The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-09
WILSON'S FIRST ACT
| STAMPS HIM AS BIG
| MAN, ADMINISTERED
Created Organization" for
Handling Practical Af-
fairs Under Him
BETTER FEELING IS
NOTED IN MARKETS
Naturally the Impending Tariff Re-
vision Engrosses the Attention of
Industrial Quarters and Men
in Business World
I
By w. G. NICHOLAS

BY w. G. NICHOLAS
New York, March ESPECIAL. .)-Presi-
dent Wilson made a great hit with Wall
street business men generally by his first
official move after taking possession of
the White House. He did what every
successful big man in business has been
doing for years--created an "erganiza-
ton" for the handling of the practical
affairs under his management
He made his cabinet officers heads of
the various departments of the ''organi-
zation,'' and announced flatly that he
would hold them responsible for the per-
formance of the duties conferred upon
them. That is precisely what every de-
partment store, railroad and Industrial
company has been doing.
1t is one of the chief elements of sue
cess. 1t relieves the big boss of count
less details which would crush him phys
ically and mentally if he undertook the
performance alone. The government of
the United States has developed into the
biggest business machine in the World,
and yet it has been conducted in a Slip
shod manner by every President who has
been elected by the people for the spa-
cific purpose of running their affairs
from Washington. 1t has always been
q hodge-podge and an example of afro
cious business incompetency. The Steel
trust, OIL trust, Harvester trust, Penn
sylvania railroad and every big depart
ment store in the country would fall to
pieces if mismanaged as the United
States government from q strictly busi-
ness point of view
1T is apparently Mr.. Wilson's purpose
to supply this shocking deficiency and
he lost no time in making his programme
clear. There is no misunderstanding of
what he intends to do. He is going to
look upon the management of the gov
ernmental machinery as business prop
osition as well as a political and social
enterprise. BY divorcing himself from
the petty cares of the management of
the mechanical end he is going to save
at least half of his time for more inn
portant afairs--the largest problems upon
whose solution his mind is bent. By that
single act he has, in the estimation of
men of affairs of Wall street, proved him
self to be a big man. From the first
day in office he will be free for the con-
sideration of great questions which he
advocated in his speeches and writings
before and after his election.
Opinions About Cabinet
President Wilson has set up an organ
ization to run the business end of the
government, modelled on down to date
ideas OF practical operation. He has
named the chiefs who are made respon-
sble for the conduct of their several
departments. To what extent the ap-
pointees grasp the situation and how
they are equipped for the performance of
their duties and responsibilities is some
thing everybody will watch with deep
interest. Not everybody is pleased with
the personnel of the new cabinet and
some doubts are expressed as to whether
they will fill the bill in every sense. but
with born general at the head of the
army high degree of efficiency may re-
suit Here is the way one of the critics
sizes up in cynical phrase the grounds
for hopefulness in the personnel of the
cabinet He says: "There is the highly
conservative Mr.. Bryan, who has DEM
onstrated his financial sanity by cham
pioning free silver. There is N[r. Nc
Adoo, whose one successful accomplish
ment is represented by a corporation
which does not earn the interest on it's
bonds. There is Mr.. Burleson, who has
been working very hard to wipe out the
cotton exchanges and prevent trading
in cotton futures. There is Mr.. Lane
who did more than any other man in the
country to harry Mr.. Hartman and
who had most to do with preventing the
railroads from raising freight rates.
There is Mr. Wilson, who is such a pop
ular union labor leader that, running as
a democrat he was able to carry a no.
toriously strong republican congressional
district in Pennsylvania. And there is
Mr.. McReynods. who in recent antitrust
litigation was so radical that even Mr..
Wickersham- could not stomach him."
Better Feeling in Wall Street
There has undoubtedly been change
for the better in Wall street sentiment
AJr ha fol hoI nd
indicated In general way his plans of
action. He has the good will of every
body, and it is the profound hope of 8
out Of 10 persons you speak to that he
will make success of the White House
job. His peace to all'' sentiments and
his evident belief that civilized people
only need to be shown the way to de-
velop community of interest theories into
working form have made quite a hit.
There Is seemingly nothing vicious
about the man, as the gentleman from
South Carolina would say. The start off
of the new administration has made
very much better impression among bus-
ness men and leaders of finance and en-
terprise than had been expected. The
feeling finds expression in the stock mar
ket and in the offices of people of con-
sequence.
OF course, the impending tariff revision
will engross thought in the Industrial
quarters from now. Ine announced pro-
gramme to confine legislation to revision
alone is a very comforting thought in the
business world. To hold down the actual
work in Congress by making only two
committees of the House is a token of
the earnestness of the leaders in Wash
ington to carry out campaign promise
by getting through with that troublesome
feature of legislation in the shortest pos
sible time. The theory is now broadly
held In the financial district that the spe-
cial session of Congress will be able to
complete its task and adjourn by August
II. That will give four months for con-
sideration and action on the complex
questions which will arise. The make
up of the ways and means committee
would seem to insure desire. on the
part of a majority of that body to pro-
mote radical action. Having built fence
around itself, Congress cannot well take
up the income tax issue in connection
with tariff fact which will doubtless
expedite the final votes. Wall street is
also pleased with that development.
Agitation at Albany
The agitation in Washington and AL
bany-principally Albany-against ne
farious practices in the stock exchange
and banking district has already brought
about q number of reforms and prom
ises of reforms In Objectionable methods
There has been general awakening to