Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-02
Reviews Record of His Epocha1 Administration

must do more than Justice. We must
safeguard life and promote health and
safety in every occupation in which
they are threatened or imperilled. That
is more than justice, and better, be
cause &c is humanity and economy.
I'VE must coordinate the railway
systems of the country for national
use, and must facilitate and promote
their developm ont with view TO that
coordination and TO their better adap-
tation as a whole to the life and trade
and defense OF the nation. The life and
industry Of the country can be free and
unhampered only If these arteries are
open, efficient, and complete.
Thus shall we stand ready to meet
the future as circumstance and inter
national policy effect their unfolding,
whether the changes come slowly or
come fast and without preface.
Il have not spoken explicitly, gentle
men, of the platform adopted at st.
Louis; but it has been implicit in all
that | have said. / have sought to in
terpret it's spirit and meaning. The
people of the United States do not need
to be assured now that that platform
is a definite pledge, a practical pro-
gram. We have proved to them that
our promises are made TO be kept.
I'VE hold very definite ideals. We be-
lieve that the energy and initiative of
our people have been too narrowly
coached and superintended; that they
should be set free, as we have set
them free, to dispense themselves
throughout the nation; that they
should not be concentrated in the
hands Of a few powerful guides and
guardians, as our opponents have
again and again, in effect If not in pur-
"a
believe, moreoyer,-who that looks
about him now with mprehending
eye can fail to believe?-that the day Of
Little Americanism, with its narrow
horizons, when methods of 'protec-
ton and industrial nursing were the
chief study of our provincial states
men, are past and gone and that a day
Of enterprise has at last dawned for
the United States whose field is the
wide world.
I'VE hope to see the stimulus of that
new day draw all America, the repub-
lies of both continents, on to a new
life and energy and initiative in the
great affairs of peace. We are Amer
leans for Big America, and rejoice to
look forward to the days in which
America shall strive TO stir the world
without irritating it or drawing ii on
to new antagonisms, when the nations
with which we deal shall at last come
to see upon what deep foundations of
humanity and justice our passion for
peace rests, and when all mankind
shall look upon our great people with
a new sentiment of admiration, friend
ly rivalry and real affection. as upon a
people who, though keen to succeed,
seeks always to be at once generous
and just and to whom humanity is
dearer than profit or selfish power
Upon this record and in the faith
of this purpose we go to the country"
Representative of American Spirit.
Hon. Ollie NJ. James, in his address
notifying President Wilson of his nom
cratic party, said:
Mr.. President: The democracy of
the republic assembled in national
convention at st. Louis, Mo, June IA,
1916, was genuinely representative Of
the true spirit of America-its ideals
Of justice and of patriotism.
These representatives of the pur-
est democracy in the world, after
three and a half years of trial of your
service to the people of the country,
with a nation to choose from to fill
the greatest Office in the world, in
stinctively and enthusiastically turn
ed to you. By this they not only reg
istered their own will and desire, but
also the will and wish of the people
back home, whose trusted and hon
ored spokesman they were. With an
enthusiasm, unanimity and earnest
ness never surpassed in the political
life of America, they have summoned
you again to lead the hosts of peace,
prosperity and American righteous
ness.
They do not make this call upon
you for the purpose of honoring you,
for you have already had bestowed
upon you by your Countrymen the
greatest honor within their gift. They
call you for service to America and
mankind; a service you have so amply
proved to be of the highest type known
to just governments among men; a
service that has given justice TO all
men upon free and equal terms; a
service that has restored taxation to
it's historic and constitutional func-
ton; a service that has freed trade TO
individual and honest endeavor; a
service that has lifted from the tables
and homes of the plain people of
America a burden of taxation which
they have unjustly borne for more
than a half century and placed il upon
the wealth and fortunes of the land !:
service that has driven monopoly
from its rendezvous of taxation; a
service that has denied to the trusts
of republican creation a hiding place
in our economic life; a service 10 the
toilers of America that lifted them
from the despised level OF a commod-
ity to the high plane of human unit
in our industrial life; a service that
has digniied them-the great army Of
workers of the field, factory and mine
a service that opened the courts to all
men upon equal terms of justice and
constitutional liberty: service that
freed the money OF a nation from the
control of a money oligarchy' and
lodged IL in the hands OF the govern
ment; a service that at once destroy
ed two trusts, a money trust and a
panic trust, where the business can
not be oppressed or destroyed by ma
nipulation of the money market. nor