Woodrow Wilson
[Trenton, NJ], October 21, 1912
Woodrow Wilson Election-Cusp TLS Re: Cotton Tariff Plus Bonus Inauguration Invitation
TLS

Two items related to 28th U.S. President Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) dating from the cusp of his presidential election and inauguration, including a typed letter signed by him as "Woodrow Wilson" from October 21, 1912; and an invitation to his first inauguration on March 4, 1913.

The lot is comprised of:

1. A 1p typed letter signed by Woodrow Wilson in his role of Governor of New Jersey as "Woodrow Wilson" near the bottom. October 21, 1912. [Trenton, New Jersey.] On watermarked custom stationery embossed "Woodrow Wilson / 38 W. State St., Trenton, N.J." at the letterhead. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, else near fine. 8.125" x 9.75."

Governor Wilson wrote this letter to U.S. Senator from New York James A. O'Gorman (1860-1943) regarding his chances of winning the upcoming presidential election, and the ongoing debate concerning repealing the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act of 1909, in part:

"Moving about as I have been, I have been prevented from answering your letter of October 15th referring to Mr. Nathan Hirsch. I have not made any announcement with regard to the possibility of an extra session, simply because I have refrained from saying anything that would take for granted my election, and also because I do not feel that such a matter ought to be determined by me alone. I feel quite sure what the advice of the most influential leaders of the party would be, but nevertheless I ought to hear that advice before making an announcement. So far as I can gather, I do not think there is any serious fear that the party will undertake, and undertake hastily, any radical line of action?"

Wilson was in a nerve-wracking position in late October, just two weeks before the November 5, 1912 presidential election. Wilson was still Governor of New Jersey, as he would remain until March 1913, and he didn't want to give the impression of arrogantly assuming that he would win the White House. Nevertheless, Wilson was poised as the front-running Democratic Party presidential candidate. He had been nominated during Democratic Party presidential primaries that Spring, and had accepted the Democratic National Convention presidential nomination in July 1912. Wilson would handily win the 1912 presidential election against Bull Moose candidate and former president Teddy Roosevelt, and Republican candidate and former president William H. Taft.

In anticipation of Wilson's presidential election win, many of his fellow Democrats were extremely interested in knowing about his plans regarding repealing the Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act of 1909. This piece of legacy legislation from the Republican Taft administration had succeeded in raising and lowering tariffs on certain imported goods, and was viewed by the Democrats as inimical to free trade and especially hard on the average consumer. U.S. Congressman from Alabama and Democrat Oscar W. Underwood (1862-1929) had been elected as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in January 1911, and he vowed to review--schedule by schedule if necessary--the tariff law and change it or repeal it accordingly. One of the tariffs causing particular concern was the cotton tax; indeed, this was a sticking point. Proposed reforms went through several iterations including the Clarke Cotton Tax Amendment and the Smith-Lever Substitute, and continued to be debated well into September 1913.

Nathan Hirsch was a Manhattan cotton manufacturer from the firm Joseph Hirsch & Sons, and he was also a member of the Democratic State Committee of New York as well as a Presidential Elector of New York. O'Gorman's October 15, 1912 letter to Wilson probably discussed what Nathan Hirsch later said to Wilson in person a month later, in November 1912, when the two met at Wilson's offices at the State House in Trenton. Hirsch promoted the interests of Cotton Business, arguing that no impulsive decisions should be made without being informed about the cotton industry. "The Protectionist," a monthly economic magazine, reported that: "Governor Wilson promised [Hirsch] that nothing 'radical' would done to cotton goods," employing the same word Wilson also used in his October 21, 1912 letter to O'Gorman: "radical." ("The Protectionist," Vol. XXIV (May 1912 - April 1913), p. 550.)

2. A 3pp printed invitation to attend the March 4, 1913 Inauguration of Woodrow Wilson as President and Thomas R. Marshall as Vice President. The invitation includes two fine portrait engravings of Wilson and Marshall, complete with their original tissue guards. The front cover is slightly toned and shows some chipping to the top edge, else near fine. 6.375" x 9.875."

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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letter: 8.125" x 9.75"