Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-06-26
WILSON MESSAGE
ON THE CURRENCY
President Urges Congress to
Pass Bill and Change
Banking Laws.
ASKS FOR ACTION AT ONCE
Declares Tariff Revision Incom-
plete without Legislation
to Aid in Business
Adjustment.

Address of the president of the Unit
ed states, delivered at joint session
of the two houses Of congress June %,
1913
Mr. Speaker, Mr.. President, Gentle
men of the Congress-It is under the
compulsion of what seems to me n
clear and imperative duty that l have
second time this session sought the
privilege of addressing you In person.
know, OF course, that the heated sea-
son of the year IS upon u.s. that work
in these chambers and in the commit
tee rooms is likely to become burden
as the season lengthens and that every
consideration of personal convenience
and personal comfort, perhaps, in the
cases OF some of us, considerations OF
personal health even, dictate an early
| conclusion Of the deliberations of the
| session. But there are occasions of
public 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-
!
at liberty to weigh against 1t any point
| of personal sacrifice. We are now ia
the presence Of such an occasion. 1t
| is absolutely Imperative that we should
give the business men of this country
banking and currency system by
means Of which they can make use Of
the freedom of enterprise and of indi-
| vi which un 70 q
to bestow upon them.
Must Leave Tools Of Action.
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,
indeed, with the slothful security of
their dependence upon the govern
ment; some took advantage Of the shell
ter of the nursery to set up a mimic
mastery of their own within its walls.
Now both the tonic and discipline Of
liberty and maturity are to ensue
There will be some readjustments Of
purpose and point of view There will
follow a period of expansion and new
enterprise, freshly conceived 1t Is for
us to determine now whether It shall
be rapid and facile and of easy accom-
plishment. This it cannot be unless
the resourceful business men who are
to deal with the new circumstances
are to have at hand and ready for use
the Observation-Disclosures and convenlences
men need when acting on their own
initiative.
Constructive Statesma nshp.
1t is not enough to strike the shack
les from business. The duty Of states
manship is not mega tive merely. 1t is
t constructive also. We must show that
r we understand what business needs
and that we know how to supply it.
No man. however casual and super
S icial his observation of the conditions
now prevailing in the country, can fail
70 see that one of the chief things
business needs now and will need in
creasingly as it gains In scope and
vigor In the years Immediately ahead
, Of us is the proper means by which
y readily to vitalize It's credit. corporate
T. md individual, and its originative
brains.
h What will it profit us to be free if
Z we are not to have the best and most
n accessible instrumentallties Of com.
d merce and enterprise? What will il
; profit us to be quit Of one kind OF
monopoly if we are to remain in the
> grip of another and more effective
kind? How are we to gain and keeL
!. the confidence of the business com
munity unless we show that we know
how both to aid and to protect 1t?
# What shall we say IL we make frest
:, enterprises necessary and also make II
e very difficult by leaving all else except
u the tariff just as we found itf The
't tyrannies OF business, big and little
lie within the field of credit. We
know that Shall we not act upon thu
Knowledge? DO we not know how t.
act upon it? II man cannot maxi
J. his assets available at pleasure, his as
sets of capacity and character and re
source, what satisfaction is it to hin
i to see opportunity reckoning to hin
5 on every hand when others have tn
J keys of credit In their pockets ant
# treat them as all but their own pri
e vate possession? 1t Is perfectly clea
e that II IS our duty to supply the new
= banking and currency system the cour
~ try needs and that It will immediately
need II more than ever.
n Need Of Currency Changes.
The only question, When shall W
" supply it-nOw or later. after the de
~, mands shall have become reproache
10 that we were so dull and 80 slow
Shall we hasten TO change the tar
= laws and then be laggards about NAL
\ ing 1t possible and easy for the cour
n try to take advantage of the change
III There can be only one answer to tina
- question. We must act now. at wha
NJ ever sacrifice to ourselves, II Is
n duty which the circumstances forbi
~ us to postpone. ! should be recreaI
r. to my deepest convictions Of public oil
ii. legations did l not press It upon 20
with solemn and urgent insistence.
or The principles upon which we shou'
ef act are also clear The country hi
sought end seen its path In this ma