The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-12-02
Full Text of President Wilson's Message to Congress

lis. with it's debatable ground about 1t
but VIC should us much as possible re
duce the area Of that debatable grounG
by further and more explicit leEtsia'
ton; and should, also supplement thai
great act by legislation which will no,
only clarity it but also facilitate its
administration and make 1t falrer tt
all concerned. No doubt we shall al
wish. and the country will expect
this to he the central subject of oul
deliberations during the present Ses'
sion: but it is Il subject so many-sid-
ed and 50 deserving OF careful and dis
eliminating discussion that shall
take the liberty of addressing you up.
on it in IL special message at a later
date than this. 1t is OF capital i'm.
portancc that the business men OF
uncertainties Of law with regard to
their enterprises and Investments and
a clear path indicated which they car
travel without anxiety :. 1t Is as i'm
portant that they should be relieved
Of embarrassment and set free to
prosper as that private monopoly
should be destroyed. The ways Of &C
ton should be thrown wide open.
Wants Nation Wide Primary.
turf to a subject which I hope
can be handled promptly and without
CNt WIS VI sAuS NAHASs =
mean the method Of selecting nomi-
nees for the presidency Of the United
States. feel confident that I do not
misinterpret the wishes or the eNpcc-
tations Of the country when l urge the
prompt enactment Of legislation which
will provide for primary elections
throughout the country at which the
voters of the several parties may
choose their nominees for the presi-
dency without the intervention of
nominating conventions. venture
should provide for the retention of
party conventions. but only for the
purpose of declaring and accepting the
verdict of the primaries and formu-
lating h platforms Of the parties;
and I 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 senator's whose
terms have not vet closed. the nation
al committees. and the candidates
for the presidency themselves. In or
der that platforms may he framed by
those responsible to the people for
carrying them into effect.
Philippine Policy.
These are all matters of vital do
mesttc concern, and besides them, out
side the charmed circle of our own ma
tional life III which our affections
command us. as we'll as our con-
sciences. there stand out our obliga-
lions toward u territories over sea.
Here We are trustees. Porto Rico,
Hawaii. the Philippines. are ours, in
deed. but not ours to do what we
please with. Such territories, nee Ne
garde0 as mere n0RHoSsiOna aro M
longer to be selfishly exploited: they
are part of the domain Of public con-
science and of serviceable and en-
nghtened craftsmanship. We must
administer them for the people who
live in them and with the same sense
Of responsibility to them as toward
our own people in our domestic at
fairs. No doubt We shall successfully
enough bind Porto Rico and the Ha-
waiian islands to ourselves by ties of
justice and interest and affection, but
the performance Of our duty toward
the Philippines is q more difficult and
debatable matter. We can satisfy the
obligations Of generous justice toward
the people Of Porto Rico by giving
them ample and familiar rights and
privileges accorded our own citizens
in u own territories and our obliga-
lions toward the people of Hawaii by
perfecting the provisions for self
government already granted them, but
In the Philippines we must go further.
We must hold steadily in view their
ultimate independence. and we must
move toward the time Of that indie
be cleared and. the foundations
t~houghtfully and permanently laid.
Perfect Plan Step by Step.
Acting under the authority confer