Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-04-12

den Of the People-Says II Would Be
Unwise to Move Forward Headlons
or With Reckless Haste; That BUSH
ness Must Be Encouraged, Not De-
stroyed, but That Everything That
Has a Semblanee Of Privilege Must
Be Abolished-Promises Special Mes
cage Dsalirs With Needed Banking
and Currency Laws.
WASHINGTON, ID. G., April s..
President Wilson today broke a pre-
cedent which has obtained for more
than a hundred years when he went
in person to the hall of the house Of
representatives and in person deliver
ed his message to the members OF
congress who were assembled in JOINT
session.
Every available seat in the place
was occupied and the galleries were
crowded beyond their capacity with
those who were eager TO hear the
President talk face TO face with the
nations lawmakers and tell them just
what he had in mind with reference to
the special session which he had call
ed.
Every member OF the two bodies
was present and every member of
the cabinet with the exception of Sec.
retarfes Bryan and Redheld. The
President went to the capital ceom
panied only by Secretary Tumnlty
and two secret service men. The cab
met members went separately. The
President finished reading his mes
sage Eat eight minutes after one and
returned at once to the White House.
He was at the capital less than fifteen
minutes.
The message which the President
read was one of the shortest presiden-
tial messages ever read before the
congress. President Wilson called
upon the legislators to make good the
promises Of the Democratic party and
devote the extraordinary session Of
congress, which convened yesterday,
to the revision of the tariff.
President Wilson's message was
only about 1900 words in length, and
urged the national lawmakers to
"abolish everything that bears even
the semblance of privilege or Of any
kind of artificial advantage This
revision, said the President. was nee
essary to meet the promises of the
party and the altered conditions OF
economic life which the country has
Witnessed during the past generation.
The President made it plainly ev-
ident that he wished to have the tar
III revised before the legislators took
up any of the other reforms advocated
by the Democratic party, He intima-
ted. however, that the reform banking
and currency laws might be taken up
at the special session, We're the tariff
successfully and speedily disposed of,
The Presldent's Message.
To the members of the Senate and
House of Representatives;
81 am very glad indeed to have this
opportunity to address the two hous-
es directly and verify for myself the
impression that the President of the
United States is a person, not a mere
department of government hailing
congress from an isolated island from
jealous power, sending messages,
speaking naturally and with his own
voice, That he is a human being try
ing to cooperate with other human
beings in a common service. After
this pleasant experience l shall feel
quite normal in all our dealings with
one another"
| have called the congress together
in extraordinary session because a
duty was laid nlun the party now IN
power az the recent elections which il
ought To perform promptly in order
that the burden carried by the people
under existing law MAY be llghtened
as soon ms possible and in order. also.
that the business interests of the coun-
try may not be Kept too long in sus.
pense as 10 what the fiscal changes
are to be ia which they will be requir.
ed 20 adjust themselves II is clear
10 the whole country that tile tariff
duties must be altered They must be
changed 20 meet the radical alteration
in the conditions of our economic life
which the country has Witnessed with.
In the last generation While the
whole face and method Of orr indus
trial and commercial life were being
changed beyond recognition the tariff
schedules have remained what they
were before ne chau4p lip.an or have
moved IN lhr direction they were Civ
en- when 700 iarge circumstance of our
Industrial Development WAS what il IS
today. Onr flsE is tr souaro them
with the arttml tlcts THE sooner that
IS done th' sooner we shall escape
from Snffprine from tine frrfs ond tbe