Paul Cooney
AP American
Mr. DeCarlo
3 February 2007

LAD 22- First Inaugural Address of Woodrow Wilson

On Tuesday, March 4, 1913, Woodrow Wilson answered the question in many American’s minds: What does the sudden shift of the government to being controlled by the Democrats mean? Wilson believed that the shift in Democratic Party dominance would bring fresh ideas into government, such as conservation of resources. These resources include “the human cost, the cost of lives snuffed out, of energies overtaxed and broken, the fearful physical and spiritual cost to the men and women and children upon whom the dead weight and burden of it all has fallen pitilessly the years through.” He recognized that there were some extraordinary, progressive changes taking place, which should be recognized and reformed if need be. Wilson said that never before had the government studied how it can best be directed towards helping humanity, which is what he intended to do. He finished out his speech by summoning “all honest men, all patriotic, all forward-looking men,” to his side.