The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-10-08
ONLY HALF DONE,
PRESIDENT Pr SAYS
Wilson Will Now Center Energy
on Currency Bill
TARIFF LAW NOW IN EFFECT
In Presence of Distinguished Guests
President Affxes His Signature to
Democratic Low Tariff Measure.

President Wilson signed the Demo
cratic tariff bill at $40 o'clock last
rriday night.
The blll, bearing the signatures of
Speaker Clark and Vice President
Marshall, the first Democratic tariff
measure since 1894, reached the White
House much earlier, but the president
adhered to his plan not to sign the
measure until the hour fixed for the
gathering of administration leaders to
witness the ceremony.
The speed with which congress dis
posed of the last work on the tariff
bill and sent the measure to the White
House demonstrated the anxiety Of
house and senate to get through with
the burden that had held them in con.
tinuous session since April
With the last stroke of the presi-
dents pen ending seven months of
continuous labor on the part of the
Democratic leaders and many years
of agitation, the president arose and
facing the friends whom he had in
vited to witness the ceremony, de-
livered remarkable speech. In his
speech he served notice that the DEM
ocratic party's task was only half
completed.
Here are the presidents remarks:
81 have had the accomplishment of
something like this at heart ever
since | was boy and | know men
standing around me who can say the
same thing-who have been waiting
to see the things done which it was
necessary to do in order that there
might be justice in the United States.
1--WE have set the business of this
country free from those conditions
which have made monopoly not only
possible but in sense easy and
natural. But there is no use taking
away the conditions of monopoly If we
do not take away also the power to
create monopoly; and that is
financial rather than a merely circum-
stantial and economic power.
1--WE are now about to take the sec
ond step, which will be the final step
in setting the business of this coun-
try free. That is what we shall do in
the currency bill, which the house has
passed and which | have the utmost
confidence the senate will pass much
sooner than some pessimistic indi-
viduals believe.
$50 feel like a man who is lodging
happily in the inn which lies half way
along the journey and that in the
morning with a fresh impulse we shall
go the rest of the journey and sleep
at the journeys end like men with a
quiet conscience, knowing that we
have served our fellow men and have
thereby tried to serve Cod"
The signing of the new tariff law
took place in the presidents office. At
. o'clock those whom the president
had invited passed through the door
of the office. The president wearing
a black dinner coat shook hands heart
lily with each person as he entered.
Those present included Majority
Leader Underwood, who had super
vised the drafting of the bill and man
aged the fight to put it through the
house; Senator Simmons of North
Carolina, who had performed the same
task in the senate; the members of
the cabinet and their assistants, the
ways and means committee of the
house, the finance committee of the
senate, Senator Kern, the presidents
brother, Joseph l.. Wilson of Tennes
see, and a number of especially in
vited guests.
AS the president stepped to his desk
the room became silent. He cleared
his throat, adjusted lis glasses and
pulled back his desk chair as if to sit
down. Before taking his seat he said:
81 chose this hour for this ceremony
after a consultation with the attorney
general We wanted to be certain
there would be no complications. At
this hour believe the business activi.
ties of the country have been suspend
ed, for believe it is 8 o'clock in San
Francisco"
The president said he would sign
with two pens, of which he would give
one to Senator Simmons and the other
to Representative Underwood. He
would write with his name the time
of signing.
As the president sat down he looked
Et his watch and saw it was ten min
utes after o'clock. He took one pen
and in a full, heavy hand, wrote "Ap-
proved 9:10 p. NJ, October, 1913"
and directly under this he signed
Woodrow Then he changed pens
and wrote Wilson"
The pen with which he had written
Wilson was more facile than the first.
The last name was written more heavi-
~. The second pen he handed to Mr..
Underwood with bow.
All the rates in the new bill went
into effect at midnight except those
relating to raw wool and manufactures
and sugar. Free wool will be ef-
fective Jan. 1. Reduced duties on SUI
gar will not take effect until March
/ next and will continue until May,
1916, when sugar will go on the free
list. The abolition of the Dutch
standard color test goes into force at
once.
The income tax provision of the new
Law also became effective at midnight
on Friday.