Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-19
Concerning 1.-THE Average Man.

! DRESlDENT WILSON'S confidence in the
average man is one of his pecuiaritics
that make the Tory critics gorge to rise.
According To the reactonary. this is an age
of experts. and. therefore. every profession.
business and trade should have the privilege
OF legisating for itself.
one trouble with this theory. however in
hcrently sound il may be- is that il will not
work. Another trouble is that mo man
livcth to himself and no man dieth to him
self. hut we are all interested in the affairs
OF our neighbor. y banking law constructed
exclusively by bankers would suit these gen
tlemen passing we'll but it might not have
so benign an influence the bankers GUS
toners. There might be some objection. on
the part OF the public. to a law controlling
the practice of medicine and surgery cmanat-
ing solely from the brains and pens of men
skiiled IN these sciences congress of car
pehters and bricklayers might please others
of their crafts and yet leave much to be de-
sired on the part OF "the average man
IL Is true that he is a fictitious person
this average man" Of whom the President
and most of the rest Of us are wont to speak
for there is no individual who corresponds
to This description. THE average man is
the John Doe and Richard Roe OF legislation
the ideal beneficiary of sound awmaking
If he is realized by none of us, he is approx
mated by most Of us
SO also is he created as Il controlling force
in democratic governments, by the coming
together of conflicting and differing needs,
tastes beliefs, abilities and accomplishments
lie has made this nation. He has carved into
its creed the demand that laws shall be made
Tor the good of the many rather than for the
profit OF the few. He expresses himself
clumslly. part of him can be fooled all of
me Tune and all OF him can be fooled part
OF the time, but at least periodically he comes
10 his senses and into his heritage
Ihere is nothing mysterious or esoteric
about the manner in which the ideals of the
average man are approached and. in some
instances, realized. The evolution OF the
reeional reserve currency law is i; case i'm
POINT That Law had its inspiration in
pubic consciousness that there was some
INNS wrong with the national banking and
currency system. 1t progressed through the
Investigations and reports OF the Aldrich
commission and Of countless students and
writers. and gained tentative form in The
Aidrch- Vreeland currency bill. Under Prcsi-
dent Wilson's leadership, it ran the gantlct
Oh criticism. II was helped by enemies as
well as friends. 1t emerged from Congress-
NOT perfect Of course, but still measure
mat apnioNimates the public need II doesn't
suit any one we know exactly for every class
and interest would have liked moro considar.-
'lon bn' If the average man could he
located. VIC should find 1t is lust about wha,
he desired
Mt. Wilson's political acumen shows no.
"hcrc 10 better advantage than in its CRASH
OF this primary dependence Of American in
situations on the average man Tina, nor
ception is fundamental of his philosonhy
II opposes the theory tina, the way TO confer
benehts on the mass is TO confer them first
on Grass and trust to this class TO scatter
blessings on its way. !, recognizes that
selhshness nnimatcs all humanity but rocos
nlHes also that an enlightened selfshnoss ie
the only variety that can be relied on 10 pro
duce results.
The President is not wrong in pinninr his
faith to the average man" As Tho n,,kcr
OF laws and the beneficiary Of laws the aver
age man has made America great