The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-09-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.

the future developments in Mexico
may be President Wilson. has won
the confidence of the people by his
statesman-like handling of critical
international crisis. Every step pos
sible has been taken at every stage
of the negotiations to bring about
restoration of peace in Mexico with
! out recourse to intervention on the
part of this government. President
Wilson's course has been that of the
broad, far-seeing statesman, ruled
by humanitarian impulses, who re-
allied that a belligerent attitude
| might embroil this country in war
continuing for years and costing the
| lives of thousands of Americas sons.
Had he been a sensation seeker the
opportunity was ripe when he pre-
| pared and read his message to con-
gress to assume a defiant attitude
and take steps from which the gov
eminent could not recede without
President Wilson made it plain
that he had not taken an aggressive
position to safeguard the invest
ments of Americans in Mexico or to
extend the field of commerce and en-
terprise in Mexico. 1t was the human
element that appealed to him. He
saw a neighboring country torn with
internal strife and reduced to eX-
IRENE poverty. He set about to aid
in the restoration of peace by moral
force. Yet he was firm in demand
ing that no peace plan in which this
nation played a part should include
recognition of the Huerta regime. An
administration coming into power by
treachery and assassination was not
one that he would recognize, and his
plan of settling the trouble cOntem-
plated the permanent retirement of
Huerta and the calling of elections
properly safeguarded by a general
armistice, during which period con-
stitutonal election should be held.
BY this means the Mexican people
would be given an opportunity to
end the present Huerta administra-
ton and name men of their own
choosing to put stop to the civil
strife kept alive to further Huerta's
ambitious plans. In these demands
the president has had the support of
congress, the press and the people.
The lingo has been silenced:
President Wilson has won conf
dence and respect by his candor and
sincerity and the courage he has
shown in facing his responsibilities. |
His close friends know that it is dis
tasteful to him to appear before con-
gress as he has done in reading his
three messages, instead of following |
the practice of submitting the docu-
ments in writing. But in the three |
instances where he appeared in per-
son he believed the occasions were |
such approaching crisis that he
would have considered himself fall
ing short of performing his duty II !
he had not placed every ounce of in
sistence at his command in present |
ing his arguments.
The end thus far has justified the
means. The tariff bill is making |
such progress that a vote will be
reached in the senate, according to |
present indications, in less than two
weeks, five months from the time
the president opened consideration |
of the subject by reading his tariff |
message to congress. The currency |
legislation which had not been given |
vital considerat ton until the presi-
dent appeared before congress to
urge in person the necessity Of it's
enactment, is rapidly being shaped.
The president added the weight of
his strong personality to bringing
congress to a realization of the grav-
ity of the Mexican situation just as
he did in bringing the two legislative
matters before the lawmakers.
In the caucus consideration of the
currency bill Congressman Pepper of
the second district, the Iowa demo-
cratic leader in congress, has taken
a prominent part. Congressman Pep
per has made a careful study OF the
currency question. He is busy now
in preparation of a speech which his
colleagues in congress, knowing the |
grasp he has obtained Of, the situa-
ton, expect will be one of the prin-
cipal expositions of the Importance.
of this proposed legislation.
Congressman Connolly of the
third district, himself banker and
we'll Informed in currency matters,
has been active in the caucus con-
sideration of the currency bill. He
has been especially interested in the
provisions carried by the bill which |
permit national banks to make loans !
on farm lands, which is prohibited
under the present law. He believes
that this will be of great value to
the banks of smaller agricultural |
communities and to the bank pat
rons. He has been endeavoring to |
gain an extension of the time limit |
on loans to three years, or five years,
comparing with the loan period now
in force in the state banks.
Civil war veterans from all parts !
of the country have written their
congressman asking them to support
the bill introduced by Congressman
Kirkpatrick Of the sixth district pro-
yiding for the payment of pensions
monthly instead of quarterly as at
present. Congressman Kirkpatrick
as a member of the pension commit
tee has been active in furthering the
interests of the veterans. He enjoys
the distinction of being one of the
A. o:,,:1 IN h1