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The Commoner.
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Woodrow Wilson's Warning to the
Money Trust
ill a speech delivered in New York City on
the evening of December 17th, President-elect
Wilson gave warning to the money trust in this
way:
"The time has come when men must stand
up and bo counted."
"Wo must forget everything except the work
for the prosperity and integrity of the nation."
"Some men have had the idea that they had
been appointed trustees to do tho thinking of
mankind and the building up of wealth in con
formity with their own plans and purposes."
"God knows the poor .suffer enough, now, but
their emancipation will come."
"Prosperity can't be consumed privately by
tho few."
"And I have been told the machinery was in
existence by which a panic can be brought about.
Personally, I don't believe the man lives now
who dares to use that machinery. If he does,
I promise him not on my own behalf, but upon
the behalf of my country, a gibbet as high as
Haman's."
A few hours before this warning was given
he issued a statement at Trenton, N. J., declar
ing that he would "stand back of the progres
sive forces in the democratic party everywhere,
and at every juncture," adding that the demo
cratic party now had arrived at a point "where
it must choose whether it would be progressive
or not."
Following is the Associated Press report re
lating to the New York speech: New York, Dec.
17. President-elect Wilson held up a warning
finger tonight to any man who might deliberate
ly start a panic in the United States to show
that intended legislative policies were wrong.
In a speech at the banquet of the Southern so
ciety of New York he declared he had heard
sinister premonitions of what would follow if the
democratic party put into effect changes in
economic policy.
The president-elect first distinguished in his
speech between "natural" and "unnatural"
panics. He said in many cases panic had come
naturally because of a mental disturbance of
people with reference to loans and money gen
erally. "But the machinery is in existence," he said,
"by which the thing can be deliberately done.
Frankly, I don't think there is any man living
Who dares use the machinery for that purpose.
If he does, I promise him, not for myself, but
for my fellow countrymen, a gibbet as high as
Haman's."
The governor added that he meant no "literal
gibbett," for "that is not painful," but he said
it would be a gibbet of public disgrace which
would live "as long as the members of that
man's family survive."
"America, with her eyes open, isn't going to
let a panic happen," continued the governor,
"but I speak as if I expected it as if I feared
it. I do not. I am afraid of nothing."
The president-elect's speech covered a variety
of subjects. He treated first of sectionalism,
declaring that it should not exist.
"There is a vast deal to do," he said, ''and it
can best be done by forgetting that we are
partisans of anything except the honor and pros
perity of the nation itself."
Mr. Wilson then referred briefly to provin
cialism and said that some people had an idea
that all the thinking of the country was. done in
New York city. He said the Southern society
represented an importation of thought from the
south into the" great metropolis.
"I am happy to feel that there no longer is a
serious consciousness of sectional differences in
tho United States.
"There can bo no sectionalism about the think
ing of America, from this time on, because no
hardheaded man can prove that there are such
things as sectional interests."
The governor here told his hearers of his
strenuous day.
"We thought we straightened things out in
N.ew, SE6 he said' "but thy won't stay
straight."
"There are some people in New Jersey who
are happy that they can count the days when
they can get rid of me. But they are not going
to get rid of me. A man can live in Washing
ton and Itnow what goes on In New Jersey, and
a man can say from Washington what he thinks
S eZ??Lnth n ay " in the only
...w0 --huui wuy oy mentioning names.
"This anonymous assertion of iniquity ought
to be stopped. It's all very well to make public
who owns the journals of the country but it
also ought to be made public who owns this or
that idea. If it can't be produced by law it
can be produced by conversation.
"I have gone through a campaign in which
I endeavored to speak of things, not of persons,
but you speak of persons by implication when
you speak of things dnd the plainer you make
the implication the more effective you make the
mark. The only way to keep out of trouble in
the future is to see that your name is connected
with the right thing.
"I say this not as a threat but to convey this
intimation: That men have got to stand up. and
be counted and put their names down. I think
so soon as men see this is business and not
amusement, an enthusiasm will arise by which
it will be revealed that honor and integrity of
purpose breed irfore prosperity than any other
things in the world. God knows the poor suffer
enough. A man would hesitate to take a single
step that would involve any further suffering.
We must move to the emancipation of the poor.
"The task ahead of me so far as it is making
appointments to office is wholly hateful, but
the task so far as it is leadership of the United
States is full of everything that is bright and
touched with confidence because I know that
all you have to do is to appeal to the people of
the United States on the right ground and put
those who are wrong out of business. I am not
a brave man because I don't know anything to
be afraid of.
"Some people are making all sorts of sinister
predictions as to the trouble we are going to
get into at Washington. I don't think there
should be any concern because it ,is going to
be public trouble and a great jury is always
going to know what the evidence in the case is.
"I have been warned by some newspapers
about keeping the door open because they have
said so many people wanted to get Into it.
Perhaps I should have said that the door
will be open only to people who come to
transact business. I want to say that I may
not be very popular oy preferring busi
ness to etiquette, but after I take the oath
I shall feel obliged to transact business and will
feel obliged to cut out everything that does
not touch that business. But business has to
be supported and comprehensively presented to
the people, so I will not feel It necessary to stay
in Washington all the time, but to find out by
conversation with my neighbors everywhere
what they think, for it is a great deal more im
portant to the country what you think than
what I think."
The governor discoursed somewhat vehement
ly on politics and said there was "too much
manners in politics," and that "good taste often
stands in the way of public morals."
"It is .not thought good taste in politics, they
say," he said, ?lto say anything about a man
unless it is complimentary, but it may be very
serviceable." Mr. Wilson smilingly declared
that since he had left "academic walks to get
into the high road" he had found "an increased
temptation to profanity."
"I think that the recording angel probably
doesn't hear those things," he added amid
laughter, "for there is such a thing as righteous
anger." The. speaker here made reference to
possible changes in economic policy, though he
mentioned no specific thing. . . "
"Some people say," he assorted, "that busi
ness is going to be disturbed by the changes
which are going to be undertaken by the demo
cratic party. I mean changes in economic policy.
Business can not -bq disturbed unless the minds
pf those who conduct it are disturbed. A panic
according to the dictionary, is really a state. of
mind. There is just aB much money in the
country the day after a panic as the day before
but it is distributed differently as a result of
tho panic."
. He,re?e eovernor issued h,is warning against
the deliberate starting of panics. As he con
cluded his speech he remarked that perhaps he
had rambled in his subjects but that he had
tried to steer away from politics as much as
possible. . .,,
Throughout the speech there were frequent in
terruptions of applause, and there was a storm
of cheers when Mr. Wilson finished speaking
Mrs. Wilson and her daughters sat in a box.
VOLUME 12, NUMBER 51
Tho ball room of the hotel where the banquet
took place was crowded with men and women
the list of guests including many persons promi
nent in public life.
THE NEW JERSEY STATEMENT
Following is the Associated Press report of
the New Jersey statement: Trenton, N. J., Dec
17. Governor Wilson indicated in two public
utterances today that although he had been
elected to the presidency of the United States,
he would continue to fight at every turn the
Smith-Nugent forces in New Jersey and any
other elements in the nation's democracy which
he considered reactionary or non-progressive.
He proclaimed it as his duty to "stand back of
the progressive forces in the democratic party
everywhere and at every juncture," and added
that the democratic party now had arrived at
a point "where it must choose whether it will
be progressive or not."
Just to what extent Mr. Wilson's activity
might extend, either in New Jersey or in similar
situations elsewhere was not disclosed, but at
the governor's office it was said that even as
president Mr. Wilson would come back from
Washington and go on the stump before the
people of the state against elements which he
considered reactionary, whenever the people of
the state encouraged him to think they wished
his aid and counsel.
The governor found things exciting around
the state house. The corridors were crowded
with gossiping politicians. Early in the day
he issued his statement announcing to the voters
of the state that he would not forsake them
after he went to Washington. Later on a dele
gation from Augusta, Ga., called on Mr. Wilson
to urge him to take up his winter residence
there. The governor said he had received many
invitations to make his residence in various
places in the south, but that his enemies in the
state had begun to point to this aB an evidence
of his early exit from New Jersey affairs. The
governor said he was too engrossed in the New
Jersey situation now to think of any vacation
and he would hot leave the state while there
was a fight going on.
So many persons wanted to see the gover
nor that late in the afternoon he gave up hope
of attending the banquet of the Southern society
in New York tonight. Pie even sent a telegram
of regret, but the Southern society officials, who
had received Wilson's promise long before his
election, got him on the telephone and per
suaded him to speak, oven though he could not
get there in time to dine. He managed to get
through his work about 7 o'clock, dined hur
riedly and took a train for New York to speak
at the banquet.
AN IMPUDENT ATTEMPT
The impudent attempt of a few of the news
papers to defeat the publicity law shows to
what lengths the defenders of plutocracy will
go. The law requires that the papers publish
the names of owners and the names of creditors
whose claims are above a certain amount, and
it also requires advertising matter to be so
designated that it qan be distinguished from
editorial and news matter. To insist that a
paper shall be allowed to discuss political ques
tions and attaqk persons in public life without
disclosing the name pf those who stand behind
the people and control it is to take a position
which is dangerous as well as absurd, and it
is just as absurd to propose that a paper should
be permitted to conceal the fact that its edi
torial columns and. news space are paid for at
so much per line." If is contended that such
matters are within the, province of the state
and outside, the jurisdiction' of the .nation it is
sufficient' to cite the ltiW against lottery adver
tisements. The people., of the entire nation are
not compelled t'o rely for : protection in such
matters upon the, law's q aiiy state. The legiti
mate ,rights of tti'q; spates rights essential to
; the 'welfare of the cbnntry are brought into
''jeopardy by such sft'urtis claims as are ad
vanced in the pubjcity case.
, .! I. r-
Mr. Bryan's Selected) Speeches. Revised and
arranged in a convenient two-volume edition.
These books present Mr Bryan's most notable
addresses and , orations; vand cover the ciiioi
important phases and features of his career as
an, orator and .advocate. A familiarly intimate
: and interesting .biographical introduction oy
fMary Baird Bryany.Jriis wlfe, opens. Volume, i.
piThe two .volump8,,?hound in cloth, sent to any
address prepaid on receipt'Of price, $2,00,tf ftrt
half leather edition, 2 vols,, sent for ?.""
.pr.epald. Address The Commoner, Lincoln, we.
