Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-04
WILSON PERSONALLY READS HIS
GENERAL MESSAGE TO CONGRESS

primary elections were the other feat
ures of the presidents address. For
details of the governments business
the president referred congress to the
annual reports Of his cabinet officers.
The complete message follows:
Presidents Message.
Washington, ID. Gin his message,
delivered at joint session of the
houses Of congress at the beginning Of
the second session Of the Sixty-third
congress, President Wilson urged I'M
mediate 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 its
exact meaning would be clearer. The
president also urged the choice of
presidential nominees by the direct
vote Of the people expressed at pri-
maries. The message In fun Is as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen of the Congress-fn pur-
suance Of my constitutional duty to
"give to the congress Information OF
the state of the Union" I take the lib
erty Of addressing you on several mat
tiers which ought, as it seems to me,
particularly to engage the attention OF
your honorable body, as Of all who
study the welfare and progress Of the
nation.
I shall ask your indulgence If I ven
ture to depart in some degree from the
usual custom of setting before you In
formal review the many matters which
have enga ged the attention and called
for the action Of the several depart
look to them for early treatment in
the future, because the list is long,
very long, and would suffer in the alb
breviation to which l should have to
subject it, I shall submit to you the
reports Of the heads Of several depart
ments In which these subjects are set
forth in careful details and beg that
they may receive the thoughtful atten-
ton Of your committees and OF all
members Of the congress who may
have the leisure to study them. Theft
obvious Importance. as constituting the
very substance Of the business Of the
government, makes comment and en-
phasis on my part unnecessary.
The country, Am thankful to say. is
at peace with all the world. and many
happy manifestations multiply about us
Of a growing cordialtty and sense OF
community Of interest among the ma
tons, foreshadowing an age of settled
peace and good will. More and more
readily each decade do the nations
manifest their willingness to bind them
selves by solemn treaty to the proc
esses Of peace, the processes OF frank
ness and fair concession. So far the
United States has stood at the front OF
such negotia lions. She will, earnest
" hope and confidently believe, give
fresh proof Of her sincere adherence to
the cause OF international friendship
by ratifying the several treaties Of ar
bitration awaiting renewal by the SEN
ate.
In addition to these it has been the
privilege Of the department of state to
gain the assent, in principle, Of no less
than thirty-one nations, representing
fourffths Of the population OF the
world, to the negotiation Of treaties by
which It shall be agreed that whenever
differences of interest or Of policy arise
which cannot be resolved by the ordi-
nary processes of diplomacy they shall
be publicly analysed, discussed and re-
ported upon by tribunal chosen by
the parties before either nation deter
mines its course Of action
There is only one possible standard
by which to determine controversies
between the United States and other
nations, and that is compounded Of
these two elements-our own honor
and our obligations to the peace Of the
world. A test so compounded ought
easily to be made to govern both tho
Establishment Of new treaty obfiga-
lions and the Interpretation Of those
already assumed.
There is but one cloud upon our hori.
zon. That has shown itself to the
south Of us and hangs over Mexico.
There can be no certain prospect OF
peace in America until General Huerta
has surrendered his usurped authority
In Mexico. Until it is understood ON
all hands, indeed, such pretended gov
ernments will not be countenanced or
dealt with by the government of the
United States. We are the friends of
constitutional government in America
We are more than it's friends; we are
its champions, because in no other
way can our neighbors to whom we
would wish In every way to make
proof of our friendship work out their
own development in peace and liberty.
Mexico has no government. The at
tempt 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 SEM
hlance Of national authority. 1t or1g-
mated In the usurpation of Victoriano
Huerta, who, after a brief attempt to
play the part Of constitutional presi-
dent, has at last cast aside even the
pretense Of legal right and declared