The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-14


nor Wilson, for whom the majority
of the states in The union today Of
ficially cast their electoral votes for
the presidency. proclaimed in a speech
to the New Jersey presidential electors
that he interpreted his election as the
distinct expression Of the progressive
impulses of the country.
Il shall not be aotipg as partisan
when l pick out progressives and only
progressives to aid me-" the governor
said in analyzing the spirit that he
said had produced his election.
Predicts No Division
The governor predicted no division
in the counsels of the democratic party
but foresaw solidarity. Those demo-
Gratis. he said, who hitherto have
| been slow to align themselves with
the progressive banner of the party are
| everywhere yielding. The business
men of the country, too, are swinging
around to an unselfish and broader
view of their duties to the people
The speech was delivered at lunch
con given for the electors by the dem
ocratic state committee just before the
official ballot was cast 1t was the
last DIR. Wilson is scheduled to make
before his inauguration.
II feel that it would be unbecoming
in me-" he said, ITO make "A speech to-
day in any other tone than that of
man who believes that he is speak
ing for the men with whom he Is as
sociated. Some men have been slow
to observe, but the majority of us have
seen that the people of the United
States have taken a definite choice.
happen to be one of the instruments
through whom that choice is expected,
but l am for the time and that choice
for the long future The people of
the United States have turned their
faces in definite direction and any
party, any man. who does not so with
them in that direction they viii reject
and they ought to reject.
Therefore, in looking forward To the
responsibilities that l am about to assume
/ feel first, last and all the time that
am acting in a representative capacity.
| am hidden to interpret as we'll as | can
the purposes of the people of the Uni
ted states and to act, so far as my
choice determines the action, only through
the instrumentality of persons who also
represent that choice. | have no liberty
in the matter. | have given bonds, my
sacred honor is involved, and nothing
more could be involved. Therefore, snail
not be acting as a partisan when | PICK
out progressives, and only progresslves.
/ shall be acting as a representative of
the people of this great country. And,
therefore, it is matter of supreme pleas
ure to me to find in every direction, as
l turn about from one group OF men TO
another. that mems minds and men 3 CON
sciences and mems purposes, are yielding
to that great impulse that now moves the
whole people of the United States.
Party United
II do not foresee any serious DIVISIONS
of counsel In the democratic party as a
national body. On the contrary, l find
every evidence of solidarity. | see every
evidence that men who have not hitherto
yielded their argument to the movement
of the age are now about to yield their
argument. | will not say their will. They
do not seem to be acting under COM
pulsion-they are beginning to yield tasir
argument to the common Judgment OF
the nation. Because l find in discussing
questions of business-contrary to the inl-
preston which prevails in some editorial
rooms-that in speaking to men of bust
| ness / am speaking to men whose vision
| is swinging around to the path which
| the nation has marked out for itself.
Men, in the last analysis, even in
| the narrower field of business have a
grip upon their fellow men In propor-
ton as they enjoy the confidence and
admiration of their fellow men. A man
can accomplish a great deal more In
business. as ] need hardly tell you,
by the belief that people have in him
than by the field that he inspires. And
| some men have made the profound mis-
take, so far as their individual success
Is concerned, of trying to succeed by
fear and not by persuasion, not by con-
fidence but by creating the conscious
ness that they can spoil the careers of
the men who do not work.
II suppose some people have the
idea that / love TO fight just for the
fun of 1t. Now. that is not I'm the least
my temperament. | am really very
tame, amenable person. but / do love
to feel In my blood the splendid sat
isfaction of fighting for something,
something that is bigger than myself.
and trying for the time at least 10
think / am as big as the thing ! am
fighting for. That is solid satisfac-
ton. And when / can for the time be-
ing represent the democratic party and
find that the nation as whole Is thaw-
ing out toward the democratic party
and more and more coming to believe
that the democratic party can be the
thing which the country has been wa't-'
ing for, then | enjoy the immense sat
isfaction of being part of thing that
Is so much bigger than am that can
dream, at any rate, that am taking
my own measure by the thing be-
long to.
Now that is the kind of thought that
believe we are permitted to indulge
| in today swearing allegiance TO one
another that we are not going to allow
ourselves or anything we are connect
ed with to be caught in the old en-
tang lements any more. That is what
7 have sworn to. And the enterprise,
| is easy because ] told some gentle-
men in Chicago. we have asked for and
| obtained a change of venue The jury
| Is not now the selected jury that was
always to be summoned and always
consisted of the same persons, but IL.
| Is a jury consisting of all the people
| of the United States-and that jury will
stand by all to the last ditch.
And with that jury back of you.
you can smile at all the gentlemen who
meet in corners and in private rooms
and arrange to beat you The thing
cannot be arranged. The game can
not be set up. Because all the walls
! pare EaRhfA