The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-06-09

OI. ClIlZeno. would nave resulted In It's
financial ruin. He believed that the
credit and the ultimate honor and
prosperity Of the country were at
stake. He believed that the danger
could he averted only by serving notice
III the world that every obligation
of the United States would be redeem
ed at its fact value in gold. II the
holder demanded gold. He believed
it necessary that this should be estab-
lished as a principle of this Of this
government. n in order to achieve
this he. like Lincoln. was willing to
adopt the means nearest at hand to
accomplish. the object OF which he
sought. He brought to bear all the
weight OF the influence of his great
office, and he succeeded.
President Roosevelt believed that
certain railroad legislation was neces-
sary for the good of the country. Had
he left the matter entirely to congress
the legislation which he sought would
not have been enacted. He did not
leave it in that manner He threw,
himself into the fight. He was accus-
ed of bullying and browbeating, and
q. lot of other offenses. Possibly he
was guilty as charged, in some cases
Rut he succeeded in securing the pas
sage of a railroad bill which, though
far from perfect. was Il distinct ad-
vance over any railroad legislation
that the country had ever had, and
that bill was the basis OF the improved
legislation which we now have, and
for the first time it breathcd the breath
OF life into the interstate
commission.
Governor Hughes, OF New York, be-
lieved that the welfare OF his state
demanded the enactment of certain re-
form legislation. The majority in the
state assembly was unwilling to pass
such laws. 1t refused to do so.
Hughes fought back, and fought 80
effectively h A he created a state of
public opinion that inundated the
unwilling legislature into passing the
laws which he demanded.
Governor Wilson, of New Jersey. in
terested himself in the politics of his
state outside Of the details of the ex-
ecutive work of his Office. took sides
in a senatorship fight and ecure the
defeat Of a man whom he believed to
be unworthy, and secured the enact
lnent of a group of law which were
intended to improve the facilities of
the state for dealing with great COM
binations. He was applauded for his
course.
Throughout the entire history of the
nation there have been instances of
this kind, so that the attempt Of
PRESIDENT Wilson to ecure the enact
ment OF the sort of tariff bill that he
believes the country should have is not
unique, hut rather in line with a
course which has been pursued by
presidents yer since the nation was
created. If Mr.. Wilson believes that
a tariff bill of a. certain kind is neces.
sary for the welfare Of this country, IL
Is his duty to use his influence for
the passage of such a bill. To what
extent that influence should be used,
and VIVA means may be permissible,
depend entirely on what the president
believes to he the gravity OF the situa-
ton. One would scarcely hold that
the passage of a tariff bill involves
questions of such supreme import.
ance as the problems that confronted
Lincoln, hence methods which might
have been deemed proper for Lincoln
might be deemed inexcusable in the
case Of Wilson. But the difference
IL one Of degree. and not Of kind, for
a president must according to his con-
victions. he held responsible for the
soundness Of those convictions.