jf "v "yfqrmyrv!ft''r'i' , t wyvri-fiW1 a fa: The Commoner & 4 YOL. 15, NO. 1 President Wilson Defends Democratic Record rv n w HEWi President Wilson addreaaed a largo crowd of people at Tomlinson hall, Indianapolis, January 8, on tlio occaalon of the Jackaon day celebra tion. The preaidont was introduced by Governor Ralston of Indiana. Hia speech, as reported by the Chicago Herald, follows: Governor Ralston, Ladies and Gentlemen: You havo given mo a moat royal welcome, for Which I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It la rather lonely living in Waahington. I havo been confined for two yeara at hard labor and even now I feel that I am simply out on parole. You will notice that one of the most distinguish ed members of the United States aenato is hero to see that I go back. And yet with sincere apol ogies to the senate and house of representatives, I want to say that I draw more inspiration from you than I do from them. They, like myself, are only servants of the people of the United States. Our sinews consist in your sympathy and support, and our renewal comes from contact with you and with the strong movements of public opinion in this country. KEEP THOUGHTS AT HOME That is tho roason why I for one would prefer that our thoughts should not too often cross the ocean, but should center themselves upon the policies and duties of the United States. If we think of tho United States, when tho time comes we shall know how this country can serve the world. I will borrow a very interesting phrase from a distinguished gentleman of my acquaint ance, and beg that you will keep your moral powder dry. But I havo come here on Jackson day. If there are republicans present, I hope they will feel tho compelling influences of such a day. There was nothing mild about Androw Jackson; that Is the reason I spoke of the 'compelling influences of the day.' Androw Jackson was a forthright man, who believed everything he did believe in in fighting earnest. And really, ladies and gentle men, in public life that Is the only sort of nian worth thinking about for a moment. ' MILITANT DEMOCRACY ALIVE If I waft not ready to light Tor everything I belidve In I would think it my duty to go and take a back seat. I like, therefore, to breathe the air of Jackson day.' I like to be reminded of the old militant hosts of democracy which I believe have come to life again in our time. Tho United States had almost forgotten that it must keep its fighting ardor in behalf of man kind when Andrew Jackson became president, and you will notice that whenever the United States forgets its ardor for mankind, a democrat is elected president. REPUBLICANS LACK IDEAS The trouble with the republican party is that it has not had a now idea for thirty years. I am not speaking as a politician; I am speaking as an historian. I have lpoked for now ideas in the records and I have not found any proceeding from tho republican, ranks. They have had lead ers from time to time who suggested new ideas, but they never did anything to carry them out. I suppose there was no harm in their talking, provided they could not do anything. Therefore, when it was necessary to say that we have talked about things long enough, which it was neces sary to do, and the time had come to do them, it was indispensable that a democrat should be ele'cted president. 1 G. 0. P. FEARS YOUNGSTERS I would not speak with disrespect of the re publican party. I always speak with great re spect for the past, Tho past was necessary to , the present; and was a sure prediction of the fu ture. The republican party is still a covert and ref uge for those who are afraid, for those who want ' to consult their grandfathers about "everything. You will notice that most of the advice taken by the. republican party is taken from gentlemen old t enough to be grandfathers, and that when they claim that a reaction has taken place they react to tne re-eioction or the oldest members of their party. They will not trust the youngsters. They are. afraid the youngsters may have something up their sleeve. TIRED SAYING SWEET THINGS You will see, therefore, that I have come to on in the spirit of Jackson day. I got very tired staying In Washington and saying sweet things. STRONG POINTS MADE BY PRESIDENT WILSON "I would prefer that our thoughts should not too often cross the ocean, but should center themselves upon the pol icies and duties of the United States." "There may come a time when the American people will have to judge whether I know what I am talking about or not." "As long as I am president nobody shall interfere with the efforts of the Mexicans to get liberty. Have not Euro pean nations taken as long as they want ed and spilled as much blood as they pleased to settle their own affairs? And shall wo deny the same right to Mexico? No, I say." VEvery time tho country really wants something done it returns the democratic party to power." "This country is now guided by the in dependent voter." )ft Jp J(f "We have laid the lines now upon which business designed to do the coun try harm shall be stopped and an econ omic control which was intolerable shall be broken up." "There is nothing the matter' with American business except a state of mind." "There is a very simple way co help the workingmen. If you were simply, to establish a great federal employment bu reau it would do a vast deal." "I do know that the United States in its judicial procedure is many decades behind every other civilized government in the world." May we not look forward to the time when wo shall be called blessed among the nations because we succored the na tions of the world in their time of dis tress and dismay?" 0 ' I wanted to come out and get in contact with you once more and say what I really thought. My friends, what I particularly want you to observe is this, that politics In this country does, not depend any longer upon the regular mem bers of either party. There are not enough reg ular republicans In this country to take and hold national power; and I must Immediately add there are not enough regular democrats in this country to do it either. s INDEPENDENTS GUIDE THE NATION This country is guided and its policy is deter mined by the independent voter; and I have pome to ask you how we can best prove to the inde pendent voter that tho instrument he needs is the democratic party and that it would b.e hope less for him to attempt to use the republican party. I do not have to prove it; I admit It. What seems to me perfectly evident is this that if you made a rough reckoning, you would have to admit that only about one-third of tho republican party is progressive; and you would also have to admit that about two-thirds" of tho democratic party is progressive. Therefore the Independent progressive voter finds a great'deal more company in the democratic ranks 'than in the republican ranks. I say a great deal more because there are democrats who are sitting on the breeching-strap; there are democrats who are holding back. There are democrats who are nervous. I dare-say they were bom with thai temperament.. AN ANIMATED CONSERVATIVE . And I respect the conservative temper. I claim to be an animated conservative myself; becauaa being conservative I understand to mean a man not only who preserves what is best In the nation but who sees that in order to preserve it you dare not stand still, but must move forward. For the virtue of America it is not statical; it is dynamic. AH the forces of America are forces in action or else they are forces of inertion. What I want to point out to you, and I believe that this is what the whole country is beginning to perceive, is this, that there is a larger body of men in the. regular ranks of the democratic party who believe in the progressive policies of our day and mean to see them carried forward and per petuated than there is in the ranks of the re publican party. How can you be otherwise, gen tlemen? ENACT PEOPLE'S POLICIES The democratic party, and only the democratic party, has carried out the policies which the pro greaaive people of this country have desired There is not a single great act of this present great congress which has not been carried out in obedience to the public opinion of America; and the public opinion of America is not going to per mit any body of men to go backward with regard to these great matters. Let me instance a single thing: I want to ask the business men here present if this is' not the first January in their recollection' that did not bring a money stringency for the time being, be cause of the necessity of paying out great sums of money Ty way of dividends and tti other set tlements which come at the first of the year? EMANCIPATE NATION'S CREDIT I have asked the bankers if that happened this year and they say, "No, it did not happen; it could not happen under the federal reserve act." We have emancipated the credits, of this country. And is there anybody here, who will doubt that the other policies that have given guarantee to this country that there will be free competition are policies which this country will never allow to be reversed? I have taken a long time, ladies and gentle men, to select the federal trade commission, be-. cause I wanted to choose men and be.. sure that I had chosen men who would be really service able to tbe business men of this country, great as well as small, the rank and the file. These things have been done and will never be undone. They were talked about and talked about with futility until a democratic congress attempted and achieved them. DEMOCRATS STILL ON TRIAL But the democratic party is not to suppose that it is done with the business. The democratic party has to prove to the independent voters of this country not only that it believes in these things, but that it will continue to work along these lines and that it will not allow any enemy of these things to break its ranks. This country is not going to use any party that can not do continuous and consistent teamwork. If any group of, men should dare to break the solidarity of the democratic team for any pur pose or from any motive, theirs will be a most unenviable notoriety and a responsibility which will bring deep bitterness to them. The only party that is serviceable to a nation is a party that can hold absolutely together and march with the discipline and with the zest of a con quering host. I am not saying these things be cause I doubt that the democratic party will be able to do these things, hut because I believe that as leader for the time being of that party, I can promise that country that it will do these things. I know my colleagues at Washington, I know their spirit, and their purpose, and I know that they have the same emotion, the same high emotion of public service, that I hope I have." I want at this juncture to pay my tribute of respect and of affectionate admiration for the two great democratic senators from the state of Indiana. I have never had to lie awake nights wondering what they were going to do. And the country is not going to trouble itself, ladles and gentlemen, to He awake nights and wonder what men are going to do. TEAM WORK DEMANDED If they have to do that they will choose other mf1J(.and that is a11 to the business. Team work all the time is what they are going to demand of us, and that is our individual, as well as our collective responsibility. That is what Jackson stands for. If a man will not play in the team, then he does not belong to the team. You see, I have spent a large part of my life in college and I r. V ji. s