The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-12-11
THE MESSAGE OF A STATES
MAN,

President Wilson's first annua
message to congress is remarkable
alike for it's broad craftsmanship
and lofty pa triotism, and for it's brew
ity and abiding good nature. Tai
flabbness and Roosevelt ranting are
alike absent.
The president thanks congress fol
good work already done, even while
setting it new tasks; he expresses his
pleasure at being associated with a
body of men devoted to the interests
of their country; and he manages to
pack his unhurried courtesy and a
broad review of the "State of the
union into less than 1000 words.
To those who remember the Niagaras
of language that used to descend on
congress at the beginning of every
session, this last fact must seem the
most amazing of all.
With all his courtesy and good
humor, President Wilson makes no
cheap play for popularity. Indeed,
he leans backward rather than seem
to bid for applause. When speaking
of the imperative need Of legislation
to improve farm credits, he is care
full to state that American farmers
do not desire and must not receive
any special privilege. Truly, times
have changed since the days when
special privilege was accepted as the
natural order of things and when the
only question at issue was to distri-
butte government favors in such wise
as to buy more support for the ad-
ministration.
AS forecast by the Journal Presi-
dent Wilson insists on the steady
considera ton and early passage of
the currency bill, and holds that the
regulation or suppression of trusts is
the supreme task of his administra
ton and of the present session of
congress. He says:
81 think all thoughtful observers
will agree that the immediate service
we owe the business communities of
the country is to prevent private
monopoly more effectually than it has
yet been prevented"
The means by which this result is
to be secured will be discussed in a
special message, but the president
pauses long enough to make one fact
clear. He wants the Sherman anti
trust law to stand. Further trust
legislation must supplement and clar-
peal it, This is in sharp contrast to
the Roosevelt plan of pulling the
teeth of the Sherman law and leav-
ing an all-powerful executive to
classify and deal with good and
bad" trusts at his pleasure.
Perhaps the part of the message
which gave President Wilson most
pleasure in the writing is that which
10
points out that the nation is not only
at peace, but is leading in the move
ment to make peace the normal and
stable condition of the world. Thir-
ty-one countries, comprising four
fifths of the population Of the earth,
have given their assent in principle
to the plan to complete investigation
and publication of all facts relating
to controversy before resort to
arms. This by no means banishes
the possibility of war, even among
nations thus agreeing; but it is a
step in the right direction.
President Wilson deals with the
Mexican situation in language which
must give small comfort to would-be
ment by concessions.
McAlCO Ids SOFcl liz
attempt to maintain one at the City
of Mexico has broken down, and a
mere military despotism has been set
up which has hardly more than the
semblance of national authority. 1t
originated in the usurpation Of Vic
toriano Huerta, who, after brief at
tempt to play the part of constitu-
tional president, has at last cast aside
b. ,,rrl,
declared himself dictator.
There can be no certain prospect |
of peace in American until Gen. |
Huerta has surrendered his usurped |
authority; until it is understood on |
all hands, indeed, that such pretend
ed governments will not be counte-
nanced or dealt with by the govern
ment of the United States"
Those few sentences will do more
to end the perennial revolution of
certain part of Latin America than
all the bullying of all the powers
Taken in connection with President
Wilson's Mobile speech, in which he
denounced government by concession
aires, they constitute new declara
ton of freedom and charter of order
for the whole western continent.
There is not space to do more than
glance at other distinguishing fea-
lures of the presidents message,
though the Journal will discuss some
of them at length in later editorials.
His recommendation of legislation to
improve farm credits has been MOTTO
ed.
He calls for the enactment of a
national presidential primary law,
and wishes to change radically the
makeup of national conventions. He
points out that conservation must
provide for the use of natural re-
sources, not for the mere locking up
of the same. He wants a govern
ment railroad in Alaska, better sup
port for the bureau of mines, rail-
way employers liability law and he
pledges the nation to advance toward
complete independence of the Philip
pines by cautious but unfaltering
steps.
1t is the message of statesman
and a scholar, of patriot who is big
enough and wise enough to seek no
unfair advantages for his country,