Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-07


Long Branch, N. j., accepting the
Democratic nomination for president,
Woodrow Wilson said
Senator James, Gentlemen Of the Mott
fication Committee, Fellow Citizens
cannot accept the leadership and re-
sponsibility which the national Dem
ocratic convention has again in such
generous fashion asked me to accept
without first expressing my profound
gratitude to the party for the trust 1t
reposes in me after four years Of fiery
trial In the midst of affairs of unpre-
cedented difficulty, and the keen sense
Of added responsibility with which this
honor fills Il had almost said burdens)
me as ! think Of the great issues of
national life and policy involved in the
present and immediate future conduct
OF our government. l shall seek, as
have always sought, to Justify the ex-
traordinary confidence thus reposed in
me by striving to purge my heart and
purpose Of every personal and of every
misleading party motive and devoting
every energy ! have to the service of
the nation as a whole, praying that
may continue to have the counsel and
support Of all forward looking men
at every turn of the difficult business
For l do not doubt that the people
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
baVa Actually Sorva6 thar, fhoco
who are making doubtful and con
jectural promises Of service. Least of
all are they likely to substitute those
who promised to render them particu-
lar services and proved false to that
promise for those who have actually
rendered those very services.
Boosting is always an empty bust
ness, which pleases nobody but the
boaster, and I have no disposition to
boast of what the Democratic party
has accomplished. 1t has merely done
its duty. 1t has merely fulfilled its ex-
plcit promises. But there can be no
violation of good taste in calling at
tention to the manner in which those
promises have been carried out or in
adverting 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 assessing the past. Constructive
action must be weighed against de
structive comment and reaction. The
Democrats either have or have not un-
derstood the varied interests of the
country. The test Is contained In the
record.
What Is that record? What We're
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 extraordinary
length and variety, rich in elements
of many kinds. but consistent in prin-
ciple throughout and susceptible OF
brief recital.
A Record Of Failure.
The Republican party was put out
of power because of failure, practical
J'ilAilC itllIlt, DcNUuSc IL
had served special interests and not
the country at large; because, under
the leadership Of its preferred and es-
tablished guides, of those who still
make its choices, 1t had lost touch
with the thoughts and needs of the
nation and was living in n past age
and under fixed illusion, the illusion
Of greatness. 1t had framed tariff
laws based upon fear of foreign
trade, fundamental doubt as to
American skill, enterprise and capac-
ity, and a very tender regard for the
profitable privileges Of those who had
gained control of domestic markets
and domestic credits, and yet had en-
acted antitrust laws which hampcred
the very things they meant to foster
which were stiff and inelastic and III
part unintelligible. 1t had permitted
the country throughout the long period
OF its control to stagger from one tinan
cia crisis to another under the opera
Ton Of national banking law OF its
own framing which made stringency
and panic certain and the control of
tile larger business operations of the
SOubtiy W tic bulhtlS VI lew IT,
serve centers inevitable; had made as
II 1t meant to reform the law. but had
faint heartedly failed in the attempt.
because 1t could not bring itself to do
the one thing necessary to make the
reform genuine and effectual-namely,
break up the control Of small groups Of
bankers. 1t had been oblivious or in
different to the fact that the farmers.
upon whom the country depends for
Its food and In the last analysis for
Its prosperity, were without standing
In the matter of commercial credit,
without protection OF standards In
their market transactions and without
systematic knowledge of the markets
themselves; that the laborers of the
country, the great army OF mon who
man the industries it was processing
to father and promote, carried theil
labor as mere commodity to market
were subject to restraint by novel anC
drastic process in the courts, were
without assurance OF compensation fol
Industrial accidents. without fedora
assistance in accommodating labor dis
putes and without national aid or ad
vice In finding the places and the in
6ustries in which their labor was mos
needed. The country had no nntiona
system Of road construction and de