The Elk Mountain pilot., 1913-12-04

Washington, Dec. 2.-The president
today delivered the following message
to congress:
In pursuance of my constitutional
duty to give to the congress informa-
tion of the state of the Union." take
the liberty of addressing you on sew
eral matters which ought. as 1t seems
to me. particularly to engage the at
tention of your honorable bodies. as
of ali who study the welfare OF the
nation.
shall ask your Indulgence II 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 several
departments of the government or
which look to them for early treat
ment in the future. because the list
is long. very long. and would suffer
in the abbreviation to which l should
have to subject it. | shall submit to
you the reports of the heads OF the
several departments in which these
subjects are set forth In careful de-
tail, and beg that they may receive the
thoughtful attention of your commit
tees and of all members of the con-
gress who may have the leisure to
study them. Their obvious Importance
as constituting the very substance Of
the business of the government. makes
comment and emphasis on my part un-
necessary.
Country Is at Peace.
The country. l am thankful to say,
is at peace with all the world. and
many happy manifestations multiply
about us of growing cordiality and
sense of community of interest among
the nations. foreshadowing an age OF
settled peace and good will.
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 clements: Our own honor
and our obligations to the peace OF
the world. A test SO compounded
ought easily to be made to govern both
the establishment of new treaty obli.
cations and the Interpretation OF those
already assumed.
Huerta Must Let Go.
There is but one cloud upon our ho-
rizon. 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 1t is understood or
all hands, indeed. that 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 America: we are more than Its
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 govern.
ment. The attempt 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 semblance of national author
fty. 1t originated in the usurpation
of Victoriano Huerta, who. after a
brief attempt to play the part of con-
stitutional president, has at last cast
aside even the pretense of legal right
and declared himself dictator. AS
condition of affairs
now exists in Mexico which has made
it doubtful whether even the most
and fundamental rights
either of her own people or of the
citizens of other countries resident
within her territory can long be sue
cessfully safeguarded. and which
threatens, II long continued. to i'm
peril the interests OF peace, order and
tolerable life In the lands immedi-
ateiy to the south of us. Even If the
usurper had succeeded in his purposes,
in despite OF the constitution of the
republic and the rights of its people,
he would have set up nothing but
could have lasted but little while.
and whose eventful downfall would
have left the country in more de-
plorable condition than ever. But he
has not succeeded. He has forfeited
the respect and the moral support
even of those who were at one time
willing to see him succeed. Little by
little he has been completely isolated.
BY a little every day his power and
prestige are crumbling and the col
lapse is not far away. We shall not,
I believe. he obliged to alter our pol
icy of watchful waiting. And then,
when the end comes. we shall hope to
see constitutional order restored in
distressed Mexico by the concert and
energy of such of her leaders as pre-
fer the liberty Of their people to their
own ambitions.
Currency Reform.
turn to matters of domestic con-
Germ. You already have under con-
sideration a bill for the reform OF our
system OF banking and currency, for
A.. .....r,r Units with -imnati-