The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-01-28
PREP REDNESSIS
WILSON'S THEME
IN N. Y. SPEECH
Opens Campaign For Policy
With Ringing Addresses
That Win Favor.


New York. Jan. 2s.-Prestdent Will
son s9ened his campaign for his pre-
ss1reoness program last night at u
Aa5l1iant dinner given by the Railway
ausiness association in the grand ball
asaom of the Waldorf. There he spoke
n no uncertain terms of the steps this
aSse--ry should take and his remarks
on .4.4s topic met with enthusiastic
response on the part of his 1880 audi
tors.
How can Americans differ about
the safety of American" he asked.
Don't think I have any anxiety, about
the outcome. i haven't the slightest,
Again at the dinner of the Motion
Picture Board of Trade at the Bit
more hotel the President challenged
any who might stand in his way in
ringing terms, and found that he had
struck a responsive chord.
Perhaps the most enthusiastic dem
onstration came at the dinner at the
Waldorf, when he said that the only
way to get things done at this critical
: time was to do them. Speeches would
not make votes, he said, and no man
could hide behind excuses and retain
the confidence of the public
The goods have got to be deliv-
cred he said 81 hope for my part
that every man in public life gets just
what is coming to him
At first here was laughter at this
play on words and then the diners,
reading a deeper import in the state
ment, gave cheer after cheer
Ashamed Not TO Change.
While asserting that no thinking
man seriously believed that this coun-
try was in danger of attack, the Presi-
ness and the establishment of an army
Of 500. 900 trained men who could be
called upon for Immediate service,
should be taken UP with as little delay
as possible j
He ehided the extremists on either
side of the question. His own posi-
ton he explained in full, admitting
that many might think that he had
changed his mind on the question of
preparedness since his message to
= Congress more than a year ago, when
he said that he did not consider pre-
paredness. a pressing question.
More than year has gone by since
then" he said, land I would be
ashamed OF myself ifI had not learn
ed something in the months" He
added that he would not last long in
public esteem if it were not possible
for him to change his mind in such a
time as this when no man could fore
tell what tomorrow would bring.
IT use that literally he said refer
ring to the word tomorrow adding
that there was no man who could tell
what international relations would
arise overnight or whether tomorrow
would be as bright as today.
These remarks were all greeted with
S generous applause. There was more
sustained cheering. when he said: IT
have changed my mind on another
question. "A year ago I was not in.
favor of tariff board
He talked. too, of his Mexican pol
- @I1oAs ion "a
United States in that direction would
turn away the other American repub-
lies when now tn ey4were beginning to
8 show most aplicit confidence in our
attitude These republics. he, said,
you'd look to Europe rather than to
the north if we sought to take charge
of the affairs of Mexico.
Tribute to Republicans.
President Wilson took the occasion
to pay tribute also to ''the Republican
leader of the minority in Congress- -
for the address he delivered in Con-
gress the other day in favor of sup
porting the adninistration's prepared
ness plan He wished. he said, to ex-
press his respect and his obligation
to the minority leader.
Referring briefly to the position
taken by the United States in Cuba.
{ President Wilson said that in what it
had done, the United States had show
ed the world that a nation could be
unse1fsh to the point of shedding its
blood for another people. That he
said had showed the true ehivalry of
the country; to. proceed in Mexico
( might disrupt all that and have a tre-
n1endous EFFORT for the worse on the
politics Of the world.
Again discussing preparedness, the
President said that this country
would never accept rnilitarisn. The
emphasis in all plans for prepared
ness, he said, should be placed on the
inc 9striaI and civil side. although sol
dies must be trained.
He expressed the opinion that the
country was already of one mind
about the Improvement of the navy.