Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-07
Preparedness Is Main Theme Of Presidents Message

we should give intelligent federal IA
and stimulation TO industrial aud yocs.
tional education. as we have long dons
In the large field of our agricuitura,
industry; that at the same time ths,
we safeguard and conserve the natural
resources OF the country we should
put them at the disposal OF those wbo
WIN use them promptly and inte,H
gently. as was sought TO be done n
the admirable bills submitted to tha
last congress from its committees on
the public lands. bills which | earuest.
~ recommend in principle to your con.
sideration; that we should put ;nto
early operation some provision for
rural credits which will add to the or.
tcnsive borrowing facilities already
afforded the farmer by the reserve
bank act adequate instrumentalitles
by which long credits may be Obtained
on land mortgages and that we should
study more carefully than they have
hitherto been studied the right adapa.
ton of our economic arrangements 10
changing conditions.
Many conditions about which we
have repeatedly legislated are being
altered from decade to decade. It Is
evident, under our very eyes and are
likely to change even more rapidly
and more radically In the days imme.
diately ahead of us when peace has
returned to the world and the nations
OF Europe once more take mp their
tasks of commerce and industry with
the energy of those who must hestir
themselves TO build anew.
To Meet Railroad Problem.
In the meantime may make this
suggestion? The transportation prob
lem Is an exceedingly serious and
pressing one In this country. There
has from time TO time of late been rea-
son to fear that our railroads would
not much longer be able to cope with
it successfully. as at present equipped
and co-ordinated. I suggest that it
would be wise to provide for COM
mission of inquiry to ascertain by a
thorough canvass OF the whole Ques-
ton whether our laws as at present
framed and administered are as serv-
iccable as they might be in the solu-
ton of the problem. IL is obviously
q problem that lies at the very foun-
dalton of our efficiency as A people,
Such an inquiry ought TO draw out
every circumstance and opinion worth
considering, and we need to know
all sides Of the matter il we mean to
do anything In the field OF federal leg.
isIation.
No one, I am sure, would wish to
take any backward step. The regula-
ton Of the railways of the country by
federal commission has had admirable
results and has fully justified the
hopes and expectations of those By
whom the policy OF regulation was
originally proposed. The question is
not, What should we undog 1t is
whether there is anything else we eau
do that would supply US with effective
means, in the very process of regu-
lation, for lettering the conditions un-
der which the railroads are operated
and for making them more useful serv-
ants of the country as a whole II
seems to me that 1t might be the part
Of wisdom, therefore, before further
legislation In this field is attempted.
| to look at the whole problem of co-or.
dination and efficiency in the full light
Of fresh assessment of circumstance
and opinion, as a guide TO dealing with
| the several parts OF It.
| For what we are seeking now, what
In my mind is the single thought Of
/ this message, is national efficiency and
I security. We serve a great nation.
We should serve it In the spirit Of its
| peculiar genius. II is the genius Of
! common men for self government, In
dustry. justice, liberty and peace. We
should see to It that it lacks no In.
strument. no facility or vigor Of law,
TO make It sufficient to play its part
with energy. safety and assured sue
cess. In this We are no partisans but
heralds and prophets Of a new age.