Volume 14 , Issue 53

100 Years Ago Today - 31 December 1912

One hundred years ago today, 31 December 1912, we travel back through time with The Times Dispatch out of Richmond, Virginia, Tuesday, December 31, 1912. President-elect Woodrow Wilson was in city of his birth. There was a belief that progressives would unite with Democrats for sake of patronage.

Trenton, N.J., Dec. 30 1912 -- President-elect Wilson manifested keen interest in the possibility that the present (1912) scant majority which the Democrats were calculated to have in the United States Senate might be comfortably increased when the Legislatures of a number of States convene.

Mr. Wilson conferred during the afternoon with J. Hamilton Lewis, of Illinois, choice of the Democratic primaries in Illinois for United States Senator, and Senator Luke Lea, of Tennessee, on the senatorial situation, and it was understood he would be informed in the near future by other Democratic leaders in Congress of what may be expected from the Legislatures.

On the back page of that same newspaper, there was headlines stating: What Mr. Wilson Said At Staunton, that had set all Virginia politicians talking. Some opponents of the Organization took the speech to mean war on the ring. What was the organization, the ring and to whom did Wilson refer?

"That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection and security of the people, nation or community; of all the various modes and forms of government that is best which is capable of producing the greets degree of happiness and safety, and is most effectually secured against the danger of maladministration; and, whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable, inalienable and indefensible right to reform, alter or abolish it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public well."

The declaration, constituting Section 3 of the Virginia Bill of Rights, was the reference made by President-Elect Woodrow Wilson in his after dinner speech at Staunton Saturday night in chiding Virginians who opposed him for the nomination. That speech still constituted practically the sole topic of conversation in political circles in the city and State.

Wilson Exact Words

The stenographic report of this part of Governor Wilson's speech, as taken by his secretary, was as follows:

"There are certain gentlemen, I dare say one of them is present tonight, who have frankly told me that there was a time when they were afraid of me, because they thought i had some screw loose or that I was rather wild. For example, Virginia herself, in the convention, showed no great enthusiasm for my nomination. But these gentlemen now say to me, that in view of things that I have said since I was nominated, which are exactly the same things that I said before I was nominated, they are no longer afraid of me. By which I draw this simple conclusion: that they did not read the things I said before I was nominated, and that after I was nominated it became worth their while really to find out exactly what I did actually say. I have been uttering, so far as I know, nothing but the original doctrines of liberty as understood in America. And these doctrines have nowhere been better understood or better illustrated than in this ancient Commonwealth of Virginia.

"The trouble with some gentlemen was that they had ceased to believe in the Virginia Bill of Rights. That is an extremely plain-spoken document. It says nothing less irreverent of constitutions than this: that whenever a people finds its institutions unsuitable for its circumstances, it has an inalienable right to change them. We have said that ever since this Commonwealth was set up, and it ought not to give us cold feet now. It is just as true now as when it was said, only some men have thought that a great many convention obstacles have been put in the way of acting upon the Bill of Rights, whereas I, in my simplicity, as a student of affairs, have always believed that the Virginia Bill of Rights meant what it said. If it does not, I do not understand English liberty. For the Virginia Bill of rights said nothing new. The Virginia Bill of Rights said what the Declaration of Rights and the Bill of Rights and said in those old days when England was fighting to get a foothold for human rights. It is no discovery made on this side of the water: it is merely a transplantation of the tree of liberty into a soil more wholesome, more virgin, more suitable to do the simple things of life in dealing man with man. So I am not in the least afraid of being regarded as a heretic, provided you know the standards of orthodoxy."

Governor Wilson Did Not Say

Governor Wilson did not say who it was in Virginia who entertained opinions of government contrary to those set forth int he section of the Bill of Rights, nor did he make specific application as to time or place. Therefore, he had left the people guessing.

Wilson said in the outset of the part of his speech referring to Virginia that there were men, "I dare say one of them is present tonight, who had been afraid of him. The Baltimore Sun's representative guesses that this was not a reference to Congressman H. D. Flood, as was generally supposed, but to a railroad president, who had recently changed his mind about Wilson's policies.

But Governor Wilson's reference a moment later to the lack of enthusiasm for him in the Virginia delegation at Baltimore, would seem to indicate that he had not then in mind railroad magnates, for they were not in the delegation.

Speculations continued to be general. Nearly everybody believed that Governor Wilson had in mind a reproof or a warning to Virginians, serving notice that he expected hearty support for his policies, and that he would accept nothing less. There were those who believed he intended a war on the Virginia Democratic organization as then led. Senator Martin did not go to Staunton, and, as the Baltimore correspondent said, "Showed no disposition whatever to get on the Wilson band wagon." Senator Swanson was on hand, as was Mr. Flood, the latter being on the reception committee, since Staunton was his own district.

Many criticisms were to be heard on the score of propriety, those who disapprove what Mr. Wilson said, thinking that it was hardly the thing to criticize one's host over the latter's own dining table. A public official called attention to another section of the Bill of Rights, that "any citizen may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects."

"Mr. Wilson," he said, "should remember that other people have the right to their own opinions, even if his training as a schoolmaster makes him feel that no one should possess opinions but himself. A matter of choice as to a party candidate should not bring forth public criticisms of one's opponents political principles"

On the other hand, the opponents of the organization were rejoicing, feeling that Governor Wilson was preparing to try to put that body out of business.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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