The Detroit times., 1913-02-17
WILSON SAYS
COUNTRY NOW
FACES CRISIS
Must Have Radical Reconstruc-
tion or Undergo Rev
olution
PEOPLE MUST TAKE
OVER GOVERNMENT
President-elect in New Book In
dicates Faith in His
Program


has published book called The
New Freedom" which sets forth the
ideas concerning the government OF
America which he expressed during
the campaign. II may be called a
handbook OF Intentions OF the new
administration. In the preface he
says: -
"The book IL not discussion OF
measures or OF programs. II Is an
attempt 10 express the new spirit OF
our politics and 20 set forth, in large
terms which may stick in the magma
Ition, what II il that must be done II
we are ito restore our politics to their
full spiritual vigor again"
Gov. Wilson believes that the
United States Ii facing crisis.
Society Is looking itself over, In
our day, from top TO bottom" he says.
l"It Is making fresh and critical
analysis of Its very elements; and II
stands ready to attempt nothing less
than a radical reconstruction, which
only frank and honest counsels and the
forces OF generous cooperation can
hold back from becoming q revolu.
more conscious OF it's task or more
unanimously DESTROYS OF radical and
Extended changes in its economic and
political practice"
| The Vote-Swappers league can find
little comfort In Mr.. Wilson's discus
sion OF political evils.
In the first place" he says, "it II
necessary to open up all the processes
OF our politics. They have been too
secret. too complicated, TOO rounda-
bout: they have consisted too much
OF private conferences and secret UNI
lderstandings, OF the control OF legis-
lation by the men who were not legis-
lators, but who stood outside and die
tated. controlling oftentimes by very
questionable means, which they would
not have dreamed OF allowing TO be-
come public. The whole process must
be altered. We must take the selec-
ton OF candidates for ONCE. for
example,, out of the hands Of small
groups OF men, out OF the hands OF
machines working behind closed
doors, and put 1t into the hands of the
people themselves again by means OF
direct primaries.
TT IL necessary. In the second
place, to give society command OF its
own economic life again by denying
ito those who conduct the great
modern operations OF business the
privacy that used to belong properly
enough 10 men who used only their
own capital and their individual
energy In business"
After discussing the tariff, and say
In
cause the country Is committed TO a
but that the Democrats congress
will weed the garden" OF rank
growths which make IL impossible
for the other plants to prosper, MIR.
Wilson takes up the subject Of
Monopoly or opportunity" He
describes the formation OF trust.
I'VE will assign you as your share
in the pool twice, five times, what
you could have sold your business for
10 an individual competitor" he says.
We can AFFORD TO buy II at such
figure because we are shutting out
competition. We can afford TO make
the stock OF the combination half q
dozen times what II naturally would
be and pay dividends on II, because
there will be nobody TO dispute the
lprices we shall fix. Talk OF that as
sound business7 Talk OF that as
inevitable? 1t is based upon nothing
except power. 1t is not based upon
efficiency.
Il take my stand absolutely where
every progressive ought to take his
stand. on the proposition that private
monopoly Is indefensible and intol-
erable. And there / will fight my
battle. There must be no squeezing
out OF the beginner, no Gripping Of
his credit; no discrimination against
retailers who buy from a rival; no
threats against concerns who sell sup
plies 10 rival; no holding back OF
raw material from him; no secret ar
rangen.ents against him. All the
fair competition you choose, but no
unfair competition Of any kind"
The president-elect arraigns the
money trust, or credit trust, as no
myth, no imaginary thing. II Is not
an ordinary trust like another. It
doesn't do business every day. II
does business only when there Is oc.
casion to do business. have seen
men squeezed by Il; have seen men
who we're put out OF business by
Wall-s:' because Wall-st. found them
inconvanient and didn't want their
competition.
"The facts OF the situation amount
TO this: that a comparatively small
number Of men control the raw ma
terial OF this country that a COM
paratively small number OF men con
troll the water powers that can be
made useful for the economical pro-
duction OF the energy to drive our
machinery; that that same number OF
men largely control the railroads;
that by agreements handed around
among themselves they control prices,
and thai the same group OF men con-
troll the larger credits OF the country"
Taking up the Progressive platform
OF regulated monopoly, Mr.. Wilson
says IF the government is to tell
big business men how TO run their
business, then don't you see that big
business men have to get closer to
the government even than they are
now? Don't you see that they must
capture the government. IN order NOT
TO be restrained by IT. Must capture
the gov ernment7 They have already
captured II. Are you going to invite
those inside to stay inside7 Are you
going TO own your own premises, or
are you not?"