The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-06-26
WILSON APPEALS
TO CONGRESS- FOR
CURRENCY LEGISLATION

of the Congress-;
I. is under the .compulsion of what
seems to me a clear and imperative
duty that 1 have a second time this
session sought the privilege Of address
ing you in person. know, OF course,
that the heated season of the year is
upon us, that work in these chambers
and in the committee rooms is likely
TO become q burden as the season
llengthens, and that every consideration
Iof personal convenience and personal
Icomfort, perhaps, in the cases Of some
OF us, consideration of personal health
leyen. dictate an early conclusion of the
deliberations of the session; but there
are occasions Of public duty when those
Ikhinqs which touch us privately seem
very small; when the work TO be done
he so PRESSING and 50 frauaht with big
l~consequsncs chat we know that we are
not at liberty to weigh against u n
point OF personal sacrifice. We are now
in the presence of an occasion. IL
lis absolutely imperative that we should
give the business men of this country
a banking and currency system by
means of which they can make use of
the freedom of enterprise and of in
Idividual initiative which we are about
to bestow upon them. -
H". WYNN -hNe w " W .
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
ltrammeIs of the protective tariff. Ever
since the civil war they have waited
for this emancipation and for the free
opportunities it will bring with 1t. It
has been reserved for us to give 1t to
them. Some fell in love, indeed, with
the slothfui security Of their depend
ence upon The government; some took
advantage Of the shelter Of the rarsery
TO set " a mimic mastery OF their
within it's walls. Now both the tonic
and the discipline OF liberty and matur-
ity are to ensue. There will be some
establishments of purpose and point Of
view. There win follow a period of ex-
pansion and new enterprise. freshly
conceived. 1t Is for US to determine
now whether 1t shall be rapid and facile
and of easy accomplishment. This It
can not be unless the resourceful bust
ness men who are to deal with the new
| circumstances are TO have at hand and
ready for use the instrumentalities and
c~onVeniences of free enterprise which
Independent men need when acting on
their own initiative.
Duty of Craftsmanship. #
1t is o enough to strike the shackles
from business. The duty of statesman
ship Is not negative merely. 1t is con-
struCtive also. We must show that we
understand what business needs and
that we know how to supply 1t. No
man, however casual and superficial
| his observation OF the conditions now
prevailing in the country, can fail to
see that one OF the chief things bust
| ness needs now, and Will need increas-
ingiy as 1t gains in scope and vigor in
the Years immediately ahead of us. is
the proper means by which readily to
vitalize it's credit, corporate and indi-
vidual, and it's originatiVe brains. What
will it profit us to be free If we are not
to have the best and most accessible
Observation-Disclosures of m and en-
terprise? What will it profit us to be
quit of one kind of monopoly IL we are
to remain in the grip of 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 bot TO, aid and to protect
1t? What shall we say If we make
fresh enterprise necessary and also
make it very difficult ny leaving all
else except the tariff just as we found
IT? The tyrannies of business biq and
little, lie within the field of credit.
We}know that. 3hall We not act upon
the knowledge? Do you not know how
to act upon it? If a man can not make
his assets available at pleasure, his as
sets of capacity and character and re-
source. what satisfaction is 1t to him
to sec OppoTtunity 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 pos
session? 1t Is perfectly clear that 1t is
our duty to supply the new banking
D currency system the country needs,
and that it will Immediately need it
more han ever. u
Only One Answer.
The only question is When shall we
supply it-now, or later, after the de-
mands shall have become reproaches
that we We're so u j and so slow? Shall
we hasten to change the tariff laws
and then be laggards about making it
possible and easy for the country to
take advantage of the changer, There
can be only one answer to hat ques-
ton. We must act now, at whatever
sacrifice to ourselves. 1t Is a duty
which the circumstances forbid us to
postpone. | should be recreant to my
deepest convictions Of public obligation
did I not press it upon you with solemn
and urgent insistenee.
The principles upon which we should
act are also clear. The country has
sought and seen it's path in this mat
ter within the last few years-sees Z
more clearly now han 1t ever saw IL
DtLOIC-A.uNIl III ClCdIly IMAM WnGn
the last Legislative proposals on the
subject were made. We must have a
currency, not rigid as now. but readily
elaSticalty responsive to sound credit.
the expanding and contracting credits
OF everyday transactions, rRe normal
ebb and Sow OF personal and corporate
dealings. Our banking laws must mob
iliZe reserves; must not permit the con-
centration anywhere in a few hands Of
the monetary resources of tho country
or their use for speculative purposes
in such volume as to hinder or impede
or stand in the way Of other more leai-
tinate. more fruitful uses. And the
control of the system of banking and
Of issue which our new avs are to set
Up must be p&blio, not private. must be
vested in the government itself, so that
the banks may be the Instruments, not
the masters, Of business and of indj-
Viduai enterprise and initiative.
Wants Action Now.
The committees of the congress to
which legislation of this character 5
referred have devoted careful and dis
passionate study to the means OF ac-
complishing these objects. They have
honored me by consulting me. They
are ready to suggest action. have
come to you, as the head Of the govern
ment and the responsible leader of the
InrtY in power, to urge action now,
while there is time to serve the country
deiiberateiy and as we should, in a
clear air Of common counsel. ! appeal
TO o wlth a Geep conviction OF duty.
I believe that YOU share this convic-
ton. | therefore appeal to You with con-
ndpnCp- am It VOnF SERVICE withOuf