The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-03-07
WILSON SPEAKS
TO THE NATION
Inaugural Address Delivered by
the New President.
SEES WORK OF RESTORATION
Task Of Victorious Democracy ls to
Square Every Process Of National
Life With Standards Set Up
at the Beginning.

Washington, March 4.-President
Wilson's inaugural address, remark
able for it's breyity. was listened to
with the greatest interest by the vast
throng which was gathered in front
of the capitol's east portico, and at It's
close there was heard nothing but
praise for it's eloquence and high
moral tone. The address in full was
as follows:
There has been a change OF govern
ment 1t began two years ago, when
the house Of representatives became
Democratic by a decisive majority
It has now been completed. The SEN
ate about TO assemble will also be
Democratic. The Offices Of president
and Yice-president have been put into
the hands of Democrats. What does
the change mean? That is the ques-
ton that is uppermost in our minds
today. That is the question / am go
ing to try to answer. in order, II !
may, to interpret the occasion.
Purpose Of the Nation.
! 1t means much more than the mere
success of party. The success OF a
party means little except when the
nation is using that party for large
and definite purpose. No one can
mistake the purpose for which the
/ nation now seeks to use the Demo
! cratic party. It seeks to use it to in
terpret 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 looked 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 as
sumo the aspect of things long believ
ed in and familiar. stuff OF our OWE
convictions. We have been refreshed
by a new insight into our own life.
We see that in many things tina
life is very great. 1t is Incompatible!
great in it's material aspects, in it
body Of wealth, in the diversity ant
sweep OF its energy, in the industries
which have been conceived and bull
up by the genius of individual mel
and the Iimitless enterprise Of group
of men. 1t is great, also. very great
In its moral force. Nowhere else Il
the world have noble men and womel
exhibited in more striking form tn
beauty and energy of sympathy an
heIpfulness and counsel in their effort
to rectify wrong, alleviate suffering
and set the weak in the way G
strength and hope. We have built "
moreover, a great system OF govern
ment, which has stood through Ion
age as in many respects model 70
those who seek to set liberty upo
foundations that will endure agains
fortuitous change, against storm an
accident. Our life contains ever
great thing, and contains it in ric
. abundance.
Evils That Have Come.
But the evil has come with I'll
good, and much fine gold has bee
corroded. With riches has come Il
excusable waste. We have squal
dered a great part OF what we migl
have used and have not stopped
conserve the exceeding bounty of n
: ture, without which our genius for e
terprise would have been WORTHLESS
and impotent, scorning TO be carefI
j shamefully prodigal as well as ADM
ably efficient. We have been proud
s our industrial achievements. but v
{ have not hitherto stopped though
fully enough 10 count the human cos
the cost Of lives snuffed out, OF enc
7 gies oyertaxed and broken, the fes
g full physical and spiritual cost to Il
5 men and women and children upC
le whom the dead weight and burden
" It all has fallen pitilessly the yea
e through. The groans and agony Of
q all had not yet reached our ears, d
p solemn, moving undertone Of our lii
o coming up out of the mines and "a
II tories and out of every home whe
the struggle had its intimate and
u miliar seat. With the great COVER
c. ment went many deep secret thin
ID which we too long delayed to lo'
Of into and scrutinize with candid. fes
lie less eyes. The great government '
Is loved has too often been made use
Il for private and selfish purposes. a
ID those who used it had forgotten I
lie people.
rs At last a vision has been vouC
h safed us Of our life as whole '
u. see the bad with the good, the
e, based and decadent with the SOU
&c and vital. With this vision we s
rs preach new affairs. Our duty is
ic cleanse, to reconsider. TO restore,
correct the evil without impairing t
1a good. to purify and humanize eve
ID process OF our common life witho
d weakening or sentimentalizing
I'D There has been something crude a
n heartless and unfeeling in our haste
il succeed and be great Our thought
on been Let every man look out for hi
ar self, let every generation look out