The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1913-03-07
PRESIDENT WILSON'S
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Tells Of the Duties Facing the
New Administration

Wilson's inugaural address was re-
markably short one. He said in part;
t'There has been change of govern
ment. 1t began two years ago, when
the house of repres entatives became
Democratic by decisive majo ity. 1t
has now been completed. The senate
about to assemble is also Democratic.
The offices of president and vice pres
ident have been put into the hands OF
Democrats. What does the change
mean? That is the question that is
uppermost in our minds today. That
is the question am going to try to
answer, in order, if | may, to inter
pref the occasion.
cit means more than the mere sue
cess of party. The success of a par
ty means little except when the ma
ton is using that party for large and
definite purpose. No one can mistake
the purpose for which the nation now
seeks to use the Democratic party. 1t
seeks to use it to interpret a change
in it's own plans and point of view.
Some old things with which we had
grown familiar, and which had begun
to creep into the very habit Of our
thought and of our lives, have altered
their aspect as we have latterly look
ed critically upon them, with fresh,
awakened eyes; have dropped their
DISCUSSES and shown themselves alien
and sinister. Some new things, as
we look frankly upon them, willing to
comprehend their real character, have
come to assume the aspect of things
long believed in and familiar, stuff of
our own convictions. We have been
refreshed by new insight into our
own life.
cat last vision has been vouchsafed
us of our life as whole. We see the
bad with the good, the debased and
decadent with the sound and vital.
With this vision we approach new af-
fairs. Our duty is to cleanse, to re-
consider, to restore, to correct the evil
without impairing the good, to purify
and humanize every process of our
common life without weakening or
SenGmentallZlng IL.
eve have itemized with some degree
of particularly the things that ought
to be altered, and here are some of the
chief items: A tariff which cuts us off
from our proper part in the commerce
of the world, violates the just princi-
pies of taxation and makes the govern
ment a facile instrument in the hands
of private interests; banking and cur
rency system based upon the necessity
of the government TO sell it's bonds fifty
years ago and perfectly adapted to con-
centrating cash and restricting credits;
an industrial system which, take it on
all it's sides, financial as well as adj
ministrative, holds capital in leading
strings, restricts the liberties and linn
it's the opportunities of labor and ex-
PLOTS without renewing or conserving
the natural resources Of the country; a
body of agricultural activities never
yet given the efficiency of great BUSH
ness undertakings or served as 1t
should be through the instrumentality
of science taken directly to the farm
or afforded the facilities of credit best
suited to its practical needs; water
courses undeveloped, waste places un-
reclaimed, forests INTENDED, fast dis
appearing without plan or prospect OF
renewal, unguarded waste heaps at
every mine
1.-THE nation has been deeply stirred
stirred by solemn passion, stirred
by the knowledge of wrong, of ideals
lost, of government too often debauch-
ed and made an instrument Of evil.
The feelings with which we face this
new age of right and opportunity
sweep across our heartstrings like
some air out of Gods own presence,
where justice and mercy are recon
ciled and the judge and the brother are
one. We know our task to be no mere
task of politics, but task which shall
search us through and through
whether we be able to understand our
time and the need of our people
whether we be indeed their spokesmen
and interpreters, whether we have the
pure heart to comprehend and the rec
titled will to choose our high course
of action.
''This is not day of triumph; it Is
a day of dedication Here muster not
the forces Of party, but the forces of
humanity. Mems hearts wait upon US;
mems lives hang in the balance: mems
hopes call upon us to say what we
will do. Who shall live up to the great
trust? Who dares fail to try? I sum-
mon all bonnSt man all natriOtric all
forward looking men, to my side. God
helping me- ] will rot fail tao-r il they
will hrt counsel ard Sta .-. 60"