Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-03-06
PRESIDENT wilson
FOR JUSTICE ONLY
His Inaugural Address Calls OH
All Honest Men to Aid in
His Task.
WILL RESTORE, NOT DESTROY
New Chief Executive Says Change of
Government Means the Nation Is
Using Democratic Party for
Large and Definite Purpose.


correct the evils that have been al
lowed to grow up in our national life,
President Wilson in his inaugural adj
dress today called on all honest men
to assist him in carrying out the will
of the people. Following is his adj
dress:
There has been a change Of govern
nent. It began two years ago, when
the house Of Representatives became
Democratic by 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 l am go
ing to try to answer, in order, if
may, to interpret the occasion.
New Insight Into Our Life.
It means much more than the mere
success of a party. The success of a
party means little except when the
nation is using that party for a large
and definite porpose. No one can
mistake the purpose for which Ghe
nation now seeks TO use the Demo
cratic party. 1t 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 own
convictions. We have been refreshed
by a new insight into our own life.
We see that in many things that
life is very great. 1t is incomDarably
great in it's material aspects, in its
body of wealth, in the diversity and
sweep of it's energy, in the industries
which have been conceived and built
up by the genius of individual men
and the limitless enterprise of groups
Of men. 1t is great, also, very great
in its moral force. Nowhere else IL
the world have noble men and women
exhibited in more striking form the
beauty and energy Of sympathy ano
flelpfulness and counsel in their efforts
TO rectify wrong, alleviate suffering
and set the weak in the way Of
strength and hope. We have built up
moreover, a great system Of govern
ment. which has stood through a lOne
age as in many respects a model fol-
these who seek to set liberty upoI
foundations that will endure agains
fortuitous change. against storm anC
accident. Our life contains every
great thing, and contains it in ricf
abundance.
Human Cost Not Counted.
But the evil has come with the
good, and much fine gold has beer
corroded. With riches has come in
excusabIe waste. We have sQuan
dered a great part of what we nigh
have used, and have not stopped tt
conserve the exceeding bounty Of IA
ture, without which our genius foG en-
terprise would have been worthless
and impotent, scorning to be careful
shamefulIy prodigal as well as admir-
n,
our industrial achievements, but W.
have not hitherto stopped thought
fully enough to count the human cost
the cost of lives snuffed out, of ener
gies overtaxed and broken, the fear
full physical and spiritual cost to thu
men and women and children upol
whom the dead weight and burden o
it all has fallen pitilessly the year.
through. The groans and agony of /
all had not yet reached our ears, tn
solemn, moving undertone of our life
coming up out of the mines and fac
tories and out of every home wher
the struggle had its intimate and ia
miliar seat With the great govern
ment went many deep secret thing
which we too long delayed to Loo
into and scrutinize with candid, fea1
less eyes. The great government W
loved has too often been made use o
for private and selfish purposes, an
those who used it had forgotten tn
people.
At last a vision has been vouch
,c
see the bad with the good. the de
based and decadent with the SCUM
and vital With this vision we al
proach new affairs. Our duty is t
cleanse, to reconsider, to restore, t
/ correct the evil without impairing tn
good. TO purify and humanize ever
process of our common life withou
weakening or sentimentaliZing
There has been something crude an
heartlesS and unfeeling in our haste
succeed and be great. Our thought ha
been Let every man look out for him
self, let every generation look out 70
| ITSELF while We reared giant machin
cry which made it impossible that an,
| but those who stood at the levers Q
/ control should have a chance to loo
out for themselves. We had not fol
/ gotten our morals. We remembers
well enough that we had set up
/ policy which was meant to serve tn
I humblest as well as the most power
( full, with an eye single to the stand
+ ards of justice and fair play, and re
/ membered it with pride. But we wer
very needless and in a hurry to b
/ great
Chief Items in Program.
| We have come new to the sobe
/ second thought The scales of heee
r.