The Sentinel=record., 1913-12-03
PRESIDENT IS PROCLAIMED 4 STATESMAN BY OFFICIAL
 WASHINGTON.
DOCUMENT WAS L0GICAL ONE
President Went Before Congress in 8usinesslike Manner and in a Short Message Pointed Out What He Thought Was Best for the Nation.

Washington, Dec. 2---pTesdent Will son laid before congress today the legislative ambition of the democratic administration.
 For exactly 2S minutes the presi. dent stood before the assembled sen. ate and house in the chamber of the latter and read his first annual mes. sage.
 Applause punctuated important ut terances and when he had finished there was an enthusiastic demonstra- tion. with hand clappng and cheering.
 Briefly. the president outlined a program for social justice and the general welfare of the nation. ana proclaimed the aspirations of the United States for international am, nity and the maintainance of consti- tutional government in all America.
 With close, almost eager attention, members of the two houses listened and time and again the legislators themselves gave vent to their enthu siasm along with the crowded gal leries.
 Less than 5000 words long, the message was one of the briefest ant most novel of American state papers "a marked contrast as presented bl it's author today, to the hitherto lengthy documents averaging 20,00l words or more, droned through by reading clerk to an inattentive con gross.
 There was another contrast con spicuously apparent President Vii son had read three messages before on the tariff, the currency, and MeXi can affairs. The first time he ad dressed a joint session in person early in his term, there was an atmos phere of stiff formality, applause was liberal but perfunctory, and there was an indefinable air of precedent being broken, or a century-old custom being revived
 Also there was an expectant curi- osity as to how the president would be received. Today the president S welcome was warm, almost uproari ous, as he concluded his reading
 Later, republicans and democrats alike, pronounced the message the ut terance of d statesman,
 'I like the idea of the president coming before congress- said Rellre. sentative Mann, republican leader, "and reading a short message, pithy and to the point In the main, l liked the message today. l think every body will recognize it as the utter ance of statesman, regardless of whether he agrees with it's details"
 Of particular significance was one oubburst of applause regarded in the national capital tonight, the unmis- takable approval that greeted the presidents remark: There can be no certain prospect of peace in Amer ica until General Huerta has surren- dered his usurped authority in Mex ico."
 Among those who would discuss the message in congress there was a gen. eral endorsement of the administra' tion policy toward Mexico,
 The scene of today's function was much the same as on the three pre- vious occasions when President Will son has addressed congress-gallerles crowded with men and women of i'm. portance in public affairs, members of the cabinet. the diplomatic corps and the white house family.
 Democratic leaders were enthusi- astic in their comments on the mes sage and it's recommendations They liked the emphasis placed by the pres ident on the need for early action on the currency, for dealing with monop- oly through antitrust Legislation, the importance of rural credit legislation to benefit the farmers, the recon mendations for government construc- ton of railroads in Alaska, the devel- opment of the nations resources by a conservation policy, alike aeceptable to the states and federal authorities the enactment of employers liability legislation and the selection of presl dential candidates by the primary sys tenn
 The suggestion of tIhe president that party conventions as at present constituted be abolished won strik ing applause. As Mir Wilson declar ed that the party convention should be held only to ratify the verdict o