The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1913-09-12
Six Months of President Wilson

On the 4th day of September
President Wilson will have
served six montss of his term
of office. The rounded period of
half a year forms a natural
milestone by which to estimate
the progress the country has
made under democratic rule.
Short as that time is, in the cal
endar of craftsmanship, it af-
fords a certain degree of oppor-
tunity for events to adjust them
selves into their logical rela-
.tions with each other, to assume
sequence, perspective and relief,
and to take on the outlines
whose final shape is historic
significance.
This occasion, therefore, is a
fitting one for a review of Pres
ident Wilson's achievements con-
.sidered as a whole, from inaug-
uration day to now. But it is a
striking proof of the strength
and vigor of the democratic
ADMINISTRATION at Washington,
that the present is not more
iStinctly a psychological mo-
ment for a survey of what the
democracy is doing for the ma
ton, than would have been the
case three months ago, or indeed
at any time since the admins
tration and congress finished the
preliminary work of organiza-
ton, established the routine and
detail methods Of their duties,
and plunged into the heart of
the momentous problems which
the nation had assigned to the
democracy for solution. From
the very start, the president, his
cabinet and the congress struck
the master chord of working eff
cacy. 1t was plain that earnest,
unremitting toll, for definite
ends in view, was to be the key
note Of the Wilson administra-
ton. No other keynote coulI be
SO sure Of immediate response
from the American people. And
the response was instantaneous
and universal. Republicans, their
mouths still bitter with the
of defeat. Progressives.
still hugging to their hearts the
delusion that there was room
Tor two progressive parties in
this country, lost sight of the
barriers they had so
sedulously reared, when thew
realized that there was a genuine
working president in the White
House and a working congress
In the capitol. No matter with
what fury hostile partisanship
rage against Woodrow
Wilson, the democrat, republi-
cans themselves admired Wood
Wilson, the worker. The
irrespective of party, took
a homely delight in an admins
tration that had taken off its
coat and was saving wood. The
democratic appeal was to the
two dominant instincts of the
American mind-respect for low
atty and faith in work. The
was doing what it had
promised to do. 1t was working
double stretches to do it. Public
confidence followed as a matter
course. 1t is said of some men
that they capture the popular
imagination. President Wilson
has won the popular common
sense. Long before he an
preached the six-month mile
stone of the first year of his
ERIN, he was recognized as the
head worker of a nation of work
RS.
It's record of tariff reform
would be enough to STAMP
President Wilson's administra-
ion as one Of the ablest in the
history of the United States.
The tariff is a problem with
which the country has grappled
yer since the beginning of the
'epublic. Tariff revision was the
eading issue of the campaign in
which Woodrow Wilson was
elected president, and the nation
ecognized that no preceding adj
nlnistration had ever settled the
ariff question. To settle it. is
he task the Wilson administra-
ion has set itself to achieve. It
S a task so-stupenduous, that if
n the first six months, the
resident and congress had done
-othing but bring the tariff leg
station to its present advanced
tage of progress, the country
have submitted to letting