The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-12-05
NO PEACE Until
HUERTA RESIGNS
Wilson's Message Touches on
! Mexican Situation.
OUTLINES AMERICAN POLICY

FreSfueht urges speedy currency Ley
isIation, Favors Ultimate lndepend.
ence of Philippines, Choice of Presi
Dental Nominees by Popular Vote
and Amending Sherman Antitrust
Law to Make Its Exact Meaning
Clearer.
Washington, Dec. I'm his mes.
sage. delivered at a joint session OF
the houses of congress at the begin
ming of the second session of the Six
ty-third congress, President Wilson
urged immediate currency legislation,
devoted considerable space to the
needs of the farmers and referred to
the Mexican crisis. The Sherman
antitrust law, he said, should be
changed so that its exact meaning
would be clearer. The president also
urged the choice of presidential nomi-
nees by the direct vote OF the people
expressed at primaries. On the Next
can situation the president said, in
part:
There can be no certain prospect of
peace in America until General Huer-
IA has surrendered his usurped au-
thority in Mexico. Until it is under
stood on all hands, indeed, such pre-
tended governments will not be coun-
tenanced or dealt with by the gov
eminent of the United States. We are
the friends of constitutional govern
ment in America. We are more than
its friends; we are its champions, be.
cause in no other way can our neigh
bCrS TO whom we would wish i'll
every way to make proof of our friend.
ship work out their own development
in peace and liberty. Mexico has no
government. The attempt to maintain
one at the City of Mexico has broken
down, and a mere military despotism
has been set up which has hardly
more than the semblance of national
authority. 1t originated in the usurpa-
ton of Victoriano Huerta who, after
a brief attempt to play the part of
CSlSlElullOlldl llSSluSut, ldS ldSl
cast aside even the pretense of legal
right and declared himself dictator.
By his actions Huerta has forfeited
the respect and the moral support
even of those who were at one time
willing to see MIN succeed. Little by
Ely a little every day his power and
prestige are crumbling, and the col
lapse is not far away. We shall not,
i believe, be obliged to alter our pol
icy of watchful waiting. And then,
when the end comes, we shall hope
to see constitutional order restored in
distressed Mexico by the concert and
energy of such of, her leaders as pre-
fer the liberty OF their people to their
own ambitions"
Currency Legislation Urged.
President Wilson urges the immedi-
ate passage of currency legislation.
He asserts that business interests of
the nation are waiting on the expected
law before making large new invest
ments or developing resources. The
president also calls attention to condi-
tons as they exist at present, which
make it very difficult for the farmer
to finance his crop. He urges in his
annual message provisions that will
safeguard the farmer, help his credit
and prevent repetition of the neces-
sity for the government to deposit
large sums of money in the Southern
and Western states so as to aid the
producer, as was the case last fall.
The presidents policy toward the
Philippines is made clear He urges
the development of the Philippines, al
ways keeping in view ultimate indie
pendence of the islanders. While he
does not believe they are ready for
sell government today he believes that
eventually they will be- He points
out improvements that have recently
been made by calling attention to the
fact that more natives have been ap-
pointed on the Philippine commission
than was the case previously.
On the question of direct elections
the president says:
III sc IltC cldClHitul vi
legislation which will provide for pri-
mary elections throughout the coun-
try at which the voters OF the sew
eral parties may choose their nomi-
nees for the presidency without the in
teryention of nominating conventions.
| venture the suggestion that this leg
isiation should provide for the reten-
ton of party conventions, but only for
the purpose of declaring and accepting
the verdict Of the primaries and formu-
lating the platforms Of the parties.
and | suggest that these conventions
should consist not Of delegates chosen
for this single purpose, but OF the
nominees for congress, the nominees
for vacant seats in the senate of the
United States, the senators whose
terms have not yet closed, the nation
al committees and the candidates for
the presidency themselves, in order
that platforms may be framed by
those responsible to the people for
CARRYING them into effect