Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-04-10
Delivers His Tariff Message to
Congress in Person and Shat
tiers Precedent.
IS DELIGHTED WITH RESULT
Greatly Relieved, Too, That Ac.
ton Was Not Such a Cata-
clysm as Older Heads
Had Predicted.

Washington, April S.--Prcsident Wood
row Wilson to-day bridged the gap that
for over a century has separated tn,
pilots of public business, the executive
and legislative branches of the govern
ment.
Not as cog in a machine, not as an
imDersoral political entity, nor as mere
department of government, but as the hui
man President he went TO Congress to
speak about the tariff.
Standing before the Senate and House
of Representatives. in Joint session, as no
other President had done for more than
1l2 years, President Wilson stated sim
ply and tersely what he thought should
be done for the welfare Of the country
and asked his legislative colleagues, man
to man. to aid in keeping the pledges of
their party.
With sweep of decision that shattered
precedent. the President brushed aside al,
imaginary boundaries between Congress
and the executive office, and rescued
himself as he expressed it from that 'iso-
lated island of jealous authority" which
the presidency had come to be regarded
congress, somewhat startled the other
DAY when 1t heard that the President
Aad determined to deliver his message
on the tariff by word of mouth. had pre-
pared for ceremony of unusual i'm
portance, and such it was; yet when
President Wilson arrived in the midst
of the great assemblage riding through
thronSs of cheering people in the streets.
and later looking up into galleries crowd
cd with privileged ticket holders, he
seemed after all what he said he was
"a human being trying to cooperate
with other human beings in a common
service"
CONGRESS SEEMS PLEASED.
When the much-heralded incident was
over Congress seemed pleased and the
President was delighted He expressed
himself to friends as impressed with the
dignity of the occasion. and some of his
confidants later declared that he left the
capitol greatly relieved to think that,
after all. his precedent-smashing had not
been such a cataclysmc thing as some
older heads had predicted.
The Presidents visit to the capitol
was brief, lasting about n quarter of
an hour. Leaving cabinet meeting
at the White House he started on
his mission at 12:45 o'clock. No one,
except a secret service man, accom-
panied him. He rode In a White
House automobile and five minutes
later was driven through the crowds
assembled about the House wing of
the capitol At 1854 he reached
Speaker Clarks room, just off the
House chamber, where a joint com
mittee of senators and representa-
tives welcomed him. They were
Senator'S Kern, Bacon and Gallinger
ana Representatives Underwood. Pal
mer and Mann The President spoke
to each for a moment and was in
formed that the Senate and House
awaited him. He said he was ready
and the committee Immediately start
ed for the door of the House cham
Der, the President on Senator Bacons
right.
At two minutes before one o'clock
the President entered the chamber
Members Of the House and Senate rose
as Speaker Clark brought down the
distinguished guests looked on at the
scene. Ambassadors from many
lands We're in the audience. members
Of the cabinet were there. and al
the people who possibly could get il
were present to witness the proceed
ing.
BEGINS TO SPEAK WITH A SMILE,
President Wilson. escorted by Senato
Bacon bowed nowledgement to tn,
applause and mounted the speakers stanC
TO the journal clerks desk, directly II
front of the speaker With a smile, as h
began to speak, the President told hi
hearers why he had come. He said h,
was glad to verify for himself the impress
sion that the President of the Unite,
States was a person He was speaking II
an ordinary tone Of voice just as though
he were talking to a senator in his OF
| hce, The crowded chamber was hushet
after the momentary thrills OF converse
ton upon his entrance had obbed away
Every eye was fixed upon him as he spoke
and it was instantly apparent that h
had aroused the keenest interest,
As the President proceeded with hi
preliminary statement, avoring that h
was not a mere department Of govern
ment, but human, and that he had com
to speak naturally with his fellow mer
the interest was tense.
after this pleasant experience" tn
President declared, II shall feel quit
normal in all our dealings with one an
other"
AS these words fell from the President
lips the House and Senate applaudeC
Then the gallery joined in. Mrs Wilso
and the Presidents daughters and otho
relatives Joined from the executiv
gallery, Ambassador Bryce of Englan
looked on with evident interest. SO di
Ambassador Jusscrand Of France, and tn
representatives from other nation,
Where a few moments before the even
had seemed unusual almost unreal
now appeared perfectly adjusted to cor
dtions and not at all dramatic.
FINISHES IN EIGHT MINUTES.
The applause subsidlng the Presider
began to read his brief message on tn
tariff. lie spoke slowly and forcefully an
in less than eight minutes he was don'
No interruption occurred and he left III
stand Immediately while the Congress ar
plauded,
In the speakers room again Presider
Wilson chatted for a few moments wit
the members of the committee, and az
companied by Secretary Tumulty left I'll
capitol at ITO O'Clock. At 1ls half a
hour after he had left the cabinet meet
ing, he was at luncheon in the Whit
House preparing for the business Of tn
afternoon