To Francis G. Newlands Reno, Nevada
Washington, October 28, 1912
MY DEAR SENATOR,—I am delighted at the receipt of your long letter, for I have been very anxious to know how you felt about your own State. Of course it has been a foregone conclusion for some time that Wilson would carry the United States, but I was desirous that you should carry Nevada for your own sake …
In my judgment the Interstate Trades Commission needs all of your concentrated energy for the next year. The bill should be your bill, and you should be the leading authority upon the matter.
Wilson should look to you for advice along this line of dealing with the trust problem. He will, if you have the greater body of information upon the subject. Of course Roosevelt did not know where he was going as to his Trades Commission, and he would not have had any opportunity were he elected to go any farther, … because that Commission has got to feel its way along. Wilson, you can see from his speeches, has swallowed Brandeis’ theory without knowing much about the problem, but he certainly has handled himself well during the campaign … What he does will very largely depend, I think, upon those who surround him. He must have access to sources of information outside of the formal administrative officers who make up his Cabinet. This is a very delicate way of saying that he must have a sort of “kitchen cabinet” made up of men like you and myself who will be willing to talk frankly to him, and whom he will listen to with confidence and respect. If he can get the Southerners into line with the Northern Democrats he can make over the Democratic Party and give it a long lease of life. If he cannot do this, and his party splits, Roosevelt’s party will come into possession of the country in four years, and hold it for a long time …
I am glad to see that you have been able to take so personal and direct an interest in the campaign. Faithfully yours,
Franklin K. Lane
Following the news of the Democratic victory, in the election of Woodrow Wilson to the Presidency, Lane sent these letters:—