Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1913-06-27
WILSON MESSAGE
President Reads Address on
Currency Before Senators
and Representatives
MONETARY REFORM is URGED
Declares II is Imperative That Con-
aress Give the Business Men of
This Country a System Which
Will Mean Freedom of Enterprise.

Washington, June 23.-President
Wilson journeyed to the Capitol again
and read the following address before
the members of the Senate and
House,
Mr.. Speaker, Mr.. President Gentle
men of the Congress-
It is under the compulsion of what
seems to me clear and imperative
duty that ! have a second time this
session sought the privilege of ad-
dressing 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 a burden as the
season lengthens, and that every con-
sideration 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-
ouence that we know that we are not
at liberty to weigh against it any
point of personal sacrifice. we are
now in the presence of such an &C.
casion 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 individual initiative which we
are about to bestow upon them.
We are sJout to set them free; we
must not leave them without the tools
of action when they are free. We are
about 70 set them free by removing the
tyamn,els 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 1t to
them. Some fell in love, in deed, with
the slothful security of the depen-
dence upon the Government; some
took advantage of the shelter OF the
nursery to set up 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 re-adjustments 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 ac-
complishment. This it can not be un-
less the resourceful business men who
are to deal with the new circum-
stances are to have at hand and ready
for use the instrumentalities and con-
veniences of free enterprise which IN
dependent men need when acting on
their own initiative.
It is not enough to strike the
shackles from business The duty OF
craftsmanship is not negative merely
1t is constructive also. We must show
that we understand what business
needs and that we know how to sup
ply it. No man, however casual anc
superficial his observation of the con
ditions now prevailing in the country
can fail to see that one of the chic
things business needs now, and vii
need increasingly as it gains IN scope
and vigor in the years lmmedlatel!
ahead of us, is the proper means b.
which readily to vitalize its credit
corporate and individual, and its orig
native brains. What will it profit u
to be free if we are not to have tn
best and most accessible instrumer
talities of commerce and enterprise
What will it profit us to ne quit of on
kind of monopoly if we are to remai
in the grip of another and more el
fective kind? How are we to gain an
keep the confidence of the bushes
community unless we show that W
know how both to aio and to protec
It? What shall we say if we max
fresh enterprise necessary and ais
make it very difficult by leaving a
else except the tariff just as we foun
It? The tyrannies of business, bi
and little, lie within the field OF credl
We know that Shall we not act upo
the knowledge? Do we not know no
to act upon it? If man can not max
mis- assets available at pleasure, HI
assets of capacity and character an
resource, what satisfaction is 1t
him to see opportunity beckoning
him on every hand, when others hay
the keys of credit in their pockets an
treat them as all but their own pI
yate possession? 1t is perfectly cleo
that it is our duty to supply the ne
banking and currency system tt
country needs, and that it will immee
ately need it more than ever.
The only question is, When shall v
supply it-now, or later, after the q
mands shall have become reproach'
that we were so dull and so SLOW
Shall we hasten to change the tar
laws and then be laggards about ma
ing it possible and easy for the cou
try TO take advantage Of the chang
There can be only one answer to tn
question. We must act now, at whf
ever sacrifice to ourselves. 1t is du
which the circumstances forbid us
postpone. l should be recreant to n
deepest convictions of public oblie
+ion did 7 NOT press 1t upon you wi