The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-05

Washington, March 5.-President
Wilson's inaugural address was as
follows:
MY fellow citizens: .".-..-.....-
The four years which have elapsed
since last stood in this place, have
Of the most vital interest and conse-
quence. Perhaps no equal period in
our history has been so fruitful OF
important reforms in our economic
and industrial life or SO full Of sig
nificant changes in the spirit and
purpose of our political action. We
have sought very thoughtfully to set
our house in order. correct the gross
er errors and abuses Of our industrial
life, liberate and quicken the process
Of our national genius and energy and
lift our politics to a broader view of
the peoples essential interests. It is
a record of singular variety and sing
ular distinction. But l shall not at
tempt to review it. 1t speaks for it
self and will be Of increasing infiu-
ence as the years go by. This is not
the time for retrospect. It is time,
rather, to speak our thoughts and
purposes concerning the present and
the immediate future. Although we
have centered counsel and action with
such unusual concentration and sue
cess upon the great problem of do
mestic legislation to which we ad-
dressed ourselves four years ago, 9TH
er matters have more and more
forced themselves upon, our attention,
matters lying outside our own life
as a nation and over which we have
no control, but which. despite our wish
to keep free OF them have drawn us
more and more irresistiblv into their
own current and influence.
A. yntI
them. They have affected the life of
the world. They have shaken men
everywhere with q passion and appre-
hension they never knew before. 1t
has been hard to preserve calm coun-
sci while the thought Of our people
swayed this way and that under their
influence, we are composite and cos
mopolitan people. We are Of the blood
OF all the nations that are at war.
The current of our thought. as well
as the current OF our trade runs quick
at all seasons back and forth between
us and them. The war inevitably sets
its mark from the first alike upon our
minds, our industries. our commerce,
our politics and our social action. To
be Indifferent to 1t or independent Of
1t was out Of the question. And yet,
all the while we have been conscious
that we were not part OF 1t. Inthat con-
sciousness despite many divisions we
have drawn closer together. We have
been deeply wronged upon the seas.
but we have not wished to wrong or
injure in return; have retained
throughout the consciousness of
standing in some sort apart. intent
upon an interest that transcends the
issue of the war itself. As
some OF the injuries done us have be-
come intolerable, we still have been
clear that we wished nothing for our
selves that we were not ready to de-
mand for all mankind-fair. dealing,
Justice. the freedom to live and be at
ease against organized wrong.
It is in this spirit and with this
thought that we have grown more
and more aware. more and more cer-
tain that the part we wished to play
was the part of those who mean to
vindicate and fortify peace. We have
been obliged to arm ourselves to make
plain our claims to a certain mimi
mum of right and of freedom Of ac-
ton. We stand firm in armed neu-
trality, since Il seems that I'm no 9TH
er way we can demonstrate what It
is we insist upon and cannot forego.
We may even be drawn on by cir
not by our own purpose
or desire, to a more active assertion
Of our rights as we see them and
more immediate association with the
great struggle itself. But nothing will
alter our thought or our purpose.
They are too clear to be obscured. We
are too deeply rooted in the pTinci-
pies Of our national life to be altered.
We desire neither conquest nor ad-
vantage We wish nothing that can
be had only at the cost Of another
people We have always professed
unselfsh purpose and we covet the
10 prove that our profess
sions are sincere.
There are many things still to do at
home, to clarity our own politics and
give new vitality 70 the industrial
processes OF our own life and we
nhaIl do them az time and oppQrkuu-