The Delta independent., 1920-10-22
FORMER PRESIDENT TAFT
aT WRITES ABOUT WILSON
Ex-President's Critical Article Deals
Administration From Beginning.
BY WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.

(From an article in The Yale Reuietc
for Octobe- entitled "Mr. Wilson and the
Campaign"
Mr. Wilson has had a severe illness and
has by means recovered his health and
strength. His situation is such as to awaken
deep sympathy with him in his condition
which has been brought about by the strains
he has undergone in the great responsible
" has had to carry and in the contest he
has maintained in support of his views.
DUNG the war Mr.. Wilson our chief
in great cause, and insistent emphasis
upon the defects of his leadership and
temperament and his mistakes was not
helpful to the cause and might well be
deprecated. But in campaign In which
his two Administrations necessarily come
into review and the people are to Judge Of
the wisdom of continuing his party in power
It is not only the right but the duty Of
those who partake in It to state the facts
as they see them. however much they may
offend the ca nest and loyal friends OF Mr..
Wilson.
While appreciate the influence for good
has held up as his guide and the goal
at which the American people should aim,
such leadership Is chiefly useful 1t shall
result In achievement. and when his Ad
ministration is submitted for approval by
the American people. examination of the
relation OF the ideal to the actual canno,
be avoided.
"Nost Exceptional ability
Mr. Wilson is n man of most exceptional
ability and still mos exceptional person
ality. The fact that he Is now retiring from
office does not take his personality out of
the campaign. for Just as he stamped II
upon his Adm inistration he has stamped It
on the Democratic platform and the issues
of the campaign. and so he has fastened
his policies upon his successor.
Presidential elections usually present as
the chief issue n vote OF confidence or a
want OF It in the Admlnist alton Just rrtir-
ing. This year the main Issue Is and must
be the approval or the disapproyai OF Mr.
wilson's policies. In such an issue. the
persunal equation OF Mr.. Wilson IS the
chief factor. only by understanding that
can one undorrtand what his Administra-
tiou did and did not do.
No man since the time of jackson has
made himself 20 completely the sole rop-
csentauvc OF his party Mr. Wilson.
He came into power in 1913. largely be-
cause the opposing party was split. He
was n minority President The Republicans
had been In offica for sixteen years. Tho
number of appointments TO be made by him
wns greater than at any time in the coun-
tr,'s history. lie was Jaeksonian in distri-
button o, his patronage. Twenty-Five hun
drcd nominations Of his predecessor had
been suspended by a Democratic majority
In the Senate for the purpose OF starting
his Administration well. All these cir
cums,anccs created rrca, cohesion in the
party and vested the head OF the Admin
is,ration with unusual power and prestige.
when His Poiocr Is assoiiod.
Mr. Wilson Is n man who thinks much
of his power and is Jealous Of attempt
to weaken 1t His Administration is full of
Instances In which he has sought to end
tho official lives of Congrcssnicn and Sen
atorr who would not conform to his ideas
OF Legislative measures and political policy.
Ills lack of hesitation In such caHc- created
a party discipline which added much TO his
complete command. Although the platform
upon which he was first elected declared
for n single term. Il did not cmbarrass him
with his party in the slightest, and he was
nominated for a second term without, n
question.
Had tho European war not broken out
in 1914 q, Is very probable that the Tar
iff bill for which he was responsible would
have 80 injured the business of the country
that h.. would have been defeated In 1916.
The campaign OF inia, because Of the Of
feet OF the tariff, resulted in Republican
victories in many States. indicating the
strengthening of the regular Republican or
raniEation aud the wcakenina OF the Pro-
grcssivc detection. But the enormous de-
mand. caused by the war, for everything
produced on the farm. In the mines. and in
the factory. and the compie'. disappear
anoc of competition by European countries