Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1915-12-11
WILSON READS HIS MESSAGE;
PREPAREDNESS STRONGLY URGED

President wilson tuesday last IN his
third annual addres to congress, the
theme of which was preparedness by
the United States to defend not only
its own independence but the rights
OF those with whom it has made com
mon cause The message was read
by the president to the senate and the
house, assembled is joint session in
the chamber of the house.
Every recommendation embodied in
the document had to do with plans for
strengthening national deferses. The
program included army and navy
plans; legislation for government
owned merchant ships; rural credit
law; the PHILIPPINE and Porto Rico
bills which failed of final passage at
the last session; conservation legis-
ltion law. giving federal aid to in
dustrial and vocational education,
and the creation of a commission to
inquire into the transportation prob
lem.
Naturalzed and native born Ameri-
ems who, sympathizing with belliger
ents abroad, have plotted and con-
spired to violate their own country's
neutrality were scathingly denounced
by the president, and congress was
iged to provide adequate federal laws
to deal with such offenders.
Internal taxation was proposed q
. means of providing the m oney neces
sary to add to the naval and military
establishments. Sources of taxation
suggested were incomes, gasoline.
naptha, automobiles and internal ex
plosion engines. fabricat- ID iron and
steel and stamp tax on bank checks.
Extension OF the war revenue bill and
continuance of the present tariff on
sugar were recommended, and the
sale of bonds opposed.
This message was the longest Mr..
Wilson has ever delivered to congress.
He began by stating that, since he
last addressed congress, the Euro
pean war had extended its sinister
and threatening scope until = has
swept into its fame some portion OF
every quarter Of the globe, not except
ing our own hemisphere. has altered
the whole face Of international affairs
and now presents a prospect of rec
ognition such as statesmen and peo-
Piles have never been called upon to
attempt before"
The United States has remained
neutral, he said, because ii had no in
terest in the causes and because it was
the duty of nations of the western
hemisphere to prevent collective eco
nomic ruin.
The president pointed to the atti-
tude of the United States toward
Mexico as proving this country has no
selfish purpose. 1t is known to have
no selfish object in its interest in coun-
tries in Central and South America
There was a time, he said, when the
United States looked upon itself as a
sort of guardian of the republics to
the south as against the encroach-
ment or efforts of political control
from Europe
But" he added, "it was always diff
ferent to maintain such role without
offense to the pride of the peoples
whose freedom of action we sought to
protect, and every thoughtful man of
affairs must welcome the altered cir
cumstances of the new day in whose
light we now stand. when there is no
claim of guardianship or thought Of
wards. but instead. full and honor
able association between ourselves and
our neighbors in the interests of all
America, North and South.
"Our concern for the independence
and the prosperity of the states OF
Central and South America is not al
tered We retain unabated the spirit
that has inspired us through the whole
life of our government and which was
so frankly put into words by Pres
ident Monroe. We still mean always
to make common cause of national
independence and of political liberty
in America. But that purpose is now
better understood so far as it concerns
ourselves. 1t is known not to be 4
selfish purpose. 1t is known to hive
in it no thought of taking advantage
of any government in this hemisphere
or playing its political fortunes foI
our own benefit All the governments
of America stand, so far as we are
concerned upon footing of genuine
equality and unquestioned independ
ence."
"We have been put to the test in the
case Of Mexico, and we have stood
the test" !" declared the president ii,