The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-09-08

Wilson spoke as follows
Senator James, gentlemen of the
Notification Committee, fellow citi-
zens; l cannot accept the leadership
and responsibility which the National
Democratic Convention has again, in
such generous fashion, asked me to
accept without first expressing my
profound gratitude to the party for
the trust it reposes in me after four
years of fiery trial in the midst Of at
fairs Of unprecedented difficulty, and
the keen sense Of added responsibility
with which this honor fills Il had al
most said burdens) me as | think Of
the great issues Of rational life and
policy involved in the present and i'm
mediate future conduct Of our gov
eminent. / shall seek, as ! have al
ways sought, to justify the cXtraor-
binary confidence thus reposed in me
by striving to purge my heart and pur-
pose of every personal and of every
misleading party motive and Gevot-
ing every energy l have TO The ser
vice Of the nation as whole praying
that ! may continue to have the
counsel and support Of all forward
looking men at every turn Of the diff
iicult business.
"For l do not doubt that the peo-
pie Of the United States will wish the
Democratic party to continue in con-
troll Of the government. They are not
in the habit of rejecting those who
have actually served them for those
who are making doubtful and con-
jectural promises Of service. Least Of
all are they likely to substitute tlose
who promised to render them partic-
ular services and proved false to that
promise for those who have actually
rendered those very services.
"Boasting is always an empty bus
mess, which pleases nobody brit the
boaster, and | have no disposition to
boast Of what the Democratic party
has accomplished. 1t has merely done
its duty. 1t has merely fulfilled It's
explicit promises But there can be
no violation Of good taste in calling
attention to the manner in which those
promises have been carried out or in
advertihg to the interesting fact that
many of the things accomplished were
what the opposition party had again
and again promised to do, but had left
undone.
Indeed, that is manifestly part of
the business Of this year Of reckoning
and assessment. There is no means
Of judging the future except by assess
ing the past. Constructive action
must be weighed against destructive
comment and reaction. The Demo-
Gratis either have or have not under
stood the varied interests of the
country. The test is contained in the
record.
Republican Party Lost Power Be-
cause 1t Failed.
What is that record? What were
the Democrats called into power to
do? What things had long waited to
be done, and how did the Democrats
do them? 1t is record of extraor-
binary length and variety, rich in
elements Of many kinds, but consist
ent in principle throughout and sus-
ceptible of brief recital.
The Republican party was put out
OF power because of failure, practi-
cal failure and moral failure; be-
cause it had served special interests
ard not the country at large; because,
under the leadership of its preferred
and established guides, of those who
still make its choices, it had lost
touch with the thoughts and the needs
OF the nation and was living in
past age and under fixed illusion, the
Illusion of greatness. 1t had framed
tariff laws based upon fear of for
elgn trade, fundamental doubt as
to American skill, enterprise and ca
pacity, and very tender regard for
the profitable privileges of those who
had gained control of domestic mar |
kets and domestic credits; and vet
had enacted antitrust laws which |
hampered the very things thew meant
to foster, which were stiff and in
elastic, and in part unintelligible. 1t |
mad permitted the country throughout
the long period of its control to stag
ger from one financial crisis to an
other under the operation Of ma
tional banking law of its own
framing which made stringency and
panic certain and the control of
the larger business operations of
the country by the bankers Of a
lew reserve centers inevitable; had
made as if it meant to reform
he law, but had faint-hoartedlv
allied in the attempt, because It
,ould not bring itself to do the one
hing necessary to make the reform
genuine and effectual, namely. break
lp the control Of small groups of
bankers. It had been oblivious. or
Indifferent, to the fact that The farm
rs, upon whom the country dapends
or its food and in the last ANALYSIS
or its prosperity were without stand
ng in the matter of commercial cred
t, without the protection Of standards
n their market transactions, and
Without systematic knowledge Of The
markets themselves; that the Labor
rs of the country, the great army of
men who man the industries it was
rofesslng to father and promote.
arried their labor as a mere commo-
lty. to market, were subject to re-
traint by novel and drastic process
the courts, were without assurance
compensation for Industrial acct
ents, without Federal assistance in
ccomodating labor disputes. and ,
Without national aid or advice in
ndlng the places and the industries