1856-1924 The 28th president of the U. S. serving from 1913 to 1921. He was best known for his policies designed to keep the economy stable and control the size and activities of businessess. He led the country through WW I and attempted to shape the peace through the fourteen points.

“well,” he says, “there’s excuse for picks and letting-on, in a case like this; if it warn’t so, i wouldn’t approve of it, nor i wouldn’t stand by and see the rules broke—because right is right, and wrong is wrong, and a body ain’t got no business doing wrong when he ain’t ignorant and knows better. it might answer for you to dig jim out with a pick, without any letting-on, because you don’t know no better; but it wouldn’t for me, because i do know better.” the meaning in this excerpt is