The Topeka state journal., 1913-10-04
The UnderwOOd-SimmOnS Tar.
iff Bill Is Now a Law.
President Affixes His Signature
With Two Gold Pens.
HE MAKES A LITTLE SPEECH
Tells His Listeners That Work
Is Only Half Done.
New Law Must Be Supplement-
ed by Currency Legislation.

Washington, Oct 4.-Surrounded
by the leaders of a united Democracy.
President Wilson signed the Under
wood-Simmons tariff bill at 900
o'clock Friday night at the White
House. simultaneously kilograms were
sent to customs collectors throughout
the country by the treasury depart
ment putting into actual operation the
first Democratic tariff revision in
many years.
happy group of legislators, mem
bers of the cabinet and friends encir-
cled the president as he smilingly sat
down and slowly affixed his signature
with two gold pens. He presented to
Representative Underwood the pen
that had written the word woodrow
and the one which had completed his
name to Senator Simmons, both of
whom bowed their appreciation.
In impressive silence, the president
delivered in an easy, natural tone an
eXtemporaneouS speech that brought
prolonged applause. The president
declared that the journey of executive
accomplishment had only been partly
completed; that a great service had
been done for the rank and file of the
country, but the second step in the
emancipation of business was cur
rency reform. He earnestly called
the Journey with fresh impulse.
The Presidents Talk.
Gentlemen. I feel very peculiar
pleasure" said the president, 'Tn
what have just done by way of TAX
ing part in the completion of a great
piece of business. 1t is pleasure
which is very hard to express in
words which are adequate to express
the feeling; because the feeling that
l have is that we have done the rank
and file of the people of this country
a great service. 1t is hard to speak
of these things without seeming to
go off into campaign eloquence, but
that is not my feeling. 1t is one very
profound a feeling of profound graf
1tude that working with the splendid
men we have carried this thing
through studious attention and doing
justice all round, I should have had
part in serving the people of this
country as 1 have been striving to
serve them ever since 1 can remem-
ber.
II have had the accomplishment of
something like this at heart ever
since 1 was a boy and 1 know men
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
And so it is a solemn moment that
brings such a business to a conclusion
and 1 hope 1 will not be thought to
be demanding too much of myself or
my colleagues when 1 say that this
great as it is, is the accomplishment
of only half the journey. We have
set this business of this country free
from these conditions which have
made monopoly not only possible, but
in a sense, easy and natural
Power to Create Monopoly.
But there is no use taking away
the conditions of monopoly if we do
ole l1o 10
ate monopoly and that is a financial.
rather than a merely commercial and
economic power.
THE power to control and guide
and direct the credits of the country
is the power to say who shall and
who shall not build up the industries
of the country, in which direction
they shall be built and in which direc-
ton they shall not be built. We are
now about to take the second trip,
ting the business of the country free.
That is what we shall do in the cur
rency bill, which the house has al
ready passed and which i have the
utmost confidence the senate Will
pass much sooner than some pessi-
ynistic individuals believe. Because
the question, now that this piece of
work is done, will arise all over the
For what do we wait! why
should we wait to crown ourselves
with consummate honor? Are we so
that we do not wish TO
complete our success!
so L feel tonight like a man VINO is
lodging happily in the Inn Whicn mes
bo1f along the tourney and that In
the morning with 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 ana
have thereby tried to serve God.
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