Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-11-20
PLEDGES OF WILSON
Summary of What President Elect
Wilson Proposes to Do.
TARIFF, TRUSTS. CURRENCY.
Boston Globe Gives Promised Posi-
ton of New Administration
ON Great National
Issues.

What are the policies of the presi.
dent-elect? What will he do?
We need only to refer to his pledg-
es, and he has shown himself a mar
who squares his performance with
his promises.
What are his promises? Here they
are
The Tariff-It must be handled
very prudently, so that no honest
toll may be interrupted, no honor
able or useful enterprise disturbed; 1;
must be dealt with by slow stages
of well considered change-change
whose object shall be to restore and
broaden opportunity, and destroy
nothing but special privilege and un.
wholesome control.
The Trusts-The trust question
must be dealt with in the same way
with this distinct and single program,
to destroy monopoly and to leave
business intact, to give those who
conduct enterprise no advantage ex-
cept that which comes by efficiency,
energy and sagacity, those only foun-
tains of honorable wealth, every man
rewarded according to his insight
and service, his mastery in an open
field.
The Currency-Currency and bank
ing questions must be discussed and
settled in the interest of those who
use credit, produce the crops, man.
ufacture the goods and quicken the
commerce of the nation, rather than
in the interest of the banker and
the promoter and the captain of fl
nance, who if set off by themselves
in the management of such things,
too easily lose sight even of athsir
own intimate and inseparable rela-
ton to the general needs and inter-
ests of the rank and file.
Conservation-Fore must be re-
newed and mines and water courses
must be husbanded and preserved, as
if we were trustees for all genera
tions, not merely for our own, for
the sake of communities and nations
and not merely for the immediate
use of those who hasten to enlarge
their enterprises and think only of
their own profits.
The government must employ its
powers and spend it's money to de-
velop a whole people and whole
continent, and at the same time keep
them free and alert and unhamper-
ed, its eye always on the common use
and purpose, its thought constantly
of what will happen to the average
man and of what will be prepared
for the next generation.
Foreign Policy-We must consider
our foreign policy upon the same
high principle. We have become a
powerful member of the great family
of nations. The nations look to us
for standards and policies worthy Of
America. We must shape our course
of action by the maxims of justice
and liberality and good will, think of
the progress of mankind rather than
of the progress of this or that invest
ment, of the protection of American
honor and the advancement of Amer
ican ideals rather than always of
American contracts, and lift our di-
plomacy to the levels of what the
best minds have planned for man
kind.
General Progress-A great people
is turning its face to the light, not
desiring a revolution, but loving the
right and determined to set 1t up,
wisely, temperately, honorably, with
prudence and patient debate, not in
irritation or in haste, but like men,
not like children. 1t is a great day
and a propitious one.