The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-02-10
A LEADER.

The reception given to Woodrow
Wilson's trust policy by the business
world is one of the most significant
and interesting developments Of recent
history. A business friend of ours was
talking about public affairs the other
day. He had voted for Mr.. Taft and
had been generally distrustful Of Mr..
Wilson. HE makes a noise like real
man." he asid. 81 think he will stand
among our presidents next to Wash
ington and Lincoln"
AS the business world has made up
its mind to follow him. SO has Con-
gress. When he FIRST threw away prec-
edent and read his own message, he
was received with a cold and hostile
silence. The second time he appeared,
there was scattered applause The
third time he was received with en-
thusiasm. He had won, partly because
his ideas were right and partly because
he had shown the ability to gain vic
tories. The public likes winner, and
the President who Is able to do things
inspires the same loyalty in represen-
tatives and senators and the rest of us
that victorious generals Of champion
baseball players inspire. Happily Mr..
Wilson gives every proof Of deserving
the immense power that is now lodg-
ed in his hands. He is not only the
real leader in Washington; he is the
one essential leader. II he should be
taken away tomorrow. and succeeded
by the well-meaning Vice President,
progress in legislation for the present
would be at an end.
1t is masterful gift to combine cour.
tesy and reassuring manner with firm.
ness and drastic program, as the
President did in his trust message. He
is radical; conservatives have often
called him an extreme radical; and yet
the time has come when he frightens
The time has come when
those ideas which we all feel to be
right can be put into practice with
out being regarded by the business
world as so much dynamite. Rapid
indeed has been the progress since the
Fourth of March: the tariff system mi.
tiated, that we have been confronting
with fear for a generation; our old
currency system overthrow and a
more Democratic one introduced; the
whole nature of private monopoly fac
ing change, and almost no one found
to doubt that the Presidents outline
Of this change will be carried through.
Through these rapid steps ahead, much
glory must come to the man who holds
the most responsible office. OF course,
the underlying causes can be traced
FAR back. They can be traced to the
nsurgent Republicans, to Roosevelt,
TO La Toilette, to Bryan. to the Popu-
lists. They can be traced across the |
pecan to successful experiments in |
many different lands. They can be |
tracked back TO the invention. Of, the
press and the Harvesting Of
steam. But, however much we may |
believe that progress is inevitable, wei
must realize also that It is greater or
less in degree according to the leader.
ship of the movement, and that those
who have property gain many and
many an unjust victory over those who
have not Therefore, when those who
sympathize with the'movement toward
fairness CT spirit. brotherhood. justice.
The essentials of the Christian religion
ind themselves with the advantage Of
SO competent a leader. new energy Isl
given to the effort to do good. and new
hope is given to those who struggle
against many obstacles. - Harper's
Weekly -.,..;. vA. " =
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