Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-15
BULLISH SENTIMENT
SUPPORTS COTTON
DESPITE SETBA OK
Woodrow Wilson
AS Know Him
BY JOSEPH p. TUMULTY
CHAPTER vi
Something New in Political Cam
p paignS

|
Woodrow Wilson opened his guber
Material campaign with a speech III
Jersey City, my home town. 1t was
a distinct disappointment to those
who attended the meeting. His
speech in accepting the nomination
had touched US deeply and ha6
aroused in us great expectations
but after the Jersey City speech we
were depressed in spirit, for it seem
ed to us that he was evading the
real issues of the campaign. 1 was
Imost anxious to meet the candidate
and give him, if he invited it, my
impressions of this speech. A din.
ner given to complete the ceremonies
attendant upon the purchase of the
| Caldwell residence of Grover Cleve'
! land, gave me the opportunity to
meet the president of Princeton in
an intimate way. Mr.. Wilson's first
wife, most delightful woman, made
the introduction possible. AS 1 fond
ly look back upon this meeting l
wildly recall my impression of the
man who had just been nominated
for the governorship of the state in
a convention in which I had bitterly
opposed him.
The democracy of the man, his
warmth of manner, charm and kind
ly bearing were the first things that
attracted me to him. There was no
GOODNESS or austerity about him, nor
was he what the politicians would
call "high-browish." He impressed
me as a plain, unaffected, affable
gentleman, who was most anxious
to receive advice and suggestions
from any quarter. He made us
doubly welcome by saying that he
had heard great deal of favorable
comment about the work of Judge
Sullivan and myself in the legisla-
ture. This made us feel perfectly
at home, and this frank manner of
dealing with us opened the way for
the suggestions we desired to make
to him, as to the attitude we young
err Democrats thought he should as
sumo on what we believed were the
vital, progressive issues of the cam
paign.
Wilson's welcome to Criticism
When he was informed that 1 was
present at his first meeting d few
nights before in Jersey City he came
over to me, and in most friendly
way, said: What did you really
think of my speech?" For a mo-
ment [ was embarrassed, and yet
the frankness of the man was COM
polling, and so I said, Doctor, do,
you really desire an honest opinion
of that speech? I really want to
serve you, but I can do SO only
by speaking frankly" He said,
'"That is what [ most desire"
"Well," I said, your speech was
most disappointing" Iastopped sud
denly, feeling that ! had done
enough damage to the professors
feelings. But he said, "Please tell
me what your criticism is. What
most need is honesty and frankness.
You cannot hurt my feelings by
truthfully expressing your opinions.
Don't forget that am an amateur
at this game and need advice and
guidance" Encouraged by this sug-
gestion, proceeded to tell him what
I considered the principal defects
Of his opening speech at Jersey CITY.
I told him that there was a. lack
of definiteness in it which gave rise
to the impression that he was try
ing to evade a discussion OF the
moral issues of the campaign, among
them and of major importance beng
the regulation of public utilities and
the passage of an employers lapll-
ity act. Briefly sketching for him
our legislative situation, gave MIN
the facts with reference to these
large measures of public interest:
how, for many. years, in the face Oh
constant agitation, the old guaro
had prevented the enactment OIL
these measures into law, and now
therefore, his failure to discuss these
matters in his first speech hao
caused a grave feeling of unrest IN
the progressive ranks OF both partles
in New Jersey.
He listened with keen attention
and modestly said: 81 value very
highly this tip and you may resi-
assured that I shall cover these mat
tiers in my next speech. L meant
that spt ech to be general.
Getting His Campaign Gait.
In nv ignorance of things past
did not know that the candidate had
himself written the platform adopted
bv the Trenton convention, and in
my ignorance Of the future l did
not then know that one of the bold
est and most remarkable political
campaigns in America was to be
conducted on that platform, and that
after the election and Inauguration
of the nominee the chief business
Of the legislation was destined to be
the enactment into law of each of
the planks Of the platform, a com:
plete and itemized fulfilm1ent OF
prediction promises, unusual In
the history Of American politics. At
the time offs my first conversation
with the nominee I only knew that
the convention had been dominated
by the reactionary elements in the
party, that under this domination
it had stolen the thunder of the
progressive elements of the party
and of the New Ideal Republicans,
op6 that the n1atforrn had been