Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-01-02
TALKS TO THE PEOPLE.

When Woodrow Wilson was first
brought out as candidate for the pres
idency this paper pointed out that
while his craftsmanship harked back to
the fathers of the Democratic party he
was able to apply that craftsmanship in
more fully developed form to present
day conditions Events show that H
president elect Mr.. Wilson realizes the
task set before him and how best it can
be accomplished. AT the outset he
seeks to so divide his time NJ to elfec-
tually do his part in the work Of gov
erning this great people. He proposes
to do the peoples business in the open,
and to give all men having business to
transact an open door to the White
House. But he will discontinue pre-
functionary receptions and wholesale
handshakings. He can do this because
he Is known by all men to be democrat
ic through and through. He also says
executive speak at great banquets must
be largely discontinued He prefers to
speak ut business meetings Of associa-
tions, rather than durging their festivi
ties AS president, however. Mr.. Will
son, proposes to keep in close touch
with the people and speak to them
directly in the first person singular.
To keep in touch with the people and
to let them know his hopes and pur
poses he has written an article entitled
The New Freedom which will appear
In the January number Of the Worlds
Work. Other articles will follow and
altogether they will be given wide and
general publication. In this initial AR
tlcle Mr. Wilson says:
"A corporation is very like large
tenement house; 1t isn't the premises Of
single commercial family; 1t is just
as much public affair M great
tenement IL n net work of public high
ways"
What we have to discuss IL not
wrongs which individuals Intentionally
do--for | do not believe there are
great many of these--but wrongs of the
system. / want to record my protest
against any discussion Of this matter
which would seem to indicate that there
are bodies OF our fellow citizens who are
trying 70 grind M down and do us in
Justice. There are some men of that
sort. / don't know how they sleep
o'nights, but there are men of that kind
Thank God they are not numerous. The
truth il we are I'LL caught in great
economic system which is heartless.
when | hear judges reason upon
the analogy of relationships that used
to exist between workmen and their
employers generation ago | wonder II
they have not opened their eyes to the
modern world. You know we have u
right to expect judges will have their
eyes open, even though the law they
administer has not awakened.
.'Since have entered politics, / have
chiefly had mems views contided to me
privately. Some of the biggest men in
the United States, in field of commerce
and manufacture, are afraid of some
body, are afraid of something. They
know that there is power somewhere
80 organized, SO subtle, SO watchful, so
interlocked, 50 complete, 30 pervasive,
that they had better not speak the truth
above their breath when they speak in
condemnation of It,
American industry is not free. rs
once it was free; American enterprise
Is not free: the man with only Il little
capital Is finding it harder to get into
the field. more and more impossible TO
compete with the big fellow. Why2
Because the laws of this country do not
prevent the strong from crushing the
weak. That is the reason, and because
the strong have crushed the weak, the
strong dominate the industry and the
economic life of this country,
"There is great deal that needs
reconstruction in the United States,
should like to take census of the bust
nessmen--I mean the rank and file of
the businessmen to whether they
think that business conditions in this
country or rather whether the organiza-
ton of business in this country, is salts
factory or not. know what they would
say If they dared. Ii they could vote
secretly thcy would vote overwhelming
ly that the present organization of bust
ness was meant for the big fellows and
was not meant for the little fellows"