Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-20
Watterson on MILTON.

Presto! So the president has at last
revealed his true inwardness, taking
into cabinet council the members OF
the National Press Club. Today's pa
pers contain his interesting confession
of last Saturday. wherein he declares
he is not an iceberg but volcano:
that he likes to read detective stories,
and that in seeming cold blooded he Is
only trying to avoid colossal blunders.
I'm the event that at any time you find
me tedious" observes Rabelais, .be-
lieve me that have a design beneath
it."
Recalling Mr.. Wilson's overflow OF
fond. affectionate lava in the case OF
Mr.. Bryan. one might give credence to
the volcano story. My mind took an
other turn, however. as at the moment
could not help murmuring to myself,
"A gushing thing was the younger Miss
Pecksniff" Recalling on the other
hand the ostentation with which he
sought to thrust the French embassy
on McCombs in exchange for McCombs
surrender of the national Craftsmanship
there came a doubt whether his inter-
est in iMcCombs was excess OF emo
ton, or just simple thrift. On refec-
ton am led to conclude that the presi-
dent is no better judge Of his actual
self than many another great man.
that like SO many men, both great and
small, he admits and covets that he has
| least Of: and that his strong suit Is
neither spon:ane!ty nor ardor. "Napol-
con-" old Mother Letitia once declared,
| has no heart. but sometimes he wish
| es he had one"
| Mr.. Wilson need not let these things
l H.. tnf,
Irish Covenanter to be broad gauge. he
himself being Of record to the posses
sion of a single track mind. Nor did
we look for effusion in the tempera-
mental pedagogue or the calculating
party leader. The qualities Mr.. Wilson
claims would unfit him for the work
he has to do. 1t is stern, unfeeling
| work. His lack OF high, warm sense
of personal obligation; easy way OF
turning down friend; his superiority
TO sentiment-are Of the first order of
value in the meeting of relentless du-
| ties of the great office he has been
, called TO fill; in resisting the onrush
for appointments by the political bril-
gands in and out Of congress; in check
mating the schemes Of the thieves upon
the public treasury and the nationaf
domain: in perceiving and thwarting
the subtle approaches Of the sappers
and miners Of corruption who are al
ways organized and ever alert
The country would not have Mr..
Wilson a generous man surrounded by
friends who know precisely what they
want. 1t prefers him heartless I'M
grateful. even ungracious Paint me
as am" said Oliver Cromwell. man
quite as unlovely and unloving as
woodrow Wilson; '1eave out Wrin-
kle or a scar and I'll not pay you a
guinea"
I. was denstiny that placed Wood
row Wilson where he IS. III these mat
ters providence has ever some allWist
, purpose in reserve. God has indeed
from the first held our country In ms
, holy keeping The presidents abilities
! are unrnfstakable. His intrepidlt!
:. seems not only sufficient nu'
abundant. No one questions his IN
texrity. What has he to do with
hearte II he had one it would be con
stantly getting in his way like an IL
cut garment.
Heavens, no; now that we are user
to the idea that he is his own Jorkln'
that he has no wicked partner-.ha
he "a onto his job-"no favors asked o.
giyen'-the plach Hds ~
! er.fter-we like him better so. ant
, would not exchange him LOT the Selies !,
nrince OF good fellows living or dead
wen such a man in the White Hous'
. tho neople can go to bed and sleep Q
NIGHTS. His personality may not be
thing of beauty nor a joy foreveT: am
). vet his taking off would eclipse tn,
s.y,tv Of democracy and impoverisi
the narty's stock Of resounding plat
!, tudes.
made no mistake in estimating tn
con.hi,;ties of Woodrow Wilson 10
: shining public service; nor failed to nj
:. the bull's eye when I warned the part
leaders what they were going to &c
when they got him.-Henry Wattersol