The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1914-12-08


heard President Wilson personally
read his message. Popular interest
was intense and admission cards were
at a premium. The audience was
composed mostly of friends of legisla-
tors. Following is a synopsis of the
message:
The session upon which you are now
entering will be the closing session of
the Sixty-third congress, a congress,
venture to say, which will long be
remembered for the great body of
thoughtful and constructive work
wrich has been done, in loyal response
to the thought and needs of the coun
try. / should like in this address to
review the notable record and try to
make adequate assessment of it; but
nc doubt We stand too near the work
that has been done and ourselves
too much a part of it to play the part
of historians toward it.
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 have bbeen altered by war War
has interrupted the means of trade
not only but also the presses of pro-
duetion. 1t is of equal consequence
that the nations whom Europe has
usually supplied with innumerable ar
ticles of manufacture and commerce
of which they are in constant need
and without which their economic de-
velopment halts and stands still can
now get only a small part of what
they formerly imported and eagerly
look to us to supply their all but emp
ty markets. This is particularly true
of our own neighbors, the states, great
and small, Central and South America.
Their lines of trade have hitherto run
chiefly athwart the seas, not to our
ports, but to the ports of Great Brit
ain and of the older continent of
Europe. / do not stop to inquire
why, or to make any comment on
probable causes. 1t is a very practi~
cal matter, matter of ways and
means We have the resources, but
are we fully ready to use them? And,
if we can make ready what we have,
have we the means at hand to dis
tribute itg We are not fully ready,
neither have we the means of dis
tribution. To speak plainly, we have
grossly erred in the way in which we
have stunted and hindered the devel-
opment of our merchant marine. And
now, when We need ships, We have
not got them. | have come to ask
YOU to remedy and correct these mis-
takes and omissions, even al this
short session of congress which GER
tainly seems to have done all the work
Al. ha ad of
it The time and the circumstances
are extraordinary and so must our eff
forts be also. In the senate, two
great measures, finely conceived, the
one to unlock, with proper safeguards,
the resources of the national domain,
the other to encourage the use of the
navigable waters outside that domain
for the generation of power, have al
ready passed the house of representa-
tives and are ready for immediate
consideration and action by the SEN
ate. With the deepest earnestness |
urge their prompt passage.
And there is another great piece of
legislation which awaits and should
receive the sanction of the senate; |
mean the bill which gives larger
people of the Philippines. | cannot
believe that the senate will let this
great measure of constructive justice
await the action of another congress.
But / think that you will agree
with me that this does not complete
the toll of our duty. How are we to
carry our goods to the empty markets
of which I have spoken if We have
not the ships? How are we to build
up a great trade if we have not the
constant means of transportation on
which all profitable and useful COM
merce dependsP And how are we to
get the ships if we wait for trade to
develop without them. TO cover the
many mistakes by which we have all
but DESTROYED the merchant marine of
the country, to trace the steps by
which we have, ii seems almost delib-
erately, withdrawn our flag from the
seas, except where here and there,
a ship of war is hidden carry it or
some wandering yacht displays it,
would take long tine and involve
many detailed items of legislation.
And the trade which we ought imme-
diately to handle would disappear or
find other channels while we debate
the items.
Hence the pending shipping bill,
discussed at the last session, but as
vet passed by neither house. In my
Judgment such legislation is impera-
lively needed and cannot wisely be
postponed.
The great subject of rural credits
stii remains to be dealt with, and it ls
matter of deep regret that the diff
ficulties of the subject have see~ed TO
render it impossible to complete a
bill for passage at this session. But
it cannot be perfected yet, and there
fore there are no other constructive
measures the necessity for which ]
will at this time call your attention
to; but would be negligent of very
manifest duty were ! not to call the
attention of the senate to the fact
that the proposed convention for safe
ty at sea awaits its confirmation and
that the limit fixed in the convention
FOR 80 aoufinuapea il fha last day of