New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-03
Mr.. Wilson'S Acceptance.

Wilson led the way in yielding to the I'M
nervous demands Of the unions. He weakly
abandoned the principle of arbitration IN
railroad wage controversies which the / eu-
eral government has been trying Tor years
- establish and which society now accepts
as the most equitable and helpful method
~ settling controversies between capital
and labor. Yet while repudiating the prin'
chile of arbitration he has the assurance
10 say that he is one Of its stanchest sup
porters-that he favors absolutely and IN
conditionally its application, not IN this
particular case, but in other less neon
content cases which may arise hereafter
hereafter meaning some happy PERIOD
when his own fortunes are not at stake IN
a national election.
In his speech yesterday accepting the
Democratic Presidential nomination Mr.
Wilson did not refer TO this latest eX-
qualification of the inirmity Of purpose
the prediction for drifting and for dodg-
ing decisions which have lain at the root
Of all his failures in craftsmanship. Yet
what he said at Shadow Lawn will inev-
tablv be Judged by the public in the light
Of this most recent sacrifice OF fXed
policy. involving d principle for which he
himself expresses the profoundest respect,
,o the immediate necessities Of practical
politics.
On all the larger issues with which ne
has had to deal as President he has shown
the same vacillation, the same temPorizng'
the same lack of clear ideas and moral
courage as he has just exhibited IN run
ming away from the trainmen's gigantic
bluff.
The President now appeals for reeec-
zion mainly on what Congress has done IN
the last three years, ignoring or CLOSING
over what ne himself has done and failed
10 do in fields in which he does not share
responsibility with Congress. Thus he
gives the Democratic party land HIMSELF
credit for much legislation which has been
non-partisan in origin and character. The
Federal child labor law, for instance, IS
not a Democratic measure. The OPPOSE
ton which delayed its passage for years
came almost enJlIelN liVih oVuNl'eiii DSHi'
Gratis.
The enlargement Of the Interstate Com
merce Commission was not purely Demo-
cratic inspiration. The rural credits law
was passed by non-partisan effort IN both
branches Of Congress. So was the Fed
eral good roads law. The income tax
amendment to the Federal Constitution
was submitted by Republican Congress
y and the tax was imposed by a partisan
vote. The Federal Reserve Bank law, on
which Mr.. Wilson builds up so largely his
case of Democratic achievement, was the
fruit Of a long campaign of education.
started by the non partisan Aldrich none
tarv commission. Rather shamefacedly
the President tries TO annex credit for he
creation of a tariff commission, although
he himself signed an act, passed by a
Democratic Congress, eXtinguishing the
p>vnc law tariff board, and it was only
this year that he became converted to the
belief that tariff commission is an
agency of high value in adjusting customs
duties TO the conditions of foreign and do
nestle production.
These measures, in which the President
seeks TO establish a proprietary interest,
have all been the result of general broad
ening Of ideas, Of education along economic
lines by which all parties have benefited
The social progress which they represent
cannot be checked by Mr.. Wilson's defeat
Nor would il be accelerated by his reelec-
ton.
When it comes TO discussing his own
unaided statesmanship-the policies with
regard to which he has had an absolute
" free hand and the achievements by
which history will judge his Administra-
tion-the President hardly conceals his I'M
certainty and uneasness. There is note
of plaintive apology in his explanation OF
the Mexican muddle. Mistakes / have nc
doust made in this perplexing business, but
not in purpose or object" A painful adj
misson-but necessary.
History weighs results, not purposes and
objects. The vital error of the President
policy-so far as that policy can be re-
duced 10 anything ineligible or logical
is unconscously confessed again and
again in yesterdays speech. Mr.. Wilson
admits that he failed entirely TO protect the
rights of Americans in Mexico or the
rights Of European subjects, intervention
on whose behalf by their own governments
would have been highly Objectionable TO
us because of our present Interpretation
Of the Monroe Doctrine. But ne excuses
himself on the ground that 1--WE could not
act directly in that matter ourselves with
out denying Mexioans the right to any
revolution at all which disturbed us and
making the emancipation Of her own PEG
pie await our interest and convenience"
The President interviewed, as he con-