The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1913-12-02
MEXICAN POLICY
IS UNCHANGED
President Wilson 10 COntinue
Watchful Waiting.
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS
Chief Executive Urges Immediate Cur
rency Legislation, Declares for VI
innate independence Of the Philip.
deItlon Nominees by Direct Vote Of
the People.

ksstV0 at0 wv ~
deItion Nominees by Direct Vote Of
the People.
Washington, Dec. I'm his mes.
sage, delivered at a joint session OF
the houses of congress at the begin
ming of the second session of the Six.
ty-third congress. President Wilson
urged immediate currency legislation.
devoted considerable space to the
needs of the farmers and referred to
the Mexican crisis. The Sherman
antitrust law, he said, should be
changed SO that it's exact meaning
would be clearer. The president also
urged the choice of presidential nomi-
nees by the direct vote of the people
expressed at primaries. On the Mexi.
can situation the president said, in
part:
There IA be no certain prospect OF
peace In America until General Huer.
ia has surrendered his usurped Ia
thority in Mexico. Until it is under.
stood on all hands, indeed, such pre-
tended governments will not be coun-
tenanced or dealt with by the gov.
eminent of the United States. We are
the friends of constitutional govern.
ment In America. We are more than
its friends; we are its champions. be.
ao,tcn In M nthnr vuou non i, nniuh
bors to whom we would wish In
every way to make proof of our friend.
ship work out their own development
In peace and liberty. Mexico has no
government. The attempt to maintain
one at the City of Mexico has broken
down. and a mere military despotism
has been set up which has hardly
more than the semblance of national
authority. 1t originated In the usurpa-
ton of Victoriano Huerta, who, after
a brief attempt to play the part OF
constitutional president, has at last
cast aside even the pretense of legal
right and declared himself dictator,
BY his actions Huerta has forfeited
the respect and the moral support
even of those who were at one time
willing to see him succeed. Little by
little he has been completely isolated
BY a little every day his power and
prestige are crumbling, and the col.
lapse is not far away. We shall not
l believe, be obliged to alter our po,
10y of watchful waiting. And then
when the end comes, we shall hope
to see constitutional order restored in
distressed Mexico by the concert and
energy of such of her leaders as pre-.
fer the liberty of their people to their
own ambitions"
Currency Legislation Urged.
President Wilson urges the immedi
ate passage Of currency legislation
He asserts that business interests oil
the nation are waiting on the expected
law before making large new invest
ments or developing resources. The
president also calls attention to condi
tons as they exist at present, which
make 1t very difficult for the farmer
to finance his crop. He urges In his
annual message provisions that will
safeguard the farmer, help his credit
and prevent a repetition of the neces-
sity for the government to deposit
large sums OF money In the Southern
and Western states SO as to aid the
producer. as was the case last fall.
The presidents policy toward the
Philippines is made clear. He urges
the development OF the Philippines, al
ways keeping In view ultimate indie
pendence of the islanders. While he
does not believe they are ready fol-
self government today he believes that
eventually they will be. He points
out improvements that has recently
been made by calling attention to the
fact that more natives have been ap
pointed on the Philippine commission
than was the case previously.
On the question of direct elections
the president says:
Il urge the prompt enactment Of
legislation which will provide for pri
mary elections throughout the coun
try at which the voters Of the sew
CIal pal tiCS may LAOObC JAClI uOulf
nees for the presidency without the In
tervention OF nominating conventions
! venture the suggestion that this leg
islation should provide for the reten
ton of party conventions, but only for
the purpose Of declaring and accepting
the verdict II the primaries and form
lating the platforms of the parties
and | suggest that these convention
should consist not of delegates chose
FOR this single purpose, but of tt
nominees for congress, the nominees
for vacant seats In the senate of the
United States, the senators whose
terms have not yet closed, the nation
al committees and the candidates fol
the presidency themselves, in ordel
that platforms may be framed By
those responsible to the people foI
carrying them into effect"