The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-03-12
A YEAR OF WILSON.

Wednesday, March 4, Woodrow
Wilson had been President of the
United States one year.
1t has been year Of achievements
for which there are few, if any, paral-
lels in American history. To former
President Taft, writing in the Satur-
day Evening Post, lit is real salts
| faction to one who knows the atmos-
phere Of Washington to note the sue
cess of strong character in dealing
with the situation and improving the
opportunity it Offers And Mr.. Taft,
with a generosity which a defeated
president has rarely exhibited toward
his successor, adds this further trib-
ute of praise:
Il rejoice in the existence of a sit
uation in which the party in power
is fulfilling it's promises made in the
platform, and is doing so by follow
ing the guidance of the head of the
party, who is charged by the people
with the party's responsibility
There will be differences of opin-
ion as to the greatest achievement
thus far of the Wilson administra-
ton. Some will find it in the down.
ward revision of tariff to meet the
pledges of the democratic party and
in the destruction of the lobby that
for a generation dictated the essential
schedules in every tariff act. Some
will find it in the income tax, which
is the first successful attempt since
the civil war to shift part of the bur-
den of government from poverty to
wealth. Some will find it in the
banking and currency law, which is
the most important financial measure
enacted since the original national
banking act was passed as war
measure Some will find it in the final
submission of big business to public
opinion as represented by the ad-
minstration, and some will find it In
the separation of the national gov
eminent from Wall street, which is
the most conspicuous result thus far
of the presidents policies.
| These achievements are all of the
highest importance; but they are all
subordinate parts of still greater
ccomplishment-the restoration OF
responsible, representative govern
ment. This is the supreme thing
that has taken place under Mr.. Will
sons leadership. Everything else
lis an effect following from this cause.
! Without responsible, representa-
tive party government republican in
situations cannot long endure, and
the decline of such government was
the graVest menace that had threat
ened the country since Secession.
The policies and pledges of party
may be wise or unwise They may
be sound or weak; but unless that
| ! &c in{~ rcfo v,ith
power and responsibility Of govern
ment is prepared to redeem those
promises in good faith and carry out
it's protested principles only poiiti-
cal anarchy can follow. We do not
mean that a political platform is
sacred in all it's planks, or that 1t is
| to be followed to the letter regardless
of common-sense, or common hon
esty or the common welfare. But
we do mean that when a party IN
power pledges itself to general line
of policy it must adhere to that gen.
eral line of policy, or representative
government becomes fraud and a
! lie. There can be no government
of the people, by the people and for
the people" on any other terms. And
when the people have finally lost all
confidence in the integrity of repre-
sentative government we have reach
ed the beginning of the end.
1t has been the high privilege OF
Mr.. Wilson to re-establish respon-
sible, representative government on
the fundamental principles of his
party That is the great fruit OF his
leadership. He has done it not by
the bribery of patronage; not by de-
nunciation and intrigue and ch1can-
cry; not by selling out one promise
in order to buy the fulfillment OF an
other promise, but by sheer intellec-
tual and moral domination, the only
kind of leadership that does not lead
to disaster. The influence that he
exercises over congress and his party
is not the influence of a chief eXecu-
tive clothed with far-reaching legal
power. but it is the influence OF
trained and disciplined mind backed
by sincerity and honesty of purpose.
That is the noblest form of leader
ship that a democracy can produce.
In his inaugural address Mr.. Will
son said: This is not day of tri-
umph; it is day of Dedication
Even the strongest opponent of his
policies cannot impeach that pledge.
The president has kept the faith.
Under his leadership his party has
kept the faith. That is the supreme
vindication of American institutions.
Everything else depends upon the fit
ness of the people themselves for
self-government and for the respon-
sibilities of self-government.-N
World