Gunnison news-champion. [volume] (Gunnison, Colo.) 1905-1932, 1917-03-09

. w. 90 NaaaasAa - - -
Washington. March 5.-President
Wilson sunday night issued the fol-
lowing statement, addressed ITO the
Nation:
The termination OF the last session Of
tH. S!Nty-tOurLh Cong s. by constltu-
tlsual Limitation dIscios-s a situation
unparalleled In IN. history OF the coun-
iTys perhaps uuparallr cd in the HIS
tory Of ang modern government In
the Immediate presence of a crisis
tTagEht with more subtle and far
EeachtnE possibilities Of national dam
ger than any other government has
suDNu within the whole history OF fto
International relations the Congress
has been unabi. to act either to safe
guard the country or to ytndlCate the
elementary rights Of Its citizens,
/ More than five hundred Of the five
hundred and thlFty-oDe members of the
two houses were ready and anxious TO
act. the House Of Representatives had
acted. b. an overw helning majority.
/ but the Senate was unable to act be-
cause NH. group OF senators had
determined that IL should not.
. The senate has no rules by which de-
bate can be limited or brought to an
end. rules by winch dtiatory tactics
u any kiud can be prevented A single
member can stand In the way of ac-
lion u he have but the physical en-
/ juraECs- The result. in this case. Is .
. .FhAA lAEAF tfraE Sis HIM OF tine EN(tNAA-
/ ave and "f the executive branches OF
the government.
] This Inability of tn. Senate TO act
has rendered some Of the most neces-
ssry Legislation OF the session impossi-
be At a time when the need for IL was
. the most pressing and most evident
. The bill which would have permitted
/ such combinations Of capital and OF
Organization In the export and import
I trade Of the country as the circum-
/ stances nt international competition
/ have made Imperative bill which
the business Judgment Of the whole
/ suuutTy approved and demanded-hAs
. failed.
The opposition Of one or two sena-
I tors has made IL impossible To Increase
I the me lb-rship of the Interstate Com
I nerce Commission or to give IL the al
tered organization necessary for It's ef-
| ftci.ncy.
The conservation bill. which should
have released for immsdiat" use the
mineral resources which still
! Ocked up In the public lands. now that
their release is more imperatively nee
essary than ever. and the bill which
1 would have made the unused water
power OF the country Immediately
| AVAILABLE for industry. have both
! failed. though they have been under
! consideration throughout the sessions
tV ice passed by the House OF Repre-
-eutatty.s
| The appropriations for the army
l have failed. along with tn. appropria-
tions for the cisil establishment of the
government, the appropriations for the
military academy at West Point and
the general deficiency bill.
II has proved impossible to extend
the powers Of tn. shipping board to
meet the special needs of the new stu
/ alton Into viii h our commerce has
been forced or to increase tn. gold re-
| serve OF our national banking system
to meet the unusual circumstances Of
the existing financial situation
II would not cure the difficulty to
call the Sixty-fifth Congress in extra
Ordinary session, The paralysis of the
Senat. would remain. The purpose and
the spirit Of action are not lacking
inow. The Congress is more definitely
united In Thought and purpose at this
moment | venture TO say. than IL has
lbeen within the memory Of any man
inow In its membership. There Is not
only the most united patriotic purpose.
| but the objects members have in view
are perfectly clear and definite.
But the senate cannot act unless its
leaders can obtain unanimous consent.
Its majority is powerless. helpless. In
che midst % a crisis of extraordinary
peril when only definite and decided
| seton can make the nation safe or
shield Il from war itself by the ag
Sr.ssion of others, action is impos-
| sIble
| Although as a matter OF fact the
1 nation and the representatives of the
nation stand back OF the executive
with unprecedented unanimity of spir-
II. the Impression male abroad will OF
course, b. that IL Is not so. and that
other governments may act as they
please without fear that this govern
ment can do anything at all. We can
not explain. The explanation Is incred-
tble
The Senate Of the United States 10
1.-THE only legislative body in the world
which cannot act when its majority 10
ready for action.
A little group of wilful men repre-
sentfng no opinion but their own have
rendered the great government of the
United States helpless and contempt
lible.
| The remedy There fs but one rem
edy. The remedy is that the rules of
the Senate shall be altered that It
can act. The country can be relied
upon to draw the moral. I believe that
the Senate can be relied upon to sup
ply the means of action and save the
country from disaster.
WOODROW WILSON.