New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-13
WILSON IN CHICAGO.

Governor Wilson offers an interest
ing example Of what Matthew Arnold
called the appearance IF hitting tn"
Tail on the head without the reality
thereof. \ master of precise and TAX
ing ph-G SeolOgy. he has habit OF
making statements which seem to
have a precise and important content.
Int which on analysis are found TO
lead nowhere in particular As q pro-
-rammc their detnitcneSS is in words
rather than in ideas. This is particu-
larly true Of his Chicago speech. Its
IhraseS are radical: its statement Of
policy is vague He is the facile
preacher Of business righteousness but
no business man desiring leadership to
greater righteousness could have found
much help in adjusting the complicat-
cd machinery Of finance and industry
to that equality Of credit which he
wishes the business world To guaran-
tee Of It's own motion without legal
CompulSiOn.
Governor Wilson is anxious that the
business world should free itself from
suspicion AZ one moment he says the
suspicion is just. because the Amcri-
can people Edo not have nightmares.
fut another minute he confcSSeS 10 the
nightmares and tells Of the honest and
patriotic men who are nj Il disadvan-
tagc because they ARE not trusted by
IL, L, Ia Ia
such mon in politics and understood
their high purposes. hut had been
obliged 10 say 20 them: Il cannot deal
with YOU until you make the general
'.public understand your motives He
SAYS: There are men whom have Il
very warm feeling for whom cannot
encourage 10 take an active part in
affairs because the general public
does not believe IN them. A. To- these
men The public evidently has q night
mare. Int instead Of bravely telling
tho public 50 Mr.. Wilson condemns
these patriotic men because the pub
lie * dcluded about them. BY 80 do
inc ne is not promoting truth but ell
,uuraging error Likewise. in pro-
claiming his suspicion If a money
aust" while admitting that many OF
these financial leaders are the victims
It misunderstanding. nc merely con
fuses counsel
Assuming the right tu pronounce a
hunt judgment in advance, Governor
Wilson says the banking system
stands convicted. But the only pre-
Scription for reform is that il should
he good Credit. he says, goes by
iRvOr. but he does not show how even
the best meaning bankers can teach
themselves 10 he MS helpful TO the en-
lCrprfSc Of men whom they do not
know and have not learned TO trust aS
10 old associates i'm whose judgment
.ley believe and of whose character
ana ability they have had experience.
If Governor Wilson cannot deal with
politician about whom the public
has unjust suspicious, and leaders of
finance are at disadvantage because
they are misunderstood. how can he
expect them To he less the victims Of
suspicion and miSiudgment in dealing
out credit and promoting enterprises
sc unknown men? Trust plays its part
i'm their minds as much as it does in
those of Governor Wilson and the body
sc the people. If he wishes to reform
finance he must more clearly define It's
sins and point out more definite
amendment The suggestion 10 good
bankers that even their hope must be
the dissipation by some underlined
means Of suspicious which confessedly
do injustice TO them does not 90 far
~ a practical measure Of statesman
silp