New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1913-03-08
PRESIDENT WILSON s AID
DRESS.

> bSctipt on DO fef anhuHi
PRESIDENT WILSON'S AID
DRESS.
Washington. March 4-Fres'-
dent Woodrow Wilson S inaugu-
raj address follows:
There has been a change OF
government. II began two years
ago. when the house OF repre-
sentatiNes became Democratic by a
decisive majority II has now
been completed. The senate
about 10 assemble will also be
democratic. The offices of presl
dent aud vice president have been
put into the hands Of democrats.
What does the change mean
That is the question that IS up
permost in our minds today.
That is the question ! am going
to answer. in order. if ! may, to
interpret the occasion.
II means much more than the
mere success of party. The slle-
cess Of a party means little eX-
cept when the nation is using
That party for a large and def
mite purpose. No one can mis-
take the purpose for which the
nation now seeks to use the dem
ocratic party II seeks to use 1t
TO interpret change in its own
plans aud point of view. Some
old things with which we had
grown familiar. and which had be
ON to creep into the very habit
of our thought and our lives,
have altered their aspect as We
have latterly looked critical y
upon them, with fresh, awakened
eyes: have dropped their dis
guises and shown themselves alien
and sinister. Some new things,
as we look frankly upon them.
willing to comprehend their real
| character. have come to assume
the aspect of things long believed
in and familiar. stuff Of our own
convictions. We have been re
freshed By a new insight into our
own life.
Life Is Great.
We see that in many things
that life is very great. 1t is in
comparably great in its material
aspects, in its body of wealth, in
the diversity and sweep of its en-
ergy. In the industries which have
been achieved and built up by
the genius of individual men and
the limitless enterprise of groups
of men. 1t is great. also, very
great. in Its moral force. No
where else i'm the world have
noble men and women exhibited
in more striking forms the beauty
and energy of sympathy and help
rulness and counsel In their Of
forts to rectifv wrong. alleviate
suffering. and set the weak in
the way of strength and hope.
We have built M. moreover, a
great system of government.
which has stood through a long
age as in many respects a model
for those who seek TO set liberty
upon foundations that will endure
against storm and accident. Our
life contains every great thing,
and contains It In rich abund-
| ance.
Evil Comes With the Good.
/ But the evil has come with the
good. and much fine gold has
been corroded. With riches has
come inexcusable waste. We have
squandercd a great part OF what
we might have used, and have net
stopped to conserve the exceed
ing bounty of nature, without
which our genius for enterprise
| would have been worthless and
impotent, scorning to be careful,
shamefullv prodigal as well as
admirably efficient. We have
been proud of our Industrial
achievements. but we have not
hitherto stopped thoughtfully
enough to count the human cost,
of lives snuffed ont, of energies
overtaxed and broken, the fearful
4 physical and spiritual cost to the
men and women and children
upon whom the dead weight and
burden of all of it has fallen
/ pitilessly the years through. The
groans and agony of it all had
not yet reached our ears, the
| solemn. moving undertone of ON
| life, coming up out of the mines
and factories and out of every
home where the struggle had its
intimate and familiar seat. With
| the great government went
many deep secret things which
! we too long DELAYED to look into
and scrutinize with candid, fear
less eyes. The great government
| we loved has too. often been made
use of for private and selfish pur-
poses. and those who used it had
| forgotten The people
Bad Is Discovered.
At last vision has been
vouch safed us of our life as a
whole. We see the bad with the
good, the debased and decadent
with the sound and vital. With
this vision we approach new al
60 n,,r .1,,4,. "a +n c1aonue fn