Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-09
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Washington, April S.-President
Woodrow Wilson. today brdged the
| gap that for over a century has sep
arated the pilots of public business.
the executive and legislative branches
of the government.
Not as a cog in a machine, not as
an impersonal political entity, nor rs
a mere department of the government,
but as the human President he went
TO Congress to speak about the tariff.
Standing before the Senate and
House in joint session as no other
President had done for more than H.
years, President Wilson stated simply
and tersely what he thought should
be done for the welfare of the coun-
try and asked his Legislative colleagues
man to man to aid in keeping the
pledges of their party.
With a sweep of decision that shat
tered precedent. the President brush
ed aside all imaginary boundaries be-
tween Congress and the Executive of
iicer and secured himself as he eX
pressed, from that isolated island of
jealous authority" which the Presi-
dency had come to be regarded.
Congress, somewhat startled, the
other day, when II heard that the Pres
ident had determined to deliver his
message Of the tariff by word OF
mouth. had prepared for ceremony
of unusual importance, and such i
was; yet when President Wilson ar
rived in the midst of the great as
semblage. riding through throngs or
cheering people in the streets and lat
er looking up into galleries crowded
with privileged ticket holders, he
seemed after all what he said he was.
A human being trying to operate
with other human beings in common
service"
When the much heralded incident
was over Congress seemed pleased and
the President was delighted. He eX-
pressed himself to friends as impress
ed with the dignity of the occasion,
ind some of his confidents later de-
CARED that he left the Capitol greatly
relieved TO think that, after all, his
precedent smashing had not been such
l eataclysmic thing as some OF ire
older heads had predicted.
The Presidents visit to the Capitol was
brief, lasting about a quarter of an hour
Leaving a cabinet meeting at the White
House he started on his mission at 12.45
O'Clock. No one except a Secret Service
man accompanied him. He rode in
White House automobile and. five min
utes later, was driven through the
crowds assembled about the House wing
of the Capitol. At 125i, he reached
Speaker Clark's room. just off the House
chamber, where JOINT committee OF
senators and representatives welcomed
him They were Senators Kern, Bacon
and Gallinger and Reps. Underwood,
Palmer and Mann. The President spoke
to each for a moment and was Informed
that the Senate and House awaited him.
He said he was ready and the commit
tee Immediately started for the door of
the Senate chambre.
At two minutes before / O'Clock, the
President entered the chamber. Mem
bers of the House and Senate rose as
Speaker Clark brought down the gavel.
From the floor and galleries distin-
guished guests looked on at the scene.
Ambassadors from many lands were in
the audience. members of the cabinet
were there and all the people who pos
sibly could get in were present to wit
ness the proceeding.
President Wilson, escorted by Senator
Bacon, bowed acknowledgements to the
applause and mounted the Speaker {
| stand to the journal clerks desk, directly
in front of the Speaker. With smile,
as he began to speak, the President told
his hearers why he had come. He said
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