The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-05-23
PRESIDENT CONSULTS NOTED EX-
PERT REGARDING REFORM
lNTHE CURRENCY.
GIVES SUBJECT CLOSE STUDY
Financial Reform Will Be Made a
Party Measure and Put Through
Much as the Chief Executive
Wants 1t.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

the country on the subject or currency
reform. He has learned that most OF
the leaders Of the Democracy in con-
gress have come pretty close to an
agreement as to the principles which
should govern In trying to solve salts
factorily the currency reform problem.
In his message to congress on the
subject it will be found that the pres
ident has definite ideas Of his own
on the financial subject, and that these
thoughts of his will be nodded with
those of the party leaders and the
finance experts into what Mr.. Wilson
thinks will be proper measure to
meet the requirements Of the national
occasion.
1t seems to be taken for granted in
Washington that the currency bill will
cause more debate even than the tar
If bill, for past experience has shown
that indicating with anything concern
ing finances there are about as many
views as there are men in both houses
of congress- Currency, however, will
be made a party measure and 1t will
be put through the house under rule
limiting debate, while over in the
senate it must, like other bills, run
the gauntlet of long discussion.
President Studies Hard.
1t has taken the president some
time to get into compact form his
views on the currency problem. He
underwent a course of study on the
tariff to reinforce the knowledge he
had accumulated on the subject
through his lifetime Of study. The
tariff study no sooner through than
he took up the currency, and side by
side with the currency he began study
ing the Panama canal tolls question,
with view to determining if his first
thought on the matter that our coast
wise vessels should be admitted to the
canal toll free, possibly might not be
erroneous.
With the study of these two sub
jects he had to dig into the California
Japanese controversy, and it took all
of his time, and perhaps some OF his
strength, to arrive at conclusions.
Washington people say that burning
the midnight oil" when he was a
boy for the purpose Of acquiring
knowledge has fortified Mr.. Wilson to
continue to burn the oil now that he
is president.
Not long ago on the free tolls ques-
ton the president said some things
which made it appear he held the view
that this country owed duty to its
treaty obligations, or supposed obliga-
tons. Instantly it was taken for
granted that he agreed with Elihu
Root and some other men not Of his
own party on the subject. A change
of mind may come to him. for he has
admitted that In this international at.
fair, which may bring minor troubles
in its wake, he has tried to keep an
open mind until the last argument on
each side has been advanced and un-
til he has been given time to think on
the subject deeply.
From everything that Mr.. Wilson
says in his rather intimate talks with
Washington newspaper men, one thing
stands out prominently. He has been
at 1t" in hard study of pretty nearly
everything which has come before
his administration for action. His
friends say that he knows when he
has studied enough and that he also
knows when worthy argument, pre-
and con, have been ended. The par
ticularly sharp" thing about this
study and argumenthearing habit Of
Mr.. Wilson is sharp" seemingly tt
senators and representatives who are
after patronage.
With the offce-seekers.
In the Washington opinion, Mr. viii
son, In most of the office-seeking cases
which he already has decided, has
given decisions with comparatively lit
tie regard to the feelings of the mel
who were aligned on the side which
did not appear to him to have grea
weight for Its pleas for preference
Party men say that in some instances
the administration may have hurt 1t
self temporarily in cases like this, Blu
from what one can judge from wha
the president himself says about thes
things indirectly, there seems to b
little fear In his mind that he is &c
ing to hurt himself when he says hi
iinal word on the form which legisla
ton should take, or what should b
done In cases like that of canal toll
which occupies somewhat highe
plane than that on which mere legis
lation rests
Old Lines Are Broken.
There is not in congress today /
either house one man of any part
who does not claim that he is a PIT
gressiVe, or perhaps it were better t
say progressive without the adjectiv
"a" before it, because there is ne
Progressive party and any man
another party who would say directl
that he Is progressive might be mi
understood. In fact, when congress
men do speak of their being pr
gressive, unless they are members of
party of that name, they usual
couple their words with an explan
ton that while progressive they al
not Progressives.