Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-11-08
COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER
MR.. WILSON'S DEMOCRACY

Az A0UU NC law iAoA MA W itoob
that for which the plain people of
this country have looked for so long
"a clear statement of his realization
that this war means d strengthening
and rejuvenation of our demoera.
tic purpose, not only in the field Of
social and political progress at home.
AS he al the first statesman TO ele-
vate democratic principles OF diplo-
macy into q practicable policy, fore
ing every allied government to &C
cept revolutionary departures from
the purposes that have governed ma
tiOns at war, so he is the first
responsible statesman among the al
lied nations to interpret the deeper
international meaning of the conflict
now raging.
Addressing the delegation of New
York suffragists at the White House,
MI. Wilson said:
1.-THE whole world now is witness
ing q struggle between two ideas Of
government. 1t is q struggle which
goes deaper and touches more of the
foundations of the organized life Of
men than any struggle that has ever
taken place before; and no settlement
of the questions that lie on the sur
face can satisfy a situation which re-
quires that the Questions which lie
underneath and at the foundation
should also be settled and settled
right. l am free TO say that | think
the question Of woman suffrage is
one of those questions which lie at
the foundation. The world has wit
messed q slow political recoustruc-
ton, and men have generally been
obliged to be satisfied with the slow.
ness of the progress. In a sense il is
wholesome that it should be slow,
because then it is solid and sure; but
l believe that this war is going so 10
quicken the convictions and the con-
seriousness of mankind with regard TO
political questions that the speed of
reconstruction will be greatly in.
creased. It seems to me that This is
Atime of privilege. All u princie
pies, al our hearts. all u purposes,
are being searched-searehed not
only by our own consciences, but
searched by the %world-and it is time
Tor the people of the states of this
country to show the world in what
practical sense they have learned the
lessons of democracy-that they are
fighting for democracy because they
believe in 1t and that there is no ap-
plication of democracy which they do
not believe In"
Here we have Mr.. Wilson's unmis-
taxable Reputation of the national
Ism that ees this country as one in
which democracy has been fully aud
finally achieved, as one superior in
anything except its acceptance Of the
democratic ideal, its attainment Of
that Ideal in strictly political forms,
and its striving to extend the applica.
ton Of democracy to other fields II ia
not now applied.
MI. Wilson's meaning comes clear
or when we call to mind his efforts,
even amid sfeverlsh preparations for
Wal, 10 extend the application of
democracy to industry. Unlike
those patriots who urge that we for
get democracy at home for the period
Of the war, Mr.. Wilson realizes that
just because men are to die for the
principle abroad, it is to have a new
birth at home and be extended in its
application more rapidly than aver
before. The process is already under
way. notably In the field of labor or
ganizstion and collective bargaining,
and In the field Of control of private
industry In the public Interest. Most
Of the paciist complaint fails to dis
tinguish between the fate ofdemocra-
on md the fate OF minority groups
that oppose the majority in It's main
purpose. Democracias in deadly
ieaFnest sre never patient with OBJ
structive minorities. What the pact
6st complain Of IL not the defeat Of
sdemocracy-it Is the intolerance Of
democracy which they mistake for
:the intolerance Of officials.
ot only for Russia Is this var to
$50 MmNaaasn8SAantinn p,r. 49,;