Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-24
leed when acting on their own initia.

tive.
1t is not enough to strike the
shaekles from business. The duty of
craftsmanship is not negative merely.
1t is constructive also. We must show
that we understand what business
needs and that we know how to sup
ply it. No man, however casual and
superficial his observation of the con
ditions now prevailing in the country,
can fail to see that one of the chief
things business needs now, and will
need increasingly as it gains in scope
and vigor in the years Immediately
ahead of us, is the proper means by
which readily to vitalize it,; relit,
corporate and individual, and it's orig
NATIVE brains. What will it profit
us to be free if we are not to have
the best and most accessible inStfu-
mentalteS of commerce and enter
prise? What will it profit us 10 be quit
of one kind of monopoly if we are
to remain in the crop oil another and
more effective kind? How are we to
gain and keep the confidence of the
business community unless we show
that we know how both 10 aid and to
protect it? What shall We say if we
make fresh enterprise necessary and
also make it very difficult by leaving
all else except the tariff just as we
found ito The tyrannleS of business.
big and little, lie within The field of
credit We know that. Shall We not
act upon the knowledge? Do we not
know how to act upon 1t? If man
can not make his assets available at
pleasure his assets of capacity and
character and resource, what salts
faction is it to him to see opportunity
reckoning to him on every hand, when
others have the keys OF credit in their
pockets and treat them as all but their
own private possession? II is perfect
" clear that it is our duty to supply
the new banking and currency system
the country needs, and that it will inn
mediately need it more than ever.
The only question Is, When shall
we supply it--now, or later, after the
demands shall have become reproaches
that we were 50 dull and so slow?
Shall we hasten to change the tariff
laws and then be laggards about max
ing it possible and easy for the coun-
try to take advantage of the change?
There can be only one answer to that
question. We must act now. at what
ever sacrifice to ourselves. 1t is
duty which the circumstances forbid
us to postpone. / should be recfeant
to my deepest convictions Of public
obligation did | not press it upon you
with solemn and urgent insi3tence.
The principles upon which We
I.,,r he
has sought and seen its path in tins
| matter within the last few years-sees
| it more clearly now than it ever saw il
before-much more clearly than when
| the last legislative proposals on the
subject We're made. We must have q
currency. not rigid as now. but readily.
eIasticaily responsive to sound credit.
| the expanding and contracting credits
of everyday transactions, the normal
ebb and flow of personal and corpor-
ate dealings our banking laws must
| mobilize reserves. must not permit
| the concentration anywhere in a few
| hands of the monetary resources of the
| country or their use for speculative
purposes in such volume as to hinder
| or impede or stand in the way of other
| more legitimate. more fruitful uses.
And the control of the system OF bank
| ing and of issue which our new laws
are to set up must be public. not prl-
vate. must be vested in the govern
ment itself, so that the banks may he
| the instruments, not the masters. of
| business and of individual enterprise
and Initiative
The committees Of the Congress to
| which legislation of this character S
referred have devoted careful and dis
passionate study to the means of ac-
| complishinS these objects. They have
honored me by consulting me. They
are ready to suggest action | have
| come to you. as the head of the gov
eminent and the responsible leader of
| the party in power. to urge action
now, while there is time to serve the
country deliberately and as we should
in a clear air of common counsel.
appeal to you with deep conviction
of duty. | believe that you share this
conviction. therefore appeal to you
with confidence. | am at your service
without reserve to play my part in
any way you may call upon me to
play it in this great enterprise of ext
gent reform which it will dignity and
distinguish us to perform and discredl'
us to neglect.