soils and agricultural
methods, with masters of technical
and vocational education as we'll as
with financiers and lawyers and man
hiacturers and merchants and those
. whose interests have usually been at
tlye center Of policy. Though he can
not himself keep the life of the nation
as a whole in his mind, he can at
3east make sure that he is taking
counsel with those who know, that his
sympathics may be open upon every
side. and that he may seek to serve
civilization and humanity, not party
or any selfish program.
The Common Interest is Becoming
Clearer.
These changes in the business and
character of government are not
taking place because of any special
knowledge Of 4 few men, the leaders
OF parties and of public thought.
They are, on the contrary. coming
Jrom out the general body of the ma
zion itself
The government is becoming more