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Woodrow Wilson "The Third Party" Speech (1912) [AUDIO RESTORED]
YouTube ^ | September 24, 1912 | Woodrow Wilson

Posted on 06/08/2022 9:23:25 AM PDT by ProgressingAmerica

There is a new party, which it is difficult to characterize because it is made up of several elements. As I see it, it is made up three elements in particular. The first consists of those Republicans whose consciences and whose stomachs could not stand what the regular Republicans were doing. Added to this element are a great many men and women of noble character and of elevated purpose who believe that this combination of forces may, in the future, bring them out on a plane where they can accomplish those things which their hearts have so long desired.

I have no word of criticism for them. Then there is a third element in the new party of which the less said the better. To discuss it would be interesting, only if I could mention names, and I have forbidden myself that indulgence. We have in this party two things. A political party and a body of social reformers. Mr. Roosevelt puts forth an admirable platform of what he would like to do for the people. But how is he going to do it? He proposes in his platform not to abolish monopoly, but to take it under the legal protection of the government and to regulate it. In other words, to take the very men into partnership who have been making it impossible to carry out these great programs by which all of us wish to help the people.

It is perfectly idle to talk of doing things when your hands are tied for you, so long as the men who now control the industry of the country continue to control it. Now we don’t want to disturb the industry of the country; we are not here to destroy the industry which these men have developed. But we are here to destroy the control over the industry of other people which these men have established and which makes it impossible that we should give ourselves a free hand in the service of the people. There are two programs. The Democratic program is this – to see to it that competition is so regulated that the big fellow cannot put the little fellow out of business, for he has been putting the little fellow out of business for the last half generation.

The program of the third party is to take these big fellows that have been putting the little fellow out of business and regulate them, saying, "that is all right--you have put the other fellows out of business--but we are not going to put the little fellows back where you destroyed them. We’re going to adopt you and say run the business of the country, but run it in the way we tell you to run it." The only thing you have to choose between therefore is this: Are you going to have fresh brains injected into the business of this country and the best men win, or are you going to make the present combinations permanent.


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: progressivism; roosevelt; tr; wilson
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To: ProgressingAmerica

Indeed - for all the positive things TR the man was, his leadership was disastrous in the long term.


21 posted on 06/08/2022 1:29:07 PM PDT by larrytown (A Cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do. Then they graduate...)
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To: Flick Lives

One might add to your list of Wilson’s Constitutional crimes is that, using war powers, he put in place the New Deal, which was solid practice for the next generation of fascists who would implement it directly in the 1930s.


22 posted on 06/08/2022 1:29:29 PM PDT by nicollo
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To: ProgressingAmerica
The first consists of those Republicans whose consciences and whose stomachs could not stand what the regular Republicans were doing.
That there is a fine piece of demagoguery. Wilson excelled at it.

He won with fewer popular votes than Taft and Roosevelt's combined. Thanks, Teddy.

Taft, meanwhile, saved the GOP from going progressive, which was TR's plan.
23 posted on 06/08/2022 1:39:35 PM PDT by nicollo
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To: ProgressingAmerica

It always comes back to power and control.


24 posted on 06/08/2022 3:34:45 PM PDT by Kalam (The Qonjurer)
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To: ProgressingAmerica

Wilson was one of the most criminal presidents ever elected.


25 posted on 06/08/2022 6:03:15 PM PDT by muir_redwoods (Freedom isn't free, liberty isn't liberal and you'll never find anything Right on the Left)
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