The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1919-08-14
The Mistakes Of Mr.. Wilson

ABROAD, we Yentured TO speculate upon
the possibilities Of a modification Of that
beligerent temper which Mr.. Wilson
revealed on his former visit here. We
suggested that more mature reflection,
encouraged, perhaps, by the calming
counsels Of Mr.. House, might raise
doubt in even the Wilsonian mind as
to whether abusive epithets heaped on
Senators, coupled with staggering an
nouncements about his fighting
blood" being up, was the acme Of
persuasive tact in overcoming toJmid
able senatorial opposition. Even though
it involved an apparent remuneration Of
inlallibility and humiliating confession
Of the possibility Of Woodrow Wilson
being wrong about something,
there did seem some small
ground for hope that even so acute q
megacephalous condition as that under
diagnosis might yield to such cold
douche treatment as was obviously a.
waiting it here.
It was an idle hope. The President
| is running true to his own tactless form.
| Mr.. Taft, in his letter 10 Mr.. Hays,
even goes so far as to say that the sit
uation which cOnironts US now with ref
srenco to the ratification Of the treaty
is one created by the very serious mis-
takes Of policy committed by Mr.. Will
SON."
Mr.. Talt did no. mention all the mis-
takes Of Mr.. Wilson. He spoke Of the
grotesquely ill.adyised appeal to the
country to pack Congress with major
lily pledged to Wilson support, but he
made no mention Of the Wilson effort,
through the silly Lewis resolution, to
hsye the Senate furnish a carte blanche
ore endorsement Of anything the Presi
dent might elect to commit the country
10 in the peace negotiations, MI Taft
dwelt with none too great emphasis on
the fu.ther Wilsonian error Of excluding
from the American peace delegation not
only Republicans but all Americans oI
real experience and leadership Of pub
lie opinion, but he made no reference
to the trades Of abuse which Mr.. Viii
son heaped upon the heads Of men oI
the highest standing in the counsels
and confidence Of the nation, merely
because these men ventured 10 hold a
different opinion from his own on mat
,ers Of vital import to the countrY's vel
lare.
To catalogue the aagrant errors Of ut
, terance and conduct on the part Of Mr.
Wilson since he came Under the sys
,ematized delusion that he had a call
d 10 regulate Humanity and 10 remode
E. the psychology Of the world, would be
S futile and disheartening task. It woulC
involve manifestations Of an egomanit
E all but psychopathic III their implica
S tions.
All the rude shocks which Mr.. vii
t son has encountered since his return
d nave have caused him 10 learn nothini
il and to forget nothing. The thin We
{ neer Of amiabilitY which coveted his in
y born intolerance Of opinions other thai
e nis own, which was somewhat in evi
dence when he made his treaty addres
e TO the Senate, quickly disappeared. Ir
IF stead Of going before the Senate an
l. frankly submitting full, free and con
:. prehenslve accounting OF his seilsp
1. pointed stewardship, ne has sough! b
1. turtive conferences with selected SEM
tors to undermine opposition.
r. Yet, with all the Presidents !sctlest
ID ness and truculence, We can not sgre
~ withMr. TAFT that the situation with re
s. erence to treaty ratification is due to til
n. mistakes Of Mr.. Wilson. The oppos
ton to the treaty is due 10 the treat
n. itself. Had such treaty been pr
ps sented with all the resources oi adro
Of persuasiyeness and tact known 10 mai
of II would still have been the pestileTol