98
\']RG1XIA IIIOGRAPIIY
which time Mr. Wilson gave much attention
to the study of government and history.
though his official duties, as his writings
show, doubtless prevented any great investi-
gation of original records and sources. His
j>ul)lished works show the trend of his mind
and culture, and are as follows: "Con-
gressional Government," 1885 ; "The State
Elements of Historical aiid Practical Poli-
tics," 1889; "Division and Reunion," 1893;
"An Old Master, and Other Political Es-
says," 1893; "Life of George Washington,"
1896; "History of the American People,"
IQ02; "Constitutional Government in the
United States," 1908.
PiUt probably it was his happy turn at public speaking which directed public atten- tion to him more than anything else. He is not only a good thinker, but a master of words and phrase-making. His speech at the "Dollar Dinner" at Elizabeth, New Jer- sey, in the last week of March, 1910, so well declared the purposes of the modern Democ- racy that his nomination for governor of New Jersey was the direct result. In this speech he declared that these principles con- sisted in a profound and abiding faith in the people themselves, in the belief that the wel- fare of the nation consists in the welfare of the individuals of whom the nation is com- posed. Not the corporation, but the in- dividual, not the artificial group of persons existing by permission of law but the single living person, is the only rightful possessor of rights and privileges. The corporation is simply a legal instrumentality created for the convenience of the individual and must be used only for his convenience. Soon after this speech Dr. Wilson was nominated for governor of New Jersey, and resigned the presidency of Princeton. His election was
a triumph over the political machine, and
the platform on which he was nominated
called for the control of corporations, for a
thorough-going and honest election law, for
the publicity of campaign contributions, and
f(ir the enactment of an employer's liability
l)ill. In the campaign which followed. Dr.
\\'ilson proved to be an effective campaign
speaker, without being an orator of the old
style, his appeal being to the reasoning
powers rather than to the emotions. His
administration as governor made good the
promises of the platform. A new election
bill was passed, as well as several measures
tending to suppress graft in public places
ai:d limiting the power of the machine. His
success put him to the front as a possible
presidential candidate. In 1912 he was the
choice of the progressive democracy, and his
name was oiTered in the Democratic conven-
tion at I'.altimore. Here again there was
the struggle with the machine. His nomi-
nation was made possible only by the superb
powers of William Jennings Bryan as a
master manager and orator. The campaign
which followed was one of the most exciting
in recent times, and resulted in the election
oi Dr. Wilson by a division in the ranks of
the Republican party. As President, Dr.
\\'ilson has infused his personality into the
government administration far beyond any-
thing any of his predecessors ever deemed
proper or even constitutional. He discarded
the example of Jefferson, the founder of his
party, and revived the rule of the old Fed-
eralist presidents of reading his messages
to congress. .Ml important bills have been
jirepared by him in conference with the
leaders, in advance of their submission to
congress, and he has in large measure been
his own .'^ecretarv of State. Thus far the
