The sun., 1913-12-03

III VI Nut uTtSIutuV.
President WILSON'S addresses or self
delivered messages 10 Congress on tn,
state OF the Union are a relief and ,
boon to the republic. Colonel Roosr
vELT's appetite for statement and re
statement ate up thousands of miles o
goOd white paper. IT Mr.. TAFT had {
genius for condensation lie disguise,
Inc fact successfully during his tern
or office. Look back through the dis
tinguished line of the predecessors ol
Mr. TAFT aud Colonel ROOSEVELT an,
see how many Of them had the supreme
gift Of control over utterancp.
Now comes this academic person who
is generally believed and whom we our.
selves solemnly believe to he capable. II
ne thought duty required. Of atorica
protraction to an extent that would
make ROOSEVELT seem concise and TAFT
laconic. Without any ceremony or fuss
VI any kind he abolishes the old regular
annual message or Presidential Trea ii 70
on All Things. mostly unnecessary IL
mention. and substitutes therefor the
short speech to The legislators which We
have before Us this morning, somewhat
in the form of the best of the inaugural
addresses. simple. direct. intelli.ihle.
and beautiful: dressed in English that
could not be- improved
All honor. we say. 10 the Hon WOOD.
ROW WILSON for This glorious achieve.
nen: e courage ana common sense.
When W. come Ia consider the sub
stance of the Presidents address our
admiration does not cease His method
"f deferring until the appropriate ocra.
sion the specific discussion of intricate
questions and yoluminous topics is mas.
ierly. Mexico consumes hardly more
than four hundred words Mr. POLK in
his first annual message devoted he
tween three and four thousand words
10 n similar presentation. Mr.. WILSON
lays down his programme of social jus.
lice for the railway employees in six
dozen wGSds. Colonel ROOSEVELT found
1t necessary Ia use thousands ii
seventy-two thousand: Aud 50 ON
through the epoch making annual nd.
dress Of Yesterday.
Let us also accord praise 10 he Skill
with which the President compeIS sat
isfying generality to do the work of II
definite announcement Of policy when
ever his keen Intelligence decides that
the time is inopportune for communicate
ing his exact intentions. lie formu-
'ates. for example. the only possible
standard by which IL determine con-
iroversies between the United States
and other nations by proposing test
compounded of these two elements
Our own honor and our obligations To
the peace of the world" What could be
iruer? What could he more Handsomely
expressed: Onitting or postponing all
consideration of the nature of the re-
Iuirements Of our own honor and the
details Of our International obligations,
who can dispute his proposition that
"a test So compounded ought easily to
10 made to govern both the establish.
ment Of new treaty obligations and the
Interpretation Of those already as.
sumed":
Another illustration of this faculty for
satisfying without injudiciously speci-
flying: The Sherman act. the Presi-
dent says. must he preserved unaltered.
with it's debatable ground about it, but
we should 'as much as possible" reduce
the area of that debatable ground by
further legislation. This programme. II
will be perceived, covers everything
that may be done in the way of sup
antitrust agitation and en-
actment and likewise everything that
may not he done. II is as broad as the
armament and MS elastic as caoutchouc.
And without nm ounce Of inexpedient
the tremendous tonnage of the Presi.
dents decla ration that "it is of capitnl
importance that the business men OF this
country should he relieved of all un.
of law with regard To their
enterprises ana investments and n clear
path indicated which they can travel
without anxiety"
iiow beautifully put again: and how
true even though the means Of relief
nnd the topography of tho clear path to
business prosperity is left while longer
IN the laps "f The gods!
We might multiply instances of the
consummate art with which the Presi.
don't dispoScs in n few smoothly running
sentences of questions around which "A
lesser intellect AMI Il more inhrm self
assurance would have tioundprcd long
and helplcsSly. Ills plan for direct
urinary elections for tho party nomi.
nees for President he does not mention
the Vice cPrcsidcncy--is at first glance
more specific than anything else in the
address; and perhaps for that reason
It seems TO have won the first place in
..so afectlonate interest Of his lcyisla.