Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-30
FOLKS BACK HOME
TELL THE STORY OF
PRESIDENTS POWER
Politicians Puzzled, But
Riddle Solved by Those
Who Realize Neighbors'
Influence With Lawmakers
FROM STAFF connrsrospsNr.


WASHINGTON, Oct. 30-Polticlans of
,he old school cannot understand how
President Wilson has succeeded in hav-
ing his legislative program enacted into
laws by Congress without causing a seri-
Gus split in the Democratic party. In the
DAYS Of President Roosevelt, Congress ac-
cepted my Policies" simply because the
statesmen at the other end of Pennsyl-
vanla avenue feared the big Stick" In
this Administration, however, President
Wilson has not endeavored to coerce the
lawmakers into bowling to his will.
Few members of the Senate or House
have been taken into the Presidents con-
fdence. He has dominated the legislative
branch of the Government however, and
even tho small band of insurgents led by
Speaker Clark, who attempted to defeat
the resolution for the repeal of the free
tolls provision of the Panama Canal act,
we're so completely crushed that they are
today the Presidents most loyal sup
porters. "How. then" veteran statesmen
are asking. has the 'schoolmaster' sue
ceeding in getting everything he asked for
and at the same time held his party to-
gether7"
The EVENING LEDGER correspondent to-
day asked a friend of President Wilson
to explain tho secret OF the Presidents
control Of Congress.
FOLKS BACK HOME"
"Thore's no mystery about It." he re-
Piled, "the President has had the support
of tho next-door neghbors of tho Demo-
cratic Senator'S and Representatives. 1t
has been the fear of the folks back homo
that has kept the legislators in line.
They realized that II they opposed the
President they would have to explain to
the neiGhbors at home"
It has long been rule with the Presl-
dent TO entertain wholesome respect
for the opinion of his neighbors. On one
occasion. he was walklng In the outskirts
of Princeton with a newspaper corre-
spondent. He was telling of the days
back in the latter 70s, when he was a
student at Princeton.
II have often sald," the Prcsdent-he
was Governor of New Jersey then-ex-
planned, that while I walked, so far as
is known, a pretty straight road while I
was In college. did not feel that 1t was
due to any natural and innate virtue of
my own. I know again and again
when was tempted to do things
that I knew that l ought not to do [
was restrained, not so much by the pre-
cepts of morals as by what l knew the
folks at home would think of me If 1 did
those things"
Again. on the Presidents 56th birthday,
Just after his Virginia nelEhbors had pre-
sented him with beautifully wrought min
iatures OF his father and mother, Mr..
Wilson discussed this same question of
"the influence of a mans next-door neigh
bor." On that occasion the President
told story-not a funny story. but
very touching one-to illustrate how
much a mama 10 in ~
keeping"
WEBSTER BOWED TO NEIGHBORS
when Mr. Webster was at the acme
Of his career" said the President, "he
went back after a fatiguing session of
the Senate to his home in Boston. He
reached there in the early afternoon and
went Immediately to his room and to
his bed; and he bade his servant not TO
venture in any circumstances to interrrlpt
his rest. He had hardly sunk off into
that first delicious loss of consciousness
which precedes sound sleep when there
was a knock at his door. His orders
were Immediately dlsobeyed and her SER
want reused him. and Mr.. Webster angriIy
asked him why he dared do that.
Well, he said, Mr.. Webster
wouldn't venture to do ii, but there are
some gentlemen downstairs from your
old home in New Hampshire who
wouldn't go away. sir. and they said 1t
was a case of life and death that they
had to see you about
Webster, with many complainings and
gruntngs. got on his clothes and went
down to find a group of plain men from
his old home in New Hampshire, who
told him that there was a boy their
neighbor, a son of a friend of his, who
was charged with murder and caught In
net of circumstantial evidence which
seemed absolutely to he conclusive.
But they said. Mr.. Webster, we
have known that boy ever since he was
born; he did not commit that murder.
and we don't know any man that can
unravel this skein OF evidence but your
self. You must come. They pleaded
with him and finally he said he would
not come. Then they arose and the
spokesman said. half to Mr.. Webster and
half to the others, Well, I suppose we
must go home; but 1 don't know what
the neghbors will say oh, weIl' said
Mr.. Webster, II It comes to the neigh
bors. I'll GO.
THAT is the greatest compulslon
know Of" the President added. what
the neighbors would think. A very witty
English writer says, You may talk of
the tyranny OF Nero and Tiberius, but
the real tyranny is the tyranny OF your
next door nsighbor.'
II has been, according to one OF the
Presidents closest friends. this tyranny
of your next door neighbor'' that has
held So Democratic Senators and 29O Rep
resentatlves in line and made the big
stick" a useless weapon in this Admin
istration.