1913年3月4日，星期二
……
There has been a change of government．It began two years ago，when the House of Representatives became Democratic by a decisive majority．It has now been completed．The Senate about to assemble will also be Democratic．The offices of President and Vice－President have been put into the hands of Democrats．What does the change mean？That is the question that is uppermost in our minds today．That is the question I am going to try to answer，in order，if I may，to interpret the occasion．
政府发生了变化。这种变化开始于两年前民主党在众议院取得决定性多数席位的时候，现在已告完成。即将组成的参议院也将由民主党占据多数席位。总统和副总统的职务都已交与民主党人执掌。这种变化意味着什么呢？这是如今盘旋于我们脑海中的最主要的问题。这也是今天我要试图回答的问题，如果可以的话，我要阐明其中的原由。
It means much more than the mere success of a party．The success of a party means little except when the Nation is using that party for a large and definite purpose．No one can mistake the purpose for which the Nation now seeks to use the Democratic Party．It seeks to use it to interpret a change in its own plans and point of view．Some old things with which we had grown familiar，and which had begun to creep into the very habit of our thought and of our lives，have altered their aspect as we have latterly looked critically upon them，with fresh，awakened eyes；have dropped their disguises and shown themselves alien and sinister．Some new things，as we look frankly upon them，willing to comprehend their real character，have come to assume the aspect of things long believed in and familiar，stuff of our own convictions．We have been refreshed by a new insight into our own life．
这种变化不止意味着一个政党的胜利。一个政党的胜利是不足称道的，除非国家要利用这个政党达到一个重大而明确的目标，谁都不会误解国家现在想利用民主党所要达到的目的。它要利用民主党来阐明国家的规划和立场中的某种变化。某些陈旧的事物虽已为我们所熟悉，并已开始不知不觉地进入我们的思想习惯和生活习惯，但是，当我们后来以新的、觉醒的眼光批判地看待这些事物时，它们却面目全非，卸下了伪装，显得陌生而又邪恶。而某些新生事物，当我们实事求是地看待并愿意了解它们的实质时，便开始呈现出我们久已相信和熟悉的事物特征，即我们自己坚信不移的那些东西。我们以一种新的眼光来洞察自己的生活，从而我们的精神也为之一振。
We see that in many things that life is very great．It is incomparably great in its material aspects，in its body of wealth，in the diversity and sweep of its energy，in the industries which have been conceived and built up by the genius of individual men and the limitless enterprise of groups of men．It is great，also，very great，in its moral force．Nowhere else in the world have noble men and women exhibited in more striking forms the beauty and the energy of sympathy and helpfulness and counsel in their efforts to rectify wrong，alleviate suffering，and set the weak in the way of strength and hope．We have built up，moreover，a great system of government，which has stood through a long age as in many respects a model for those who seek to set liberty upon foundations that will endure against fortuitous change，against storm and accident．Our life contains every great thing，and contains it in rich abundance．
从许多方面来看，生活是非常伟大的。它在物质方面，在财富数量方面，在能量的多样性和威力方面，在以个人天赋和群体的无限创造力所构想、建立起来的工业方面，都是无比伟大的，它在道德力量方面是伟大的，而且同样是极其伟大的。世界上再没有什么地方有这样高尚的男女能如此出色地表现出同情、互助、协商的美妙境界和巨大能量。他们努力补偏救弊、弥患纾难，扶助弱者以增加力量和希望。不仅如此，我们还建立起了一个伟大的政治体制，这个政治体制在很长一段时期中经受了考验，在很多方面成为那些试图把自由建立在经得起偶然变故、狂风暴雨和意外事件的基础上的人们的楷模。我们的生活拥有一切伟大事物，丰富而充足。
But the evil has come with the good，and much fine gold has been corroded．With riches has come inexcusable waste．We have squandered a great part of what we might have used，and have not stopped to conserve the exceeding bounty of nature，without which our genius for enterprise would have been worthless and impotent，scorning to be careful，shamefully prodigal as well as admirably efficient．