Weekly journal-miner., 1916-12-13
manent interests of society itself.
 Other Suggestions.

Three matters of capital importance
 await the action of the senate which
 have already been acted upon by the
 house of representatives: the bill
 which seeks to extend greater free.
 dom of combination to those engaged
 in promoting the foreign commerce
 of the country than is now thought 1 by some to be legal under the terms
 of the laws against monopoly; the
 bill amending the present organic law
 of Porto Rico: and the bill proposing
 more thorough and systematic regu-
 lation of the expenditure of money in
 elections commonly called the cor rupt practices act. l need not labor
 my advice that these measures be en- acted into law. Their urgency lies in
 the manifest circumstances which render their adoption at this time not only opportune but necessary. Even delay would seriously leopard the in-
 terests of the country and of the gov ernment
 Immediate passage of the bill to regulate the expenditure of money in elections may seem to be less neces- sary than the immediate enactment of the other measures to which l refer; because at least two years will elapse before another election in which Fed eral offices are to be filled; but it would greatly relieve the public mind if this important matter were deal, with while the circumstances and the dangers to the public morals of the present method of obtaining and spending campaign funds stand clear under recent observation and the methods of expenditure can be frank ly studied in the light of present ex
 perience; and a delay would have the further very serious disadvantage of postponing action until another cleo ton was at hand and some special ob- ject connected with it might be thought to be in the mind of those who urged it. Action can be taken now with facts for guidance and without suspicion of partisan purpose
 1 shall not argue at length the de- sirability of giving a freer hand in the matter of combined and concerted ef- fort to those who shall undertake the essential enterprise of building up our export trade. That enterprise will presently, will immediately assume, has indeed already assumed, a magni- tude unprecedented in our experience. We have not the necessary instru- nfentalities for its prosecution; it is deemed to be doubtful whether they could be created upon an adequate scale under our present laws. We should clear away all legal obstacles and create basis of undoubted law for it which will give freedom with out permitting unregulated license. The thing must be done now, because the opportunity is here and may es- cape us if we hesitate or delay
 The argument for the proposed ! amendments of the organic law of Porto Rico is brief and conclusive | The present laws governing the island . and regulating the rights and privi- leges of its people are not just. We have created expectations of extended i privilege which we have not satisfied l There is uneasiness among the people i of the island and even a suspicious doubt with regard to our intentions , concerning them which the adoption of the pending measure would happi- ly remove. We do not doubt what we wish to do in any essential par ticular We ought to do it at once.
 There are other matters already advanced to the stage of conference between the two houses of which it is not necessary that l should speak. Some practicable basis of agreement them will no doubt be found and action taken upon them.
 Inasmuch as this is, gentlemen, probably the last occasion I shall have to address the Sixty-fourth con gross, l hope that you will permit me to say with what genuine pleasure and satisfaction I have co-operated with you in the many measures of constructive policy with which you have enriched the legislative annals of the country. It has been a privi- lege to labor in such company. take the liberty of congratulating you up- on the completion Of record of rare and distinction.