Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-26
RECORD OF 6. 0. ?.
FLAYED; TRIBUTE
IS PAID To WILSON

lQSnllul uOiillllCSs bCiiN ~ ~ az u 'Ai''N
meeting here Friday of New Jerse
Democrats:
This is my second appearance
at Sea Girt. You will not be
surprised if I find my memory
turning at this time to the cir
cunstances of my earlier visit.
1t happened on hot July day,
twelve years ago. [ was one of
party of 200 or more who
tramped in the dust from the
station to the governors house
at Sea Girt. At our head
marched that grand old Roman,
Champ Clark, then the speaker
of the house of representatives
Among the party l recall Jer-
sew man who was then my col
league in congress and who was
soon to take seat in the sem
ate-the loved and lovable Billy
Hughes. We were calling on a
governor of New Jersey who
had Just received the Democratic
nomination for the presidency.
Most of that company, lnclud-
ing myself. had never made his
personal acquaintance. 1t was
our errand to assure him of our
hearty support and to place
ourselves at his service. The
impressions of that day were
summed up for me by one of
nv colleagues as we tramped
back to the waiting train. Said
he: "When that man comes to
Washington there will be
leader in the White House.
I recall how quickly this lead
ership asserted itself when
Washington had been attained.
CONGRESS met without delay and
the first act in the drama was
the scourging from the capitol
of the horde Of lobbyists, hang
ers-on, seekers for privilege ana
representatives of special inter-
ests who had infested its or
ridors. Then came in quick sue
cession under his energtlc I'M
pulse the fairest tariff law since
the Civil war; the federal re-
serve Nact for which the country
had waited half century; the
federal trade commission, and
he Clayton act curbinG monop-
olies and establishing the rights
of labor; and through this and
succeeding sessions the Demo
cratic party under his guidance
moved in solid phalanx, conn
dent in his leadership.
Tribute to Wilson
The great war broke. There
fell upon him burdens heavier
than any that his predecessors
had been called upon to bear.
For two years he struggled to
keep America from the mael-
strom and then when the attack
upon her rights was made direct
" he threw himself and MS
country into the battle with
fiery energy that amazed the
world. Men and money ana
munitions came at his call, AID
his clear voice rang out like
trumpet across the world, CIV
ing new meaning to the strug-
gle and new life to those en-
gagged in it.
When the war was ended he
gave TO the making Of peace the
l3SI OutlCS VI Ills ACihi|@AAAN-@eo
strength. He endeavored to set
I'D machinery not only to pre-
vent future wars, but to mitigate
the evils which this war, the
last and greatest, had brought
upon the world. He never look
ed upon the treaty of Versailles
as complete and final settle
nent. but hoped that when time
had cooled mems passions the
machinery he sought to create
would remove any element of IN
Justice or revenge the treaty
might contain and would give
the world a stable and abiding
peace.
And then he fell, broken,
thwarted, his work unfinished
but his spirit u1subdued. They
called him an idealist, they pro"
nounced him ahead of his times.
They forgot that they were but
echoing what the world has said
through all the centuries OF
those who sought to lead 1t
Envy and hate and malice can
touch him now no more forever
but the thoughts TO which ne
gave utterance and the ideals
, re proclaimed will live long att
'er those who opposed them have
passed and been forgotten.
We stand at the threshold OF
another presidential campaign,
and the American people are
called on once more to decide
whether they will leave their
destinies in charge of those who
are now in power or give them
over into other hands. DO they
want a change or do they not!
That is the question upon which
all popular elections turn. I'm
der a parliamentary system ike
that which obtains in Great
Britain or in France, the gov
eminent of the day puts to the
house of commons or the cham
her of deputies the question or
confidence or no confidence. We
do the same thing. except that
with us the question is put to
the people as a whole. Republic
ans must not be panied or sur
prised, therefore, if we ask them
TO give account of what they
have done or left undone. They
must not blame lis if we jog
the public memory concerning
things that might otherwise be
forgotten.
Startling Contrasts
To all such complaints we
can but reply in the language
of the Scriptures, Beware We
of the leaven of the Phartsees
which is hypocrisy. But there
is nothing covered up that shall
not be revealed, nothing hid,
that shall not become known.
Therefore, whatever We have
spoken i'll darkness shall Be
heard in the light and that
which We have spoken in the
ear in closets shall be pro
claimed upon the house tops
When we paint against the
vivid background of the eight
wears under Wilson, the his
tory that has been enrolled
since March 4, 1921, there are,
to say the least, some startling
contrasts. In 1913 the lobby was
scourged from Washington; in
1921, like a flock of unclean
birds fastening to the feast, it
gathered from the four winds