The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-04
A NEW DEAL

Those who regard the Inauguration OF a presi.
dent OF the United States today as a mere change
Ia the name of the man who will occupy the
White House for the next four years or, at the
most, as a mere change In party controlling the
government of these United States have the
wrong conception of the meaning of the cere
monies at noon today. Those who see in the
parade mere pageant, planned for party VIC
tors. merely triumphal procession, merely
celebration of the victory of grea, party, see
only the surface
Thousands and hundreds OF thousands VIII
greet new chief executive, will welcome a new
vice president. will give enthusiastic greeting
to an incoming Democratic majority in congress,
They will rejoice at the triumph Of party as
old as the nation itself. They will welcome
change of government, They will cheer at
the contamination of hopes given birth more
than two years ago, when Republican majority
ir the house swept away and huge Demo
cratic majority substituted.
This is the obvious. This all can see and this
only most of the cheering thousands will see
today. for today is the day of triumph and there
t. thought for nothing else. But tomorrow gdpeI
second thought will and responsibility
and expectation of new deal in politics will
take the place of enthusiasm. For the inaugu-
ration of Woodrow Wilson as president or the
United States means more than a mere change
In the party in control. It means more than
redistribution of Offices. With the sunrise this
morning there is the dawn of a new DAY In poll
tics and in government and In the life of the
American people, as we'll the dawn Of new
calendar day. Today begins a change IN the
point of view, change in the ideals of our leg
islators. new party win take over the reins
OF government to inaugurate new era as well
as a new admnistration--to carry out a new
purpose for which the people OF this great nation
has selected 1t. If this purpose be fulfilled, If
faith, the next four years viii be fraught with
great good for the nation; If they fall, woe
unto the country and unto them. The coun-
trys determination forever to bury some old
evils and to put into practice ideals
Of government will be blocked for the time only.
but the party and the men blocking it will be
swept to instant and everlasting destruction.
II is new administration which begins today
In more ways than Not only are there new
men in the executive branch of the government
and a new party In control of the legislative
branch but there is new spirit in them all.
The country not only placed new party in con-
II oil of the senate, but 1t selected of that
party to take control New faces In the senate
are In the majority; new representatives in the
/ house are in power. 1t is new administration
rev In party. new In men, new in spirit and in
thought,
/ All changes take the face Of Importance
to those taking part in those changes Each
generation is prone to see In the big Things OF
its lifetime a crisis in the affairs of the nation
To some every change of policy and every change
OF administration seems OF greater Importance
than 1t Ia ad1udged by history, but here with
us OF the United States today is great change
In time, If the new administration performs
the duties for which 1t was given power the
tariff will no longer be used to bolster up big
corporation at the expense of the many; currency
laws built for special emergencies which have
| passed will be overhauled thought will be given
to the maintenance of our vast national resources
as we'll as TO their exploitation. The end OF
special privilege is in sight, special privilege
which has been granted more because We have
OF Injustice The end of the invisible government,
has come the end of laws made fo- other times
and other conditions is imminent; the end Of a
government for all by the privileged few Is fore
shadowed
/ These are the purposes for which the Demo
cratic party has been called to power by the
people: these are the purposes for which they
have selected Woodrow Wilson as president In
It's choice OF leader the country has been for
tunate 1t sought out and found the man II
thought best fitted for the work, and we sincerely
hope and confidently expect that it will not be
disappointed Today marks crisis in the his
tory Of these United States. A new page will
he written. and 1T will proclaim to future gen
erations greater glory for our country, a
greater victory than those OF war.
Whether that inaugural parade has all the
frills and furbeows OF coronation spectacle oil
rot the inaugurated has one satisfaction that