The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1913-12-05
PRESIDENT WILSON
READS HIS MESSAGE
Touches on Mexican Situa-
ton Urges Action on the
of InSular Possessions
AGRICULTURAL NEEDS
Advocates Nationwide Pri-
maries and independence
of the Territories
AGRICULTURAL NEEDS

WASHINGTON, Dec. president
Wilson today read his first regular
message to Congress. 1t was as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
In pursuance of my constitutional
duty to give to the Congress informa-
ton es-the state of the Union,'' I take
the liberty of addressing you on sew
eral matters which ought, as it seems
to me, particularly to engage the at
tention of your honorable bodies, as of
all who study the welfare and pro-
gress of the nation.
] shall ask your indulgence if / ven
ture to depart in some degree from
the usual custom of setting before you
in formal review the many matters
which have engaged the attention and
called for the action of the govern
ment, or which look to them for early
treatment in the future, because the
list is long, very long, and would suf-
fer in he abbreviation to which /
should have to subject it. | shall sub
NIT to you the reports of the heads
Of the several departments, in which
these subjects are set forth in careful
detail, and beg that they may receive
the thoughtful attention of your COM
mittees and of all members of the
Congress who may have the leisure to
study them. Their obvious import
ance, as constituting the very sub
stance of the business of the govern
ment, makes comment and emphasis
on my part unnecessary.
49, Country at Peace.
The country, am thankful to say,
is at peace with all the world, and
many happy manifestations multiply
about us of a growing cordiality and
sense of community of interest among
the nations, foreshadowing an age of
settled peace and good will.More and
more readily each decade do the ma
tons manifest their willingness to
bind themselves by solemn treaty to
the processes of peace, the processes
Of franknes and fair consideration.
So far, the United States has stood
at the front of such negotiations. She
will, Il earnestly hope and confidently
believe, give fresh proof of her sim
cere adherence to the cause of inter
national friendship by ratifying the
several treaties of arbitration await
ing renewal by the Senate. In addi-
ton 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
fOur-ffths of the population of the
world, to the negotiations of treaties
by which it shall be agreed that when
ever differences of interest or of pol
icy arise which cannot be resolved by
that ordinary processes of diplomacy
they shall be publicly analysed, dis
cussed and reported upon by a tri-
bunal chosen by the parties before
either nation determines 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 o govern both the
establishment of new treaty obliga-
tion and the Interpretation of those
already assumed.
Only One Cloud.
There is but one cloud upon our hor-
lion. That has shown itself to the
south of us, and hangs over Mexico
There can be no certain prospect of
peace in America until Gen., Huerta
has surrendered his usurped authori
ty in Mexico; until it is understood on
all hands, indeed, thai such pretended
governments will not be countenanced
or dealt with by the government OF
the United States. We are the friends
of constitutional government in Amer
lea; we are more than its friends
we are its champions; because in nc
other way can our neighbors, to whom
we would wish in every way to make
proof of our friendship, work ou
their own development in peace ant
liberty. Mexico has no government
The attempt to maintain one at tn,
City of Mexico has broken down, ant
a mere military despotism has beer
set up which has hardly more thar
the semblance of national authority
IL originated in the usurpation of Vic
toriana Huerta, who, after a brief al
tempt to play the part of constitu
fional President, has at last cast aside
even the pretense of legal right an,
declared himself dictator
Mexican Conditions.
AS consequence, a condition o
affairs now exists i'm Mexico which ha
made it doubtful whether even tn
most elementary and Fundamental
rights either of her own people or O
the citizens of other countries res
dent within her territory can lon
be successfully safeguarded, an
which threatens, il long continued, t
fmperil the interests of pece. orde
and tolerable life in the lands immt
diately to the south of us. Even
rfhe usurper had succeeded in his pul
poses, in despite of the constitution
of the republic and the rights of it
people, he would have set up nothin
hut a precarious and hateful power
which could have lasted but littl
while. and whose eventual downfa
would have left the country in NOR
deplorable condition than ever. Blu
he has not succeeded. He has f0l