Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-24
FOR CURRENCY REFORM.

| Washington, June "a fixed de-
| termination to have currency legisla
| ton passed at this session of Congress
was accepted by the members of the
| House and Senate as President Will
sons text for the currency message
which he personally presented, today,
| to Congress, assembled in joint seS-
sion in the House chamber. Both
Democrats and Republicans saw in
the carefully worded appeal Of the
President an earnest conviction that
the monetary situation must be dealt
with before Congress adJonrns, ana
prepare tons were made 10 begin
committee work on the administration
bill which will soon be introduced in
the House by Rep. Carter Glass and
in the Senate by Senator Owen.
From the rostrum of the House
chamber the President in carefully
modulated tones that carried his
words to every corner of the chamber
read the brief message he had pre-
pared Crowded galleries, cabinet Of
ficials, senators and representatives,
Democrats and Republicans sat in
tense silence as the President with
forceful earnestness told them:
1T is plainly clear that it is our
duty to supply the new banking and
currency system the country need, and
that ii will Immediately need ii more
than ever.
1--WE must act now af>whatever sac
rifice to ourselves. 1t is n duty which
the circumstances forbid us To post
pone | should be recreant to my deep
est convictions of public obligation dit
/ not impress it upon YOU with solemn
and urgent insistenee.
The occasion was the President
second defiance of the custom of 10
years which sent Presidents messages,
long, dull documents. to be droned To
weary congressman by a noarse-yoiced
clerk, and the affair moved smoothly.
The Senate and House gathered in the
House chamber where the galleries had
already been crowded and members
chatted Willie they awaited the Presi-
dents coming The cabinet officers eX-
eept Secretary of state Bryan an Sec
letary of the Navy Daniels, who. with
their wives, occupied gallery seats, had
places on the floor of the House.
A lGaHt committee Itdu -hSJOl its
Leader Underwood and Senator Kern,
met the President and escorted him to
the clerks esk on the rostrum. Mr
Wilson apparently was less nervous
thar when he first face the big assem-
blage of legislators to deliver his tar
iff address. As he spoke the gathering
sat in attentive silence marking care
fully The points (which the President S
diction and intonation forced on then
attention.
When he had concluded there was a
burst of applause. and he bowed his
way out after shaking hands with
Vice President Marshall and Speaker
| Clark.
At both House and Senate ends of
| the capitol and among both Democrats
and Republicans, tonight, the eonVie-
| ton was deeply fixed that the Presi-
| dents solemn and earnest insistence
| on currency legislation would result
| in immediate activity in the legislatiVe
| branch Chairman Glass of the House
Banking and Currency COMMISSION
and Chairman Owen of the Senate
| committee both conferred with the
President after he delivered his ad-
dress and both prophesied for the
early introduction of currency bili
| which is now being revised IN some
minor features of phraseology. The
bill will go into both houses, this
week. The first authoritative state
ment on the Presidents message was
critical and came from Republican
Leader Mann of the House. He sale
the message was a Fine example OF
Classical English. but there Is noth-
ing more to it unless it be considered
as a threat that patronage Will Dc
withheld until banking and eurren-
cy bill is passed.
| Rep. Mann criticized the adminlstra
ton bill as Stolen from the Aldrlcf
monetary report with few radica
provisions taken from the Bryan piat
form mixed in
On the Senate side many Repupil
cans were of the opinion that tn
presidents message was a fiat deciar
/. Iation that Congress must act at one
lon the currency question. They ne
llieyed it set forth the Presidents posi-
ltion as being so set on that point ina
lhe would call another extra session Q
Congress to dispose of the matter
soon as the bill is introduced the com
lmittees will get down to work an
learly reports on both sides are ex