The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-06-28

Washington, d. C.-FOr IL second
time since his inauguration President
Wilson appeared before a joint ses-
sion of the two houses of congress.
His message on a banking AMI cur
rency reform system was delivered in
a clear, deliberate and distinct voice.
He said:
Mr.. Speaker, Mr.. President, Gentle
men of the Congress:
1t is under the cOmpulsion of what
seems TO me a clear and imperative
duty that | have a second time this
session sought the privilege of ad-
dressing you in person. | know, of
course, that the heated season of the
year is upon US, that work in these
chambers and in the committee rooms
is likely to become burden as the
season lengthens, and that every con-
sideration of personal convenience
and personal comfort, perhaps, in the
cases of some of us. considerations of
personal health even, dictate an early
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 conse-
quence that we know that We are not
at liberty TO weigh against it any
point of personal sacrifice. We are
now in the presence of such an occa-
sion. 1t is absolutely imperative 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 it will bring
with it, II has been reserved for us
| to give it to them. Some fell in love,
indeed. with the slothful security of
| their dependence upon the govern
ment; some took advantage of the
| shelter of the nursery to set up a
mimic mastery of their own within
it's walls. Now both the tonic and
| the discipline of liberty and maturity
| are to ensue. There will be some
readjustmeGts OF purpose and point of
view. There will follow a period of
expansion and new enterprise, fresh
ly conceived. 1t is for us to deter
mine now whether it shall be rapid
and facile and Of easy accomplish
| ment. This ii can not be unless the
| resourceful business men who are to
deal with the new circumstances are
to have at hand and ready for use the
instrumentalities and conveniences OF
free enterprise which independent
men need when acting on their own
initiative.
It Is not enough to strike the
shackles from business. The duty OF
craftsmanship is not negative merely
It is constructive also. We must show
that We understand what business
needs and that we know how to sup
ply it. No man, however casual ant
superficial his observation of the con
ditions now prevailing in the country
can fail to see that one of the chic
things business needs now, and will
need increasingly as it gains in scope
and vigor in the years Immediately
ahead of us, is the proper means by
which readily to vitalize its credit
corporate and individual, and its orig
NATIVE brains. What will it prof
us to be free If we are not to have
the best and most accessible instru
mentalities of commerce and enter