The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-06-23
The Presidents Message.

inc FrG6loeFTS message
The presidents message was again
remarkable for it's brevity. He said:
Mr.. Speaker, Mr.. President, Gentlemen
Of the Congress-:
| 1t is under the compulsion of what
seems to me clear and imperative
duty that I have a second time this
session sought the. privilege Of ad-
! dressing you in person. I 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 a burden as the
season lengthens, and that every con-
isideration of personal convenience and
personal comfort, perhaps, in the cases
of some Of us, considerations of per-
sonaI 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-
quence that we know that we are not
| at liberty to weigh against 1t any
point of personal sacrifice. We are
now In the presence of such an occas-
ion. 1t is 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 enter
prise and of individual initiative which
we are about to bestow upon them.
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 trammelg Of the protective tariff.
Ever since the civil war they have
waited for this emancipation and for
the free opportunities 1T 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
shelter of the nursery to set UP a
mimic mastery Of their own within
its walls. Now both the tonic and the
discipline Of liberty and maturity are
to ensue. There will be some read
justments Of purpose and point OF
view. There will follow period OF
expansion and new enterprise freshly
conceived. 1t is for us to determine
now whether 1t shall be rapid and
faciie and of easy accomplishment.
This 1t cannot be unless the resource
full business men who are to deal with
the new circumstances are to have at
hand and ready for use the instru-
mentalities and conveninces Of free
enterprise which independent men
sAASAA eA,~A1AAE1 SWAi AAAi-
tiative.
1t Is not enough to strike the
shackles from business. The duty of
statesmanship lis not negative merely.
1T is constructive also. We must
show that we understand what busi-
ness needs and that we know how to
supply Ii. No man, however casual
and superficial his observation of the
conditions now prevailing in the coun-
try, can fail to see that one Of the
chief things business needs now, and
will need increasingly as it gains In
scope and vigor in the years inamedi- I
ately ahead OF us, is the proper means
by which readily to vitalize its credit,
corporate and Individual, and its or
iginative brains. What will it profit
Is to be free il we are not to have the
best and most ACCESSIBLE Instrumental
ties OF commerce and enterprisea r
What will it profit us to be quit Of one
kind of monopoly III w we are to remain
In the grip OF another and more eft
fective kind z How are we to gain and
keep the confidence OF the business