Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-06-27
WILSON INSISTS ON
CURRENCY REFORM IN
PRESENT CONGRESS
Measure Should Go Hand in Hand
With Tariff Reduction, Pres
ident Asserts.
URGES FEDERAL CONTROL
Executive Defies Precedent Sec
ond Time by Delivering Special
Message in Person.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 27.-De-
claring the occasion vital to the coun-
try at large and the need immediate
and insistent, President Wilson this
week for second time in his admin
istration delivered a personal message
to Congress, urging currency reform.
The president demanded immediate ac-
tion on the currency bill, which is to
be formally placed before Congress at
once. The keynote of his speech was
that the currency measure is a twin
with the tariff bill, and that the cur
rency reform is vitally necessary to
enable the business interests of the
country to adjust themselves to new
conditions arising out of the revision
of the tariff schedules.
On the senate side many Republi
cans were of the opinion that the pres
that Congress must act at once on the
currency question. They believe it sets
forth the presidents position as being
so positive on that point that he would
call another extra session Of Congress,
If necessary, to dispose Of the matter.
President Wilson's message in full
follows:
Mr.. Speaker, Mr.. President, Gentle
men of the Congress: 1t is under the
cOmpulsion of what seems to me
l,,txy hot I hoy
a second time this session sought the
privilege of addressing you in person.
l know, of course, that the heated sea-
son of the year is upon us, that work
in these chambers and in the commit
tee rooms is likely to become burden
as the season lengthens, and that ev-
cry consideration of personal convent
.ence and personal comfort, perhaps. in
the cases Of some Of us, considerations
of personal health, even, dictate an
early conclusion of the deliberations
of the session; but there are occasions
of public duty when these things which
touch us privately seem very small:
when the work to be done is so press
ing and SO fraught with big consa-
uuences that we know that we are not
at liberty to weigh against 1t any point
of personal sacrifice.
We are now in the presence of such
an occasion. 1t is absolutely impera-
tive that we should give the business
men of this country banking and
currency system by means of which
they can make use Of the freedom Of
enterprise and of individual initiative
which we are about to bestow upon
them.
We are about to set them free; we
must not leave them without the tools
of action when they are free. We are
about to set them free by removing the
trammels of the protective tariff.
Ever since the Civil war they have
waited for this emancipation and for
the free opportunities 1t will bring
with it. 1t has been reserved for us to
give It to them. Some fell in love, In
deed, with the slothful security of their
dependence upon the government;
some took advantage Of the shelter OF
the nursery to set up mimic mastery
OF their own within its walls. Now
both the tonic and the discipline of
liberty and maturity are to ensue.
There will be some re-adjustments OF
purpose and point Of view There Will
follow a period of expansion and new
enterprise, freshly conceived. 1t Is for
us to determine now whether 1t SHAH
be rapid and facile and Of easy ac-
complishment This it cannot be un-
less the resourceful business men who
are to deal with the new circumstances
are to have at hand and ready for use
the instrumentalities and convenience
of free enterprise which independent
men need when acting on their own In
itiative.
1t is not enough to strike tthe shack
les from business. The duty OF states
manship is not negative merely. II i
constructive also. We must show that
we understand what business needs
and that we know how to supply II
No man, however casual and superb
cial his observation Of the conditions
now prevailing in the country, can raj
to see that one of the chief things busl
ness needs now and will need increas
ingly as it gains in scope and vigor IT
the years Immediately ahead of us, Is
the proper means by which readily &c
vitalze it's credit. corporate and indi
vidual, and its originative brains.
What will it profit us to be free if We
are not to have the best and most ac
cessible instrumentalties of commerce
and enterprise? What will it proht III
to be quit of one kind of monopoly l
we are to remain in the grip of anoth
er and more effective kind? How arr
we to gain and keep the confidence o
The business community unless w
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