Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-28
A THINKER IN THE
WHITE HOUSE.
Analysis of Mr. Wilson and other
Presidents.

PRESIDENTS.
(From the American Magazine)
have Just been spending week in
Washngton-the most interesting place,
at the present time, In America Not
before in years has the legislative pot
boiled and buhbled as It is now boiling
and bubbling. and never. certainly, was
there a cook who could WELD the big
ladle as efficiently and sklfully as the
present incumbent Of the White House.
With what consummate art also, has
he seasoned the pottage to the taste Of
the country! Even those statesmen who
have no relish for it are swallowing it
without a word, though It makes their
eyes water.
What Is the secret of Mr.. Wilson'S ex-
traordinary success?
Six years ago. when Mr.. Roosevelt
was about to finish his second cup Of
coffee and was considering the choice of
his successor in the presidency, he was
confronted with this problem What
type of man will best give legal defini-
ton to the moral impulse which Is now
sweeping the country?
The answer seemed clear enough: A
,
therefore he shall be the next president.
This WAS a grave mistake on Mr..
Roosevelts part. What the country
needed at that moment was not a great
lawyer but a great thinker. For lawyers
look backward, and thinkers look for
ward. The guiding star of Mr.. Roose-
volts administration was action: Mr.
Roosevelt did not think, he acted. And
Mr. Taft wasted his administration
Wandering between two worlds, ono
dead
| The other poweriess to DO born.
In Mr. Wilson the country has at las,
! given birth to a thinker. Most men are
half-minded. most congressman are half.
minded; they believe that a proplem has
only ore end But thinker knows thai
problem is like Il magnet equally
charged Mt both ends.
Where there is a centrifugal force a.
work no knows that there Is centripeta
force equally at work. He knows tina,
new forms Of decentralization in govern.
ment must always be held in check by
new forms OF Capitalization. Only a de-
mocracy can be trusted with an autocrat
! This attitude OF mind Is what Is Sc
Infinitely puzzling to Congress. A heated
southern SENATOR with a vision Of JEFF
fersoniansm slain on the marble steps OF
the White House, rushes up to SEQ Mr.
Wilson.
See here, Mr. Wilson," says he. don
you see that this bill with its provision
for a federal reserve board to control m,
national currency means dangerou.
| Capitalization OF power at Washington
But MIR. Senator" says the presi.
dent qultely. don't you see that the re-
gional banks for West and South which
are also provided for in the bill. will
tend to decentralze financial power
reduce the supremacy of Wall stree,
and the East?'
Mr., Senator goes away scratching hi,
head and votes for the bill
A similar situation has developed II
the discussion of the trust question
Loud cries of trust busters" for NOR,
competition in Industry and for decen
traiaaton of commercial power: LOUD
cries also by the monopoly regulators
for the cooperative view of industry
and the Capitalization OF the control o
commerce. Both sides appear witt
gatling guns shotted with deadly argu
ments, and lombard the White House
Mr.. Wilson. unlike either OF his pre-
decessors. retires to the wilderness I,
think-in this instance to a place bearin.
the symbolical name of Pass Christian
He comes back with suggestions for INV
trust bills, the purpose of which is two
fold; To secure more competition in in
Idustry. but more governmental superyi