Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-06-04
CHAPTER XII.
The Presidency Looms Up.

66N0Ay luz COWdiu MI. VAlSOu .
lSs4S nomination for the presidency
was abroad In the nation. The sug-
gestion had been made long ago-sev-
eral years ago-but 1t had had no
more than faint interest till the COVER
nor's masterful grapple with the diff
culties of practical politics at the New
Jersey capital had focused country
wide attention upon him and led to
the general discovery Of his grasp of
political problems, the vigor and origi-
nality of his thought and his devotion
to the cause of government by the peo-
pie. In all parts of the Union, from
it's populous eastern cities to remote
corners Of the west. people seemed sud-
denly to become aware that there was
man named Wilson who looked more
like a great man than any who had
been seen Of late days.
The time soon came when Invitations
to speak in cities clamorous to see
and hear grew so insistent that it would
have been vain pride longer to disre-
gard them. A few friends took it upon
themselves to arrange an itinerary
among some Of the cities that wanted
to see New Jerseys governor. and he
put himself in their hands to the. ex-
tent of agreeing to get on train with
the itinerary in his pocket.
Before he returned he had travelled
5000 miles. made twenty-five speeches,
addressed thousands of people and
been acclaimed in eight states as the
next president.
That was the beginning Of it. On bis
western journey Mr.. Wilson had re-
piled to all questions by saying that
the presidency was too big a thing for
any man to set about to capture, as It
was too big for any man to refuse.
Now, however, there set in spontane
GUS movement which overnight made
him a candidate, willy nilly, and which
within few weeks had put his name
apparently ahead of all others in popu-
lar favor, for the movement was dis
t1nctly a movement rather of citizens
than Of politicians, rather Of the people
than Of party leaders.
Early In January, 1912, Governor Will
son was present as guest at the Jack
son day banquet, attended by all the
members of the Democratic national
committee and the most prominent men
of the party from all over the country,
gathered in Washington, and there
made an address so commanding in
power that he fairly swept the 800 off
their feet with the vision of duty and
opportunity which beckoned the party
of the people in this hour of national
crisis.
From that day Mr.. Wilson's life has
been lived in the full light of publicity.
The press has given a daily record of
his acts and words and has brought to
an end the work Of this biography,
whose purpose it has been to trace the
course Of not widely known events
which, in ways not unusual in our po-
litical history, has singularly equipped
Woodrow Wilson for chief part in the
political life of the nation.
The campaign for the nomination
developed unusual bitterness. Private
letters were published and private con-
ferences aired in the effort to beat
Mr.. Wilson. Despite these betrayals Of
confidence he steadily gained before
the people. A combination of the field
against him was the last resort of his
enemies. When the convention met
at Baltimore, however, he had more
than 300 delegates, and these never
Wavered.
On the forty-seventh ballot, after the
longest struggle ever witnessed in
American political conventions, Wood
row Wilson was named for president
of the United States. He had gained
constantly from the beginning, past
the 400 mark, past the 500 mark, past
the 600 mark, until at last there came
scramble to get aboard the band
wagon. The mounting of the vote was
like that Of the mercury warmed by the
breath of popular demand throughout
the nation. .>
The election campaign was repeti-
ton Of that seen two years earlier in
New Jersey. Everywhere the candidate
spoke he proved revelation to his
audiences. In the result he achieved
one of the greatest triumphs in Amer
lean history-more than 100000 popu.
lar plurality and 435 electoral votes
out of 531. The "schoolmaster COVER
nor" had arrived. .=
So brief narrative as this could re-
veal but imperfectly the personality
whose development it essayed to trace.
nor could any assessment of it, in clos
Ing, do much to remedy the imperfec.
ton. Some few matters Of fact might
be added little to round out the pic.
ture. :. IT, :zg z
Mr.. Wilson's face photographed II
repose Is familiar, but it is not the
same face animated. His photographs
do not show the man whom his friends
know. The lines of sadness which
mark the photographs disappear IN
conversation, in public speech. "A suf
fusion of kindness overfows his coun
tenance the moment his attention /,
drawn. Swift play Of expression marks
the interest with which he listens. Hi
laugh, like that of the reprobate whom
Mark Twain engaged to applaud dur
Ing his first lecture, IS hung on a hail
i trigger. :s ss =.z
Mr.. Wilson Is Of good height, stur
Oily built, with square should ers. Ht
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