Evening journal., 1912-07-05
INCIDENTS In
THE LIFE OF
GOV. WILSON

It was as a lawyer that Woodrow
Wilson, Democratic nominee for pre-
sident, made his first bow to the |
world, and as president of Princeton
he became more widely known, but It
was as a reformer that he achieved the
Hmelight and it was reform that land
ed him in the New Jersey governors
chair.
Born in Staunton, Virginia, Decem-
ger 2S, 1856, he was christened Thomas
Woodrow Wilson, but in his youth ne
cut off the Thomas because. as he
said, he wanted to use only one name
and Thomas w. Wilson would nave
been too commonplace. Graduating
from Princeton in 1879, he practiced
law for two years in Atlanta, Georgia,
before he became an educator. He
taught history and political economy
for three years in Bryn Mawr College,
and was instructor in the same
branches for two years in Wesleyan
University before he was engaged as
a teacher of Jurisprudence and politics
In Princeton. his alma mater. He be-
came president of Princeton, August
/. 1902 and held that position until
October, 1910, when he resigned to
become governor. In 1885 he married
Miss Helen Louise Arson, of Atlanta,
George. Governor Wilson holds A.
B. IL D., Phi. D., and other degrees
from Princeton. University Of Vir-
einia. Johns Hopkins, Brown, Harvard,
Williams, Dartmouth, and Yale Uni
versities.
II was as a writer that Woodrow
Wilson first got before the people as
a politician. He wrote voluminously
of the evils of bossism the corrup-
ton of politics. and the like, and quite
naturally glided from the pen to the
platform and banquet table, being ask
ed to speak for various meetings and
dinners in all the large cities.
"A prophet is not without honor save
in his own country" and through his
writings and after-dinner speeches,
Woodrow Wilson was being talked
about as a reformer long before the
people of New Jersey considered him
seriously.
AS far back as 1904 people in the
West were talking about Wilson
as a presidential possibility, but New
Jersey knew nothing Of him or about
It, and again at Denver, in 1908, he
was spoken Of" But it was not until
1910 that the people, of the doctors
adopted state discovered" him. Then
the Democratic bosses of the state de-
cided that II was time to elect COVER
nor. They had not had one since tn
DAYS Of Cleveland. and It was decided
that reform was a good platform
Considering reformers, they picked or
Wilson as a man of the hour" and
ran him. Wilson was elected, but thu
bosses soon were led to believe tina
they had picked a lemon" for NJ
sooner did "Prexy" have his long LOAF
legs firmly entwined about the COVER
nor's chair rung than he begal
loudly to defy. He defied the bosses
he defied the corporations, he de1e'
everybody while the defying was goo
and he made a noise that was hear'
throughout the country.
"The time when you can play poll
tics and fool the people has gone by.
was one of Governor Wilson's plat
tudes on the night he accosted tn
New Jersey cali and there are thos
who now paraphrase his remark
thusly "The time when you can pla
the people and fool the politicians ha
not come"
One OF the most amazing incident
of Woodrow Wilson's campaign 70
the Democratic presidential nomina
ton was his embroglic with Col. GeC
Harvey, editor of Harper's Weekly, an
Col Henry Watterson, editor Of tn
Louisville Courier-Journal, over th
support accorded Wilson's boom b
Harper's Weekly. For months tn
publication boosted Wilson in ever
issue, and then came the story in
Charlotte, n. c., newspaper tina
Governor Wilson had broken with Co
Harvey and requested him to discor
tinue his support Of Wilson. Hal
per's Weekly came out with an e.
PLANTATION that it dropped Wilson Z
his request. Then Col. Watterson e
into the game by telling of the NEE
ing in New York of Col. Harvey, Go
Wilson aud himself. at which Wilso
auarreled with Col. Harvey and CO
Watterson because they had enliste
in his behalf Thomas Fortune Ryai
millionaire traction and tobacco ma
nate. Col. Watterson maintained th'
at first Wilson took kindly to the Rya
proposition. The thing ended wit
Col Watterson's proposal that the col
troversy be referred to an old fashion
ed court of honor. An incident
the affair was the publication of
letter that Gov. Wilson was said
have written to Adrian H. Joline, a
tacking william Jennings Bryan al
hoping that he could be Knocked in
a cooked hat" Col. Bryan evident
did not resent the letter, for he a.
parently was an admirer Of the Ne
Jersey governor at the Jackson d.
dinner held shortly thereafter
Washington and fought Wilson's fig
in the Convention leading to his MOI
nation
on DRAUGHT: Cold, Delicious PIT
BEERS. Chapples', los W. Seventh 81