The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-06-23
Necessity for I'M
proved Banking
and Cure ncy
System m1pera-
tive, He Says
Mr.. Speaker, Mr. President, Gentle
men Of the Congress:

MT. speaker, MT. fTeSl0ent, dentle-
men Of the Congress-
1t is under the compulsion of what
seems to me a clear and imperative
duty that l have a second time this
session sought the privilege of adj
dressing you in person. l 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 a 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 per-
sonal health even, dictate an early con-
clusion of the deliberations of the SEES
sion; but there are occasions of pub
lie 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 occasion. 1t is
absolutely imperative that We should
give the business men of this country
a banking and currency system by
means of which they can make use of
the freedom of enterprise and of indi-
vidual initiative which we are about TO
bestow upon them.
Are About to Release 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. 1t has been reserved for us to
give it to them Some fell in love, in
deed, with the slothful security of
their dependence upon the Govern
ment; some took advantage of the
shelter of the nursery to set up
mimic mastery of their own within its
walls Now both the tonic and the dis
cipline of liberty and maturity are to
ensue. There will be some readjust-
ments of purpose and point of view.
There will follow a period Of expan-
sion and new enterprise, freshly con-
ceived. 1t is for us to determine now
whether it shall be rapid and facile
and of easy accomplishment. This it
can not be unless the resourceful bust
ness men who are to deal with the
new circumstances are to have at
hand and ready for use the instrument
talities and conveniences of free enter
prise which Independent men need
when acting on their own initiative.
Must Improve Credit.
1t is not enough to strike the shack
les from business. The duty Of states
manship is not negative merely. 1t is
constructive also. We must show that
we understand what business needs
and that we know how to supply it, No
man, however casual and superficial
his observation of the conditions now
prevailing in the country, can fail to
see that one of the chief things bust
ness needs now, and will need increas-
ingly as it gains in scope and vigor in
the years Immediately ahead of us, is
the proper means by which readily to
vitalize it's credit, corporate and ind1-
vidual, and it's Originative grains
What will it profit us to be free if We
are not to have the best and most &C
cessible instrumentalities Of commerce