Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-20
A LEADER OF MEN
Woodrow Wilson and His Winning
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The American people have already
discovered that they have in the White
House a real leader Of men. Presi-
dent Wilson has demonstrated his
power in a winning way. Ralph Smith,
Washington correspondent for the
Nashville Tennessean, describes the
Wilson characteristics in the follow
ing interesting way:
Woodrow Wilson has demonstrated
his purpose to be a real president He
has secured the power and RESPONSE
bility. both of party and Of national
leadership. Having listened patiently,
he has decided conclusively. He has
smashed two precedents to press his
views home and gives evidence Of a
fixed purpose to live with senators and
representatives until he gets what he
wants in tariff legislation. If he
doesn't get 1t, he proposes to know
precisely why and to put himself In
position to inform the public and the
constituents o. recalcitrants."
President Wilson's determination to
be real leader Is evidently COMPARE
able with that Of Col. Roosevelt. The
colonel, however, had serious difficulty
In handling congress. He got results
by pounding, most Of the time he was
badly on the nerves Of large pro-
portion of members Of congress Had
he taken the chance of reading a mes
sage to a joint session, as did Wilson,
he would have been greeted with a
storm Of protests and might even have
precipitated a scene Of violent oppo-
siuon. Members Of congress in con-
siderable numbers looked upon the
many Rooeevelt messages as frank
efforts to scold them and they didn't
like to be treated that way.
But President Wilson has winning
way about him. He hides his determi-
naticn under the sweetest smile and
the mildest manner. His Roosevelt
ism determination Is swathed In a
more -than-Taft courtesy. Senator
williams of Mississippi, jealous of
traditions, assailed the presidents pur-
pose to address the two houses in joint
session when he first heard Of 1t. A
few others may have shared his feel
ing, but when the president made his
mild appearance and talked about be-
ing a human being like the rest, oppo-
sition was disarmed. When he said
his purpose was to make 1t clear that
the. president was not mere execu-
tive department, addressing congress
from an island Of Jealous authority,
the frown even Of Senator Williams
softened into a smile. The president
took perhaps even more chance In go
ing to the senate wing Of the capitol
to confer with the Democratic MEM
bers of the finance committee on the
tariff. But he genially informed the
senator's that he thus showed himself
perfectly willing to go to see them
rather than to ask them to travel to
the White House to see him. He put
himself in a modest attitude to begin
with. That broke the ice, and pres
emily the atmosphere was so warm
that there wasn't any ice.
The presidents attitude thus far
certainly has not begotten any serious
opposition. Most Of the Democrats
not being seriously injured by his tar
If proposals, are quite frankly
pleased to have a genuine party lead
er. The few senators who would like
to oppose features Of the tariff bill
don't know what to do about it. To
them Woodrow Wilson is a new kind
of president-The Commoner.