The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-09
The Messa gc.


THE session upon when you are now
entering will he the closing session OF the
Sixty-third Congress. a Congress. | ven
ture to say, which will long be remem-
bered for the great body OF thoughtful
and constructive work which IL has done
in loyal response to the thought and needs
of the country. | should like in this ad-
dress to review the notable record and
try 10 make adequate assessment OF 1t;
but no doubt we stand too near the work
that has been done and are ourselves too
much part OF IL to play the part OF his
torians toward IL.
Moreover. our thoughts are now more
OF the future than OF the past While we
have worked at our tasks of peace the
circumstances OF the whole age nave peen
altered by war. What we have done for
our own land and our people we did with
the best that was In us, whether OF CHAR
acter or of intelligence, with sober en-
thusiasm and confidence In the principles
upon which we were acting which sus-
talned us at every step OF the difficult un-
dertaking but ii is done. II has passed
from our hands. II Is now an estab-
lshed part OF the legislation OF the coun-
try lis usefulness. its effects will dis
close themselves in experience.
what chiefly strikes us now, as we
iook about US during these closing days
Of a year which will he forever memorable
in the history OF the world, Is that We face
new tasks, have been facing them these
six months must face them in the months
20 come-face them without partisan feel
ing. Ike men who have forgotten every
thing but common duty and the fact
that We are representatives of great
people whose thought is not OF us but OF
what America owes to herself and TO all
mankind in such circumstances as these
upon which we look amazed and anxious.
Empires Need of Help.
''war has interrupted the means OF
trade no. only but also the processes OF
production. In Eurorc 1t is destroying
men and resources wholesale and upor l
scale unpreceds nted and appalling. There
Is reason to fear that the time Is near. II
II he not already at hand, when several
Of the countries OF Europe will md II
sdifticult to do for their people what they
have hitherto been always easily able ia
do-many essential and fundamental
things. At any rate. they will need our
help and our manifold services as they
have never needed them before and we
should be ready, more fit and ready than
We have ever been
at Is OF equal consequence that the
nations whom Europe has usually sup
piled with innumerable articles OF manu-
facture and commerce OF which they are
in constant need and without which theii
economic development halts and stands
still can now get only mail part OF
what they formerly imported, and eagerl,
look to u. to supply their all but empty
markets.
This is particularly true OF our owr
neighbors. the States. great and small, OF
Central and South America. Their lines
of trade have hitherto run chiefly athwar
the seas, not TO our ports hut to the ports
OF Great Britain and OF the Older cont
nent OF Europe I do not top to inquir,
why or TO make any comment on prob
able causes What interests US Just now
Is not the explanation but the fact ant
our duty and opportunity in the presence
OF 1t. Here are markets which we mus
supply, and We must find the means o.
action. The United States. this grea
people for whom we speak and act, should
be ready as never before to serve iisel
and to serve mankind ready with It's re
sources. its enercies. It's forces OF produc
ton and It's means Of distribution.
Not Fully Prepared to Aid.
at is a very practical matter, matte
Of WAYS and means. We have the re
sources, but are we fully ready to us
them? And Il We can make ready VIVA
we have. have we the means at hand Il
distribute IL; We are not fully ready
neither have we the means OF distribution
We are willing, but we are not fully ab..
We have the wish to serve and to serV
greatly, generously but We are not pre-
pared as We should be. We are no
ready to mobilize our resources at once
We are not prepared TO use them l'nme
diatey and at their best, without dela
and without waste.
.TO speak plainly. We have grossl
erred In the way In which we have stunte
and hindered the development Of our mer
chant marine. And now. when We nee
ships, We have not got them. We haV
year after wear debated, without end q
conclusion, the best policy 10 pursue wit
regard 20 the use of the ores and forest
and water powers Of our national domai
In the rich states of the West, when "
should have acted and they are ST.
locked up. The key IL still turned upo
them the door shut fast N which thou
sands of vigorous men full Of initiativ
knock Clamorously for admittance. III
water power Of our naviganle stream
outside the national domain also, even !
the Eastern states, where we have worke
and planned for generations, is still nc
used as il might be, because We Will an
We won't: because the laws We nav
made DO not irteligently balance 81
couragement against restraint We witt
hold by regulation.
81 have come 10 ask you to remed
and correct these mistakes and omission
even at this short session Of COngre'
which would certainly seem to have dor
all the work that could reasonably !
expected of II. The time and the circuu
stances are extraordinary. and so mu'
our efforts be also,
Fortunately, two great measures hne'
conceived. the one To unlock. with prop'
safeguards, the resources Of the nation
domain the other to encourage the u.
of the navigdble waters outside that d.
main for the generation OF power, hay
already passed the House OF Represent
tives and are ready for immediate col
sderation and action by the Senate, W.T.
she deepest edrnestness ! urge the
prompt passage. In them both We tui
our backs upon hesitation and makeshi
and formulate a genuine policy OF III
and conservation. in the best sense
those words.
I'VE owe the one measure not only
the people OF that great Western countl
for whose free ana Systematic develol
ment, IA II seems TO me, our legIslati,
has done little but also TO the Poop
OF the nation as whole and we
clearly owe the other In fulflment OF o.
repeated promises that the water pow
OF the country should In fact az well
In name be put at the disposal OF gre
industries which can make economic
and profitable use OF II, the rights Of 4
public being adequately guarded the WIFI
ana monopoly In the use prevented
have begun such measures and not cor
pleted them would indeed mar the reco
OF this great Congress very seriously.
and kall. ~