The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-03-06
tRy Associated pressl

WASHINGTON. d. C., March e.
The text of President Wilson'S inaugu-
raj address follows:
"My Fellow.citizens - The four
years that has elapsed since last |
stood in this place have been crowded
with counsel and action of the most vi.
tai interest and consequence. PERHAPS
no equal period in our history has been
SO fruitful of important reforms in our
economic and Industrial life or so fun
OF significant changes in the spirit ann
purpose OF our political action. I'VE
nave sought very tnOugntIulIy TO SET
our mousse IN oraer; correct the grosser
errors anu abuses OF our InuuslrIal
NE, ilpelate and quicken the pluGesses
Vi our naGionaI genus anu energy ana
MT our politics 70 broader view OF
the peoples essential interests. IL is
a record OF singular variety ana sihgu.
lar distinction. but SHAH not aLteuIpt
10 review 1t. II SPEAKS Tor nsef and
VIII be Oh increasing influence as. tue
years go by. inns Is not Lne time to
retrospect. 1t is TINE, rather, to SPEAK
our thoughts and purposes cUnceIuius
the present and Immediate Iuture.
Drawn Into war Current.
Although we nave Conferred counsel
and action with such unusual cuncen-
tration nnd success upon the great
problems OF domestic legislation 10
which we addressed ourselves lour
years ago, OLner matters have more
ann mora fOrf.au than,salvag ,t,,,,, .,,,-
attention, matters lying UuLs4ue our
own llte as u Nation And over when
We had no control, but MnIcn dee &c
our wish TO Keep Tree OIL tnem nave
uraWn US more and more IrIesIsaDiS
into their own current anu influence.
1t has been Impossible TO AVOID
them. They nave aIlec.eu the life OF
the whole word. 1ney nave snahen
men everywhere with passion anu an
apprehension Lhey never anew before.
II mas zen hard 10 preserve CAIN Coun-
sci WINE the Thought oil our own peo-
pie 5wayed this way ana that under
their influence. We are a composite
anu Cosmopolitan peUp.e. We 4Ie VI
the biOUu u al LEe rdtIVns that are a.
war. lhe currents OIL our thoughts as
well as the currents oil our Lraue run
quick at ali seasons back anu forth be.
tween Us and them. The war inevita-
bly, set its marx rom The LIrsL alike
upon our minds, our industries, our
commerce, our politics ana our social
acuOn. 10 De Indifferent OF It or In.
dependent OIL It WAS out OIL the ques.
ton.
Country Deeply Wronsed.
And vel, wnIle We nave Deen con-
scious. that we are not part OF 1t, in
that Consciousness, UespIIe many dlvi
sions, we have drawn closer together.
We have been deeply wronged upon
the seas, but we have not wished to
wrong or injure in return; we have re-
tanned, through consciousness of stand
ing in some sort apart, intent upon
an interest that transcribed the imme
date issues OF the war itself. As some
OF the injuries done Us have become in.
tolerable, we haYo still been clear that
we wished nothing for ourselves that
we were not ready to demand for all
mankind = fair dealing, justice, the
freedom to live and be at cast against
organized wrong.
ut Is in this spirit and with this
thought that we have grown more and
more aware, more and more certain
that the part We wished to play was
the part Of those who mean to vindt.
date and fortify peace. We have been
obliged to arm ourselves &c make good
our claim to certain minimum Of right
and of freedom OF action. We stanu
firm in armed neutrality since It
seems that in no other way can we
demonstrate what 1t is we insist upon
and cannot forego. We may even BIO
drawn on, by circumstances, not of our
own purpose or desire. to more &C.
tive assertion Of our rights as we see
them and more immediate associa-
ton with the great struggle itself. But
nothing will alter our thought or our,
purpose. They are too clear TO be OBJ
scured. They are too deeply rooted In
the principles Of our national life to
be altered. We desire neither con
quest nor advantage. We wish 10th
ing that can be had only at the cost Of
another people. We have always pro-
fessed unselfish purpose and we covet
the opportunity to prove that our pro-
'@sSions are sincere.