Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-10
Woodrow Wilson
AS | KNOW HIM
BY JOSEPH P. TUMULTY.

team the rising star of machine pol
itics in New Jersey. Down the aisle
sat the Little Napoleon" of Hudson
county, Bob Davis, wearing a sar-
donic smile on his usually placid
face, with his big eyes riveted upon
those in, the convention who were
fighting desperately and against
great odds the effort of the state ma
chine to nominate President Wilson.
Across the aisle from me sat plank
Shad" Thompson, of Gloucester, big
and deboniar, but a thoroughly fine
fellow socially, but always ready to
act upon and carry out every tip
that came to him from the master
minds in the convention--Davis and
Smith.
These were the leading actors in
this political drama. Behind the
lines, in the "ofing," was the In
surgent Group, young men like
Mark Sullivan and John Treacy of
Hudson, stout defenders of the lib
eral wing in the convention, feeling
sullen, beaten and hopelessly impo-
tent against the mass attack of the
machine forces. What a political
medley was present in this conven-
t1on-plebeian and patrician, ma
chine man and political idealist-all
gathered together and fighting as
leading characters and supernumer-
aries in the political drama about to
be enacted.
Introduced to the Convention
Not three men outside of the lead
ing actors in this great political
drama had ever seen the Princeton
a ICch I 4
less read his speeches. I watched
every move from the side lines. The
bosses, with consummate precision,
moved to the doing of the job in
hand, working their spell of threats
and coercion upon a beaten, sullen,
spiritless body of delegates. One
could easily discern that there was
no heart in the delegates for the job
at hand. To them the active forces
in the convention, the Princeton
president was indeed a man of nlys-
terry. Who could solve the riddle
of this political sphinx? Who was
this man Wilson? What were his
purposes? What his ideals? These
questions were troubling and per
picking the delegates. Colonel Har-
vey, the commandments of the
Wilson forces, when interrogated by
us, refused to answer. How mas
terfully the Old Guard staged every
act of the drama, and thus brought
about the nomination of the Prince
ton president.
The convention is at an END. VIII
son has been nominated by a mar
row margin; the delegates, bitter
and resentful, are about to with
draw; the curtain is about to roll
down on the last scene. The chair
man, John r. Hardin, the distin-
guished lawyer of Essex, is about to
announce the final vote, when the
clerk of the convention, in a tone OF
voice that reached every part of the
hall, announces in most dramatic
fashion: 1--WE have just received
word that President Wilson, the
candidate for the governorship, and
the next president of the United
States, has received word of his
nomination; has left Princeton, and
is now on his way to the conven-
ton Excellent stage work. The
voice Of the secretary making this
dramatic\ statement is the voice of
Esau, but the deft hand behind this
clever move is that of Colonel Har-
vey. The announcement literally
SSlS IuG NSI1IIOlI OIl LII C' OSNAS%hAA
breaks loose. The only sullen and
Indifferent ones in the hall are those
of us who met defeat a few hours
before. For US, at least, the mys-
terry is about to be solved. The
Princeton professor has left the
shades of the university to enter the
Elysian fields of politics.
At the time the secretary's an
nouncement was made 1 was in the
rear of the convention hall, trying
to become reconciled to our defeat.
then wended my weary way to the
stage and stood close to the band,
which was busy entertaining the
crowd until the arrival of DR.. Will
son. 1 wanted to obtain what news
paper men call closeup" of this
man of mystery.
What were my own feelings as !
saw the candidate quietly walk to
the speakers stand? I was now
to see almost face to face for the
first time the man I had openly
and bitterly denounced only a few
hours before. What reaction Of re-
gret, of pleasure, did I experience
as I beheld the vigorous, clean-cut,
plainly-garbed man, who now stood
before me, cool and smiling?
The Speech That Won Them Over
My first reaction of regret came
when he uttered these words:
II feel the responsibility Of the
occasion. Responsibility is proper
tionate to opportunity. It is a great
opportunity to serve the state and
nation. I did not seek this nomina-
ton, I have made no pledge and
have given no promises. If elected,
am left absolutely free to serve
you with all singleness Of purpose.
1t is a new era when these things
can be said, and in connection with
this I feel that the dominant idea
IF the moment is the responsibility
of deserving. 1 will have to serve
the state very well in order to de-
serve the honor Of being at it's head.
Did you ever experience the Ella
ton Of a great hope, that you de-
sire to do right because it is right,
and without thought Of doing it for
you own interest? At that period
your hopes are unselfish.
"This in particular is a day Of I'M
selfish purpose for democracy. The
country has been universally misled
and the people have begun to believe
IIldl lIlSIe 10 SOIllSIlllIIS 1duCoAAS
wrong. And now we should make
this era of hope one of realization
through the Democratic party"
I had another reaction of regret
when he said:
Government is not a warfare of
interests. We shall not gain our
ends by heat and bitterness" How
simple the man, how modest, how
oI11f11raHf AtfarOl0tir1o 11nno re
cheap plays" of the old campaign
orator, he impressively proceeded
with his thrilling speech, carrying
his audience with him under the
spell of his eloquent words. How
tense the moment His words.
spoken in tones so. soft, so fine.
in voice so we'll rnndulated so heart