A MAN OF THE HOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 159, 22 November 1912, Page 4

A MAN OF THE HOUR.

It is predicted in well-informed quarters that Dr. Woodrow 'Wilson, the new President of.the United States, will be as much talked about in the coming years as Mr. Roosevelt and those who know him best are confident that he will set his mark on the life of the great American Republic as emphatically as any of the great men who have acted as the chief citizen of that wonderful country. By this time everybody is, of course, familiar with the record of his eminent scholarly attainments which include the presidency of Princeton University. What is, however, engaging most attention with regard to the new appointment is the question as to what effect.it will have on national affairs. No doubt the best way to arrive at a proper conclusion in connection with this matter is to assume that in the "'larger field or politics" his words and deeds will closely resemble his programme in State politics. As Governor of New Jersey Dr. Wilson was -unquestionably a great political force, with the result that in that State he made very drastic changes in the previously existing order of things. It may be of interest to mention that while at the head of affairs in New Jersey he was responsible for the introduction of a system of direct "primaries" for elections (thus transferring power from the party bosses to the people as a whole), employers' liability and factory laws, also legislation to deal with corrupt practices, and, inter alia, the establishment of commission government in municipalities (thus removing the past shameful corrupt character of civic government in the State), etc. He has, it now seems, modified some of his earlier convictions, but on the main questions at issue his views are practically unaltered. With regard to the tariff he is a revisionist, but not a free-trader. "The worst feature of protection," he has said, "is the demoralisation of our political ideals. We have based government upon patronage and privilege, instead of upon justice and equality." "The tariff," he also said, "lies at the bottom of much of the trust question. It is behind the shelter of the tariff wall that the trusts have been able to build up a system by which they have all but shut the door upon independent enterprise. . . We are to act upon the fundamental principle of the Democratic party, not free-trade, but tariff for revenue.' And we have got to approach that by such avenues, by such stages, and at such a pace as will be consistent with stability and safety of the business of the country." It is further stated that the new President has no illusions as to the sinister influence of the great corporations on the life of the country. "A comparatively small number of men," he has said, "control the raw material of the country, control almost entirely the water-power that can be made useful for the economical production of the power to drive our machinery; that same small number of men, by agreements handed around among themselves, control prices, and the same group of men control the large credits of the country." He will "stop troubling business if business will stop troubling politics." Woodrow Wilson has emphatic views with regard to various measures for the social amelioration of the people. Generally speaking, his platform is progressive without being iconoclastic, bold without being unnecessarily confiscatory.