Mexico Missouri message., 1914-07-02
WILSON PREDICTS
BUSINESS BOOM
DECLARES GREATEST REVIVAL IN
HISTORY OF COUNTRY WILL
SOON BE WITNESSED.
LONGER AGITATION FATAL
Completion Of Administration Program
by Passage OF Antitrust Bills, He
Asserts, viii Bring Security
and Prosperity.

Washington. June 26.-When con-
gress completes the administration
program by passing the antitrust bills
the United States is to have a business
boom such as never before has been
experienced in its history. SO Presl-
dent Wilson asserted most emphatical-
ly after he had received numerous tel
egrams from New York, asking him II
the Clafiin failure was psychological"
Though the president spoke to a
group of Virginia editors in the White
House, he really was addressing the
entire country. and was making his
final reply to the opponents Of trust
legislation at this session of congress
and to prophets of evil times.
I'VE know what we are doing" Mr..
Wilson said. "We purpose to do 1t
under the advice-for we have been
fortunate enough to obtain the advice
of men who understand the business
of the country; and we know that the
effect is going to be exactly what the
effect of the currency reform was, a
sense of relief and security.
Boom to Follow Program.
Because, when the program is fin
ished, 1t is finished; the interrogation
points are rubbed of the slate: bust
ness is given its constitution of free
dom and is hidden to go forward under
that constitution. And just so soon as
it gets that leave and freedom there
will be a boom of business in this
country such as we have never wit
messed IN the United States.
II, as a friend OF business and a
servant of the country, would not dare
stop in this program and bring on an
other long period of agitation. Agita-
ton longer continued would be fatal
TO the business Of this country, and II
this program is delayed there will come
agitation, with every letter in the word
a capital letter The choice is sober
and sensible program now completed
or months upon months Of additional
conjecture and danger.
Fever. Lasted Long Time.
Il want to suggest this to you: Busi-
ness has been in feverish and ap-
prehensiye condition In this country
for more than ten years.
Business men have acted as some
men do who fear they will have to
undergo an operation, and who are not
sure that when they get on the table
the operation will not be a capital op-
Grafton. AS a matter of fact, as the
diagnosis has progressed 1t has be-
come more and more evident that no
capital operation was necessary; that
at the most q minor operation was
necessary to remove admitted distem-
per and evils.
There is nothing more fatal to
business than to be kept guessing
from month to month and from year
to year whether something serious
is going to happen to 1t or not, and
what in particular is going to happen
to 1t If anything does.
THE guessing went on. the air was
full of interrogation points for ten
years and more. Then came an ad-
ministration which for the first time
had a definite program of constructive
correction; not of destructive correc-
ton, but of constructive correction
of admitted evil-a clear program, dis
closed so far as possible In a general
program, in its particulars as well
as in its general features. And the
administration proceeded to carry out
this program.
First, there was the tariff and bust
ness shivered. We don't like 20 go
In; the water looks cold;' but when
the tariff had been passed 1t was found
that the readjustment was possible
without any serious disturbance what
ever. So that men said with a sense
of relief. Well, we are glad to get that
behind US and It wasn't bad after all.
Benefits Of Currency Reform.
"Then came the currency reform.
You remember with what resistance,
with what criticism, with what sys.
tematic holding back a large body OF
bankers in this country met the pro-
posals of that reform, and you know
how, Immediately after its passage,
they recognized its benefit and its be.
neficence, and how, ever since the pas.
sage of that reform, bankers through
out the United States have been con.
graduating themselves.
Then we advanced to the trust
program. and again the same dread,
the same hesitation, the same urgency
that the thing should be postponed.
1t will not be postponed, and II will
not be postponed because we are the
friends of business"