Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-01-15
PRESIDENT DECLARES
WAR ON REPUBLICANS
lContinued from pnge IL

CONTINUED from page L.
nouncement that the president has
his hat in the ring for 1916.
Referring to this Interpretation of
his speech, however. the president
| this week declared he was not think
! ing of announcing his candidacy fer
! 1916 and explained he had in mind
| that future generations would pass
upon his acts as president. He also
refused absolutely TO discuss the
question of being a candidate.
Two features of the presidents adj
/ dress which attracted the most atten-
ton, so far as congress is concerned,
were those proposing establishment
of a federal employment bureau and
| the declaration that after fashion,
the new federal trade commission
will exercise the functions of tariff
| board.
1000 People Cheer President
The speech, the presidents first
ton, was delivered before a crowd
of 1000, and during the course Of it
he voiced what his hearers inter
preted as hint that he might be
candidate for the presidency again
in 1916. The people leaped to their
feet and cheered until the president
L.;
for quiet.
The president had been discussing
the Mexican question and referred to
his belief that he knew the tempera-
ment and principles of the American
people, adding that he would not be
fit to stay where he was if he did not
understand them.
There may come time" he went
on, when the American people will
have to judge whether 1 know what
l am talking about or not"
There was slight pause and then
the crowd, which included members
of the Indiana legislature, jumped
up and began shouting and cheering.
Realizing the construction which had
been put on his words, the president
held up his hand for silence and said:
81 did not mean to stir up any
thing. That was merely preparatory
to saying that for at least two more
years I am free to think I know the
American people,"
Previously the president had at
tackled the Republican party, defend
ed the record of his administration
on the Mexican policy and the tariff
and currency questions and declared
that careful examination of the, re-
turns from the elections last Novem-
Der showed that If it had been a
presidential year Democrat would
have had a majority of about 80 in
the electoral college.
Calls Republican Party Stagnant
The president criticised Repub-
lican senators opposing the govern
ment ship purchase bill, whom he
char acterized as ''self-styled friends
of business" He said the Republic
an party has not had new idea in
80 years and that "the Republicans
do not know how to do anything but
sit on the lid"
/; He added that the country wants
the ship purchase bill enacted into
law, and will have it,"
A warning to Democrats not to
break up the solidity of the party
was given gravely by Mr.. Wilson. He
declared that any such men will gain
an unenviable position for them
selves. and mentioned Senators Kern
and Shively of Indiana as men whom
he did not have to lie awake nights
thinking about"
! He continued that ''if man won't
play on team he must get off the
team" and later spoke of himself as
"the captain of the Democratic team
for the present"
| Discusses Mexico
The president spoke briefly of
Mexico. He said the people there
are entitled to liberty, mo matter
how long they take in determining
it," Speaking slowly and carefully,
he declared that $50 far as my in
fluence goes, while I am president,
nobody shall interfere with them"
He said that until the revolt
against Diaz 80 per cent of the Mex
leans never had a look-in as to who
should be their government.
Have not European nations taken
as long as they wanted and spilled
as much blood as they pleased to
settle their own affairs?" he contin-
ued. "And shall we deny the same
right to Mexico? No, say"
Much of Hv VIyslSnpSS cAdrocc x,n