The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-12-27

aileIlcan INDUSTRY winch are certain
to follow. Then there came upon the
heels OF it this bill, which furnishes
the machinery for free and elastic
and uncontrolled credits, put at the
disposal\of the merchants and manu-
facturers \of this country for the first
time in so years.
Il was refreshing my memory or
the passage of the national bank act,
which came in two pieces, as you
KNOWN February i'm 1868 and in
June of 1864. 1t is just so years ago
since that measure suitable for that
time was passed, and il has taken us
more than q generation ana q half to
come to an understanding as 20 the
readjustments which were necessary
for our own time. But we have reach
ed those readjustments. /, myself,
have always felt when the Demo-
cratic party was characterized as not
knowing how to serve the business in
terests of the country, that there was
no use OF replying to that in words
The only satisfactory reply was in ac-
ton. We have written the first chap
ter OF that reply.
1--WE are greatly favored by the cir
cumstances of our time. We come at
the end of a day OF contests, at the
nf
scrutinizing the processes of our buai-
ness, scrutinizing them with critical
and sometimes with hostile eye. We
have slowly. been coming to this .me
agxtA5s ~ Dpilss hrnissAs s<hAn.
there is a common, recognition CT The
things that il is desirable should be
done. What are proceeding TO do
done. What we ere proceeding 20 do
now is TO organize SO as to make our
prosperity not stable but free to have
an uninpeded momentum. We have
come to the beginning Of the day
when nothing can be done for the
country that is not done for the good
of all. Business men of all sorts are
showing their willingness to come into
this arrangement which | venture TO
characterize as the constitution OF
peace. SO that by common consent
and by the accum ulating force OF CO.
operation we are going to seek more
and more to serve the country.
Il have been surprised at the sud
den acceptance OF this measure by
public opinion everywhere. l say sur
prised because ii seems as if it had
suddenly become obvious to men who
had looked at it with too critical an
eye that it was really meant in their
interest. They have opened their eyes
TO sec u thing which they had sup
posed To be hostile. to find it to be
friendly and crviccable-eXactly what
we intended 1T to be and what we shall
intend all our Legislation to be. The
men who have fought for this measure
have fought nobody. They have sim
ply fought Tor those accommodations
WiAi' ~ CIV SOiHS w SttuIt US Ill DIOS-
pcrity and i'm peace.
II can not say with what deep emo
tions of gratitude I feel that have
had "a psrt i'm complctin- IL work which
| think will he of lasting benefit to the
business of the country"
The scene at the signing Of the
measure was not unlike that attend
INK tho completion of the tariff law
The conference rcrort which had
passed the house last night was
adopted by the senate this afternoon
hy a vote of 43 to %. Republicans
again voting with the Democrats. The
cugrosscd bill with the signatures Of
the vice president and the speaker OF
the house. was taken to the White
House shortly before o'clock.
BY o'clock, the time set for the
ceremony. Speaker Clark, Representa-
tive Underwood. Senator owen and
Representative Glass. Secretaries Nc
Adoo. Garrison, Daniels, Lane and
Wilson. and Postmaster General Bur
Lesson were grouped around the prcsi-
dents dcsl; and i'm front of him had
crowded members of congress. gov
rrumcpt officials and others.
There was an atmosphere Of joy
"usn"sa rather than solcmuity appar-
eat. Tho president inquired IL Scno-
tor James had come. The husky form
of the kentuckian appeared from be
NINA the crowd and somebody re-
marked
"A majority uf the senate has now
arrived"