The Washington herald., 1913-03-02

7 effort to cause a wreck
Some one has said that each dawnin
of a day is new wonder. In tn
same sense, each Inauguration, eve
though we have seen many of then
is spectacle to inspire the world.
II The United States is not, of course
} the only nation to experience chang
of rulers. The republic of France ha
recently inaugurated new Presiden
without creating, apparently, the slight
est ripple in its affairs. At the sam
time, it is no smsl1 thing when ;
country of 100000 people, exercis
ing the right of individual suffrage
vote to oust their President, and thei
with one accord accept the verdict o.
a minority as to who shall be his sue
cessor. ....
1t indicates stability and sclf-rcstrain
and regard for law and order. When
in addition to this, both victor and
vanquished unite in doing honor to the
new Executive, without undue exulta-
ton on the one hand, or bitter re.
sentiment upon the other, it would
seem as if we demonstrate the perfec-
ton of self-government. One wonders
whether we are always thus to display
cohesion and control The time may
come when the elements of discomfort
and disorder may become more bold.
There are some who believe that they
are making headway now. Whether
this be true or not the impending in
auguration carries with it no evidence
of anything but the continued sanity
of the American people The time for
the pessimist to gloat has not yet ar
rived.
After all, it is the personnel and not
the system which changes. We have
not yet thrown the Constitution to the
winds nor seriously disturbed the solid
foundation upon which the splendid
fabric of our national existence has
been erected. Nor is there any reason
to believe that our institutions will
ever be overturned There will be agi-
tation in the future, as there now is,
and it may be that in some details
there may be changes which will be
i'll the nature of substantial progress
In the end, however, the great. good
common sense of the people will pre-
vail.
1t would not be true to assert that
President Wilson enters upon his Of
ficc with no serious problems confront
ing him. On the contrary, he must
face situations which will cause him
the deepest anxiety.
For the present, most happily, the
Mexican situation is not acute. III
Huerta proves second Diaz and rules |
the country with an iron hand, avert |
ing revolution by drastic measures. |
there may be months and even years |
Of peace 1t is more likely, however, |
that there will be more disturbances,
and it is not improbable that the day
will come when the dreaded interven-
ion will become a matter of necessity |
At all times great tact and forbearance
will have to be exercised by the ad-
as we'll as watchfulness
and readiness. The dispute between
England and the United States over
he Panama Canal tolls, while it can
lcvcr produce an open rupture, is GER
ain TO cause strong feeling in this
There also will be an occa-
ion for the exercise of wise diplomacy
n the negotiation of the new treaty
With Russia.
Within his own political organiza-
ion, President Wilson will find differ
noes TO reconcile, and he will be for
innate If he can prevent divisions in
Us party. He also will be compelled
o decide upon the character of immi-
ration into the United States, and the
Webb liquor bill, which prohibits the
hipment of liquor for illegal purposes
nto prohibition territory, and which
President Taft vetoed on the ground
f unconstitutionality, will be certain
D eventually demand his consideration.
ic also will have a tariff bill to sign
r veto, and he may have occasion to ,
it, as Cleveland did in the
asc of the last Democratic measure. ,
5 thing of perfdy and dishonor. The ,
,ttlement of the trust problem is an ,
ther important duty which will de- ,
olive upon him, and he will hear criti- ,
SIN whether he doe, too much or too q,
tile. In fact, there will be no end =,
{ opportunities to demonstrate his ,
and. if he acts wisely
nd well, as everybody hopes will be
lie case, the commentator will be ,
with the gravity of his !;
:sponsibilities. 4
In the olden days a change in party
meant an upheaval in
'ashington. For months before an in
lguration there was universal anxiety y
the departments and stagnation in
Il