US Presidency
1897

Its members are the agents of the people, and their presence at the seat of Government in the execution of the sovereignwill should not operate as an injury, but a benefit. There could be nobetter time to put the Government upon a sound financial and economic basisthan now. The people have only recently voted that this should be done, and nothing is more binding upon the agents of their will than the obligationof immediate action. It has always seemed to me that the postponement ofthe meeting of Congress until more than a year after it has been chosendeprived Congress too often of the inspiration of the popular will andthe country of the corresponding benefits. It is evident, therefore, thatto postpone action in the presence of so great a necessity would be unwiseon the part of the Executive because unjust to the interests of the people. Our action now will be freer from mere partisan consideration than if thequestion of tariff revision was postponed until the regular session ofCongress.