THE NORTH PLATTE 8EMLWEEKLY TRIBUNE.
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VS.
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J.f
E UNI
HUERTA LEIS
USURPEDPOWER
"President Says in Message Pres
' tige of Dictator Is Crumbling
and End Is Near.
WANTS MONEY BILL PASSED
Urges Enactment of Legislation
to Make Farming a More
' Efficient Business.
LET SHERMAN LAW STAND
Primary Elections fop Selection of
Candidates fop Presidency Urged
Ultimate Independence of Phil
ippines an Obligation Dou
ble Duty Toward Alaska
Employers' Liability.
Wellington, Dec. 2. The following
1b President Wilson's complete mes
eage delivered to congress today:
In pursuance of my constitutional
duty to "give to the congress Informa
tion of the state of the Union," I take
the liberty of addressing you on sev
eral matters which ought, as It seems
to me, particularly to engage the at
tention of your honorable bodies, as
of all who study the welfare of the
nation.
I Ehall ask your Indulgence If I ven
ture to depart In some degreo from
the usual custom of setting beforq you
In formal review the many matters
which have engaged the attention and
called for the action of the several
departments of the government or
which look to them for early treat
ment In the future, because the list
Is long, very long, and would suffer
In the abbreviation to which I should
nave to subject it. I shall submit to
you the reports of the heads of the
several departments, in which these
subjects are set forth In careful de
tail, and beg that they may receive the
thoughtful attention of our commit
tees and of all members of the con
gress who may have the leisure to
study them. Their obvious Importance,
as constituting the very substance of
the business of the government, makes
comment and emphasis on my part un
necessary. Country Is at Peace.
The country, I am thankful to say,
is at peace with all the world, and
many happy manifestations multiply
about us of a growing cordiality and
sense of community of interest among
the nations, foreshadowing an age of
settled peace and good will. More and
more readily each decade do tho na
tions, manifest, their willingness to
bind themselves by solemn treaty to
the processes of peace, tho processes
of frankness and fair concession. So
far the United States has stood at tho
front of such negotiations. She will,
I earnestly hope and confidently be
lieve, give fresh proof of her sincere
adherence to tho cause of interna
tional friendship by ratifying the sev
eral treaties of arbitration awaiting
renewal by the senate. In addition to
these, it has been the privilege of tho
department of state to gain the as
sent, In principle, of no less than 31
nations, representing fou.r-fUths of
the population of the world, to the ne
gotiation of treaties by which it shall
be agreed that whenever differences
of Interest or of policy arise which
cannot be resolved by the ordinary
processes of diplomacy they shall be
publicly analyzed, discussed, and re
ported upon by a tribunal chosen by
the parties before either nation deter
mines its course of action.
There 1b only one possible standard
by which to determine controversies
between the United States and other
nations, and that Is compounded of
theso two elements: Our own honor
and our obligations to the peace of
the world. A test so compounded
ought easily to be made to govern both
tho establishment of new treaty obli
gations and the Interpretation of those
already assumed.
Huerta Must Let Go.
Thore Is but one cloud upon our ho
rizon. That has shown Itself to the
south of us, and hangs over Mexico.
There enn bo no certain prospect of
peace In America until General Huerta
has surrendered his usurped authority
In Mexico; until It Is understood on
nil hands, indeed, that such pretended
governments will not bo countenanced
or dealt with by tho government of
tho United States. We are the
friends of constitutional government
In America; wo are more than Its
friends, we are Its champions; because
In no other way can our neighbors, to
whom we would wish In every way to
niako proof of our friendship, work
out their own development In peace
and liberty. Mexico has no gove?n
nient. - The attempt to maintain one
nt the City of Mexico has broken
down, and a mere military despotism
lias boon sot up which has hardly more
than the semblanco of national author
ity. It originated in the usurpation
of VIctoriano Huerta, who, after a
brief attempt to play tho part of con
stitutional president, has at last cast
aside oven tho pretense of legal right
and declared hlmsolf dictator. As a
consequence, a condition of affairs
now exists in Mexico which has made
It doubtful whether even the most
PEAC
'lemcntnry and fundamental rights
Ither of her own pooplo or of tho
Itlzens of other countries resident
vlthln her territory can long bo sue
:essfully safeguarded, and which
threatens, if long'contlnued, to Im
peril tho Interests of penco, order nnd
tolerablo Hfo In. tho lnnds immedi
ately to tho south of us. Even If tho
usurper had succeeded In hlB purposes,
In desplto of tho constitution of tho
republic nnd tho rights of Its peoplo,
ho would have set up nothing but a
precarious nnd hateful power, which
could have lasted but n Uttlo while,
and whose eventful downfall would
have loft the country In a moro de
plorable condition thnn over. Dut h?
has not succeeded. He has forfeited
tho respect and tho moral support
even of those who were at ono time
willing to seo him succeed. Little by
little ho has been completely Isolated.
By a little every day his powor and
prestige nro crumbling and tho col
lapse is not far away. Wo shall not,
I believe, be obliged to alter our pol
icy of watchful waiting. And thon,
when tho end comes, wo shall hope to
seo constitutional order restored In
distressed Mexico by tho concert and
energy of such of hor leaders as pre
fer thq liberty of their peoplo to their
own ambitions.
Currency Reform.
I turn to matters of domestic con
cern. You already have under con
sideration a bill for the reform of our
system of banklug and curroncy, for
which tho country waits with Impati
ence, as for something fundamental
to Its whole business Hfo and neces
sary to set credit free from arbitrary
and artificial restraints. I need not say
how earnestly I hope for Its early en
actment Into law. I take leave to beg
that tho whole energy and attention
of the senate bo concentrated upon It
till the matter Is successfully disposed
of. And yet I feel that tho request is
not needed that the members of that
great house need no urging In this
service to tho country.
I present to you, in addition, tho
urgent necessity that special provision
bo made also for facilitating tho cred
its needed by the farmers of the coun
try. The pending currency bill does
tho farmers a great service It puts
them upon an equal footing with oth
er business men and masters of en
terprise, as It should; and upon Its
passage they will find themselves quit
of many of tho difficulties which now
hamper them in the field of credit.
The farmers, of course, ask and
should be given no special privilege,
such as extending to them the credit
of the government itself. What they
need nnd should obtain is legislation
which will make their own abundant
and substantial credit resources avail
able as a foundation for joint, con
certed local action In their own be
half In getting tho capital they must
use. It is to this wo should now ad
dress ourselves.
Allowed to Lag.
It has, singularly enough, come to
pass that we have allowed the Indus
try of our farms to lag behind the
other activities of the country In its
development. I need not stop to tell
you how fundamental to tho life of
tho Nation Is the, production of Its
food. Our thoughts may ordinarily
br concentrated upon tho cities and
tho hives qf Industry, upon the cries
of tho crowded market place and tho'
clangor of the factory, but It Is from
the quiet Interspaces of tho open val
leys and tho free hillsides that wo
draw the sources of life and of pros
perity, from the farm .and tho ranch,
from tho forest and tho mine. With
out these every street would bo si
lent, every office deserted, every fac
tory fallen Into disrepair. And yet
the farmer does not stand upon the
same footing with the forester and tho
miner In the market of credit. He Is
tho servant of the seasons. Nature
determines howjong ho must wait for
his crops, and will not bo hurried in
her processes. He may give his noto,
but the season of its maturity depends
upon tho season when his crop ma
tures, lies at the gates of the market
where his products are sold. And the
security he gives Is of a character not
known In tho broker's office or ns fa
miliarly as It might be on tho counter
of the banker.
Efficiency In Farming.
Tho agricultural department of tho
government is seeking to assist as
never before to make farming nn effi
cient business, of wide co-operative ef
fort, In quick touch with the markets
for foodstuffs. Tho farmers and tho
government win henceforth work to
gether as real partners in this field,
where we now begin to see our way
very clearly and where many Intelli
gent plans aro already being put Into
execution. The treasury of tho Uni
ted States has, by a timely and well
considered distribution of its depos
ItsJncllltated the moving of the crops
in tho present season nnd prevented
tho scarcity of avallablo funds too oft
en experienced at such times. Dut
we must not allow ourselves to de
pend upon extraordinary expedients.
We must add tho means by which tho
farmer may make his credit constant
ly and easily avallablo and command
when ho will the capital by which to
support and expand his business. We
lag behind many other great countries
of the modern world In attempting to
do-thls. Systems of rural credit have
been studied and developed on the
other side of tho water while we left
our farmers to shift for themselves In
the ordinary monoy market. You
have but to look about you In any
rural district to see tho result, the
handicap and embarrassment which
lmvo been put upon those who pro
duco our food.-
Study Rural Credit.
Conscious of this backwardness and
neglect on our part, the congress re
cently authorized tho creation of a
special commission to study the vari
ous systems of rural credit which
havo beon put Into operation In Eur
ope, and this commission Is already
prepared to roport Its roport ought
to mako It easier for us to dotormlno
what methods will bo best suited to
our own farmers. I hopo and believe
that tho committees of tho senate ant!
Iioubo will address themselves to this
matjer with tho most fruitful results,
and I bollovo that tlio Btudlos nnd re
cently formed plans of tho depart
ment of ngrjculturo may bo mado to
servo thorn very greatly In their work
of framing appropriate nnd adequato
legislation. It would bo Indlscrcot
and presumptuous in anyone to flog
matlzo upon bo groat and many-Bided
a question, but I feel confident that
common counsel will produco tho re
sults we must all deslro.
Let 8herman Law Stand.
Turn from tho farm to tho world of
business which contcrs In tho city and
In tho factory, and I think that all
thoughtful obsorvors will aGreo that
tho lmmcdlato sorvlco wo owo tho
business communities of the country
Is to prevent prlvato monopoly moro
effectually than It has yet boon pre
vented. I think It will be easily agreed
that we should let tho Sherman anti
trust law stand, unaltored, ns It is,
with Its debatable ground about It,
but that wo fihould as much, as possi
ble roduco tho area of that dobatablo
ground by further and moro explicit
legislation; and should also supple
ment that great act by legislation
which will not only clarify it but also
facilitate its administration and mako
It fairer to all concerned. No doubt
wo shall nil wish, and tho country will
expect, this to bo tho central subject
of our deliberations during tho pres
ent session; but it Is n subject so
many-sided and so deserving of care
ful and discriminating discussion that
I shall tako tho liberty of addressing
you upon it In a special message at a
later date than this. It Is of cnpltnl
Importance that tho business men of
this country should be rolloved of all
uncertainties of law wlt.h regard to
their enterprises and Investments and
a clear path Indicated which th6y can
travel without anxiety. It Is as lnu
portant that they should bo relieved
of embarrassment and set frco to
prosper as that prlvato monopoly
should bo destroyed. Tho ways of
actjon should be thrown wide open.
I turn to a subject which I hope
can be handled promptly and with
out serious controversy of any kind.
I mean tho method of selecting nomi
nees for tho presidency of the United
States. I feel confident that 1
do not misinterpret tho wishes
or tho expectations of tho
country when I urge tho prompt
enactment of legislation which will
provide for primary elections through
out tire country at which tho voters of
tho several parties may choose UTolr
nominees for the presidency without
tho Intervention of nominating con
ventions. I venture tho suggestion
that this legislation should provide
for tho retention of party conventions,
but only for tho purpose of declaring
nnd accepting the verdict of tho pri
maries and formulating tho platforms
of tho parties; and I suggest that
theso conventions should consist not
of delegates chosen for this sihglo pur
pose, but of the nomlnoes for con
gross, the nominees for vacant seats
in tho senate of the United States, tho
senators whoso .terniB havo not yet
closed, tho nntlonnl committees,
and tho candidates for tho prosldoncy
themselves, In order that platforms
may bo framed by those responsible to
tho peoplo for carrying them Into ef
fect. Independence for Philippines.
Theso aro all matters of vital do
mestic concorn, and besides them, out
side the chnrmod clrclo of our own
national life in which our affections
command us, as well as our con
sciences, thero stand out our obliga
tions toward our territories over s6a.
Hero wo aro trustees. Porto Rico,
Hawaii, tho Philippines, aro ours, onco
regarded as moro possessions, aro no
longer to bo selfishly exploited; they
are part of tho domain of public con
science nnd of serviceable and enlight
ened statesmanship. Wo must admin
ister thorn for tho people who llvo In
thorn and with tho same sense of re
sponsibility to them ns toward our1
own peoplo In our domestic affairs. No
doubt wo shall successfully enough
bind Porto Itlco and tho Hawaiian Is
lands to ourselves by ties of justco
and affection, but tho performance of
our duty toward tho Philippines Is a
moro difficult and dobatablo matter.
We can satisfy tho obligations of gen
erous Justice toward the peoplo of
Porto Rico by giving them tho ample
and familiar rights and privileges ac
corded our own citizens In our own
territory and our obligations toward
tho peoplo of Hawaii by perfecting tho
provisions of solf-govornment alroady
granted them, but In tho Philippines
wo must go further. Wo must hold
steadily In vlow their ultimate Inde
pendence, and, wo must move toward
tho tlmo of that Independence ns
steadily as the way can bo clea .d and
the foundations thoughtfully and per
manently laid.
Test of Responsibility.
Acting under tho authority con
ferred upon th6 president by congress,
I havo already accorded tho people of
the Islands n majority In both houses
of their legislative body by appointing
five Instead of four natlvo citizens to
tho membership of the commission. I
bolleve that In this way wjfe shall
mnko proof of their capacity In coun
sel and their sense of tho 'responsibil
ity in tho oxcrclso of political power,
and that the success of this step will
bo suro to clear our view for tho stops
which nro to follow. Step by stop
we should extend and perfect the sys
tem of self-government In tho Islands,
making test of them and modifying
them as experience discloses their
successes and their failures; that we
Bhould moro and moro put undor tho
control of tho natlvo citizens of tho
archipelago tho cssontlaPlnstrumentB
of their life, tholr local Instrumentali
ties of government, their schools, nil
tho common lntorcsts of their commu
nities, nnd so by counsel and oxpcrl
enco set up n government which all
tho world will seo to bo sultablo to a
peoplo whoso affairs aro undor tholr
own control. At last, I hopo and bo-1
lleo, wo aro beginning to gain tho
confldonco of tho Filipino peoples. By
their counso' and experience, rather
than by our own, we shall lenrn hovv
host to serv6 them and how soon It
Will bo possible nnd wlso to -withdraw
our supervision. Lot us onco find tho
path nnd sot out with flm? nnd confi
dent tread upon It and wo shall not
wnndov from It or linger upon It.
Double Duty Toward Alaska.
A duty fncos us with regard to Alas
ka which seems to mo vory pressing
nnd vory Imperative; perhaps I should
say a doublo duty, for It concerns both
tho political and tho material develop
ment of tho territory. Tho peoplo of
Alaskn should bo given tho full terri
torial form of government, nnd Alas
ka, ns a storehouse, should be un
locked. Ono key to It is a system of
railways. , Theso tho government
should Itself build nnd administer, nnd
tho ports nnd terminals It should Itself
control In tho interest of nil who wish
to uso them for tho service nnd do
velopmont of tho country and its peo
ple.
But tho construction of railways Is
only the first stop; Is only' thruBtlng
In tho key to the storehouse nnd
throwing back tho lock and oponlng
tho door. How tho tomptlng resources
of tho country nro to bo oxploltod Is
nnother mntter, to which I shall tako
tho liberty of from tlmo to tlmo call
ing your attention, for It Is a policy
which must bo worked out by well
considered stages, not upon theory,
but upon llnc3 of practical expediency.
It is part of our general problem of
conservation. Wo havo a freer hand
In working out tho problom In Alaska
than In tho states of tho Union; nnd
yet tho principle nnd object nro the
sanio, whorovor wo touch It. Wo must
uso tho resources of tho country, not
lock thorn up. There need bo no con
flict or jealousy ns between state and
federal authorities, for tho'ro can bo
no essential dlfforenco of purposo be
tween them. Tho resources In. ques
tion must bo UBod, but not destroyed
or waBted; UBed, but not monopolized
upon any narrow Idea of individual
rights as against tho nbldlng Interests
of communities. That n policy can bo
worked out by conference and conces
sion which will release theso rosoUrcea
and yet not jeopard or dlsBlpato
them, I for one have no doubt; and It
can bo dono on linos of regulation
which need bo no loss acceptable to
the peoplo and governments of tho
stnfes concerned thnn to tho peoplo
and government of tho nntlon nt largo,
whoso horltago those resources nro.
We must bend our counsels to this
end. A common purpoBo ought to
make agreement easy.
Specially Important.
Three or four matters of special Im
portance and significance I beg that
you will permit mo to montlon In clos
ing. Oiir bureau of mines ought to bo
equipped and empowered to render
even more enectual servlco than it
renders now in Improving tho condi
tions of mljio labor and making tho
mines moro economically productive
tis well as moro safe. This Is nn all
Important part of tho work of con
servation; nnd tho conservation of
human ljfo nnd enorgy lies ovon near
er to our Interest than tho preserva
tion from waste of our material re
sources. Wo owe It, In moro justice to tho
railway employes of tho country, to
provldo for them a fair and effective
employers' liability act; and a law
that we can' stand by In this matter
will bo no loss to tho ndvantage of
those who ndmlnister the railroads of
tho country than to tho advantage of
those whom thoy employ, Tho experi
ence of a largo number of tho states
abundantly proves thnt.
Wo ought to dovoto ourselves to
mooting prosslng demands of plafn
justice llko this as earnestly as to
tho accomplishment of political and
economic reforms. Social Justlco
comes first. Law Is tho machinery for
Its realization and Is vital only as It
expresses and embodies It
8afety at 8ea.
An International congress for the
discussion of all questions that affect
safety at sea Is now sitting In London
at tho suggestion of our own govern
ment. So soon ns tho conclusions of
that congress can bo learned and con
sidered wo outfit to addross ourselves,
among other things, to tho prompt
alleviation of tho very unsafe, unjust
and burdensome conditions which noi
surround tho employment of sailors
nnd render It oxtromoly difficult to
obtain tho services of spirited nnd
compotent men such as ovcry ship
needs If It Is to bo safely handled
nnd brought to port.
May I not express tho very real
pleasure I havo experienced In co
operating with this congress and shar
ing with It tho labors of common
servlco to which It has devoted Itself
so unreservedly during tho past seven
months of uncomplaining concentra
tion upon the buslnoss of legislation?
Surely It la a proper nnd pertinent
part of my roport on "tho stato of tho
Union" to oxpresa my ndmlrntloh for
tho diligence, the good tompor, and
the full comprehension of public duty
which has already boon manifested
by both tho hoiiBes; nnd I hopo thnt
It may not bo deemed an Impertinent
Intrusion of myself into tho picture If
I say with how much and how con
stant satisfaction I havo availed my
self of the prlvllogo of putting my
tlmo and enorgy tt their disposal
alike In counsel and In action.
WnoljgiiW"
LANDIS FOR GOOD HAIR TONIC
JR jv rV ItHHJH
realized what was coming and tried to cover tholr heads with tholr hands.
"I was about to appoint a commlttco of two to mnko a tost of It," said
tho judgo, "but If you aren't Buro I won't."
Both tho nttornoys sighed with relief, while tho dignity of tho United
Stntos district court was broken for n momont by a modulated titter of
laughtor. ' .
TWO SUMMERS
"Francis Br Snyro, Adventurer,"
might well bo the tltlo of a stirring
novel of tho out-of-doors describing
tho two thrilling summers which tho
husband of tho president's daughter
Jessie spent on tho Labrador coast
holplng Dr. Wilfred T. Grenfoll In his
wonderful work of assisting tho for
lorn fishermen of that bleak and ice
bound roglon.
Tho presIdont'B son-in-law Is ono of
those young collogo graduates of grit
nnd stamina who havo beon honored s
by being allowed to net ns assistants
to tho famous English missionary
physician. Another member of tho,
baud of atom nnd tried young mon
who form tho Qronfoll nlumnl is Dr.
Scovlllo Clark, onco a Yalo wrestlor,
who officiated as one of the ushors
at Mr. Sayro's wedding at tho Whlto
Houbo In Washington.
A study of Mr. Sayro shows In him
moro tho characteristics of Theodoro
Roosovelt than of Woodrow wiinnn
Ho comb neB tho lnlonso Interest in tho affairs of tho human raco with a lovo
of tho wilds which marked Mr. Taft's prodecessor. But to got him to talks of
his hairbreadth escapes that 1b nltogothor a different mntter.
"Oh, yes, I went to Labrador for two summers with Dr. Grenfoll workod
on board tho Stratcona, ono of tho doctor's ships did hospital work mostly
kopt protty .busy."
"But, Mr. Snyro, didn't you havo some adventures? Didn't you over Imvo
your boat upset In tho ley water, or got lost In the wild back country?"
"Well, onco we ran out of food In Newfoundland. Wo had a protty hungry
time, but wo got out all right." uuSry
WHAT THE "A"
Knowing of tho high rogard In which
tho president holds Mr Palmer, many politicians havo sought tho Pennsyl
vania's aid In seeking offlco.
.......
METEORIC MR. MITCHEL
Tho young man who complains of a
lack of opportunities theso days should
look Into tho career of .lohn Purroy
Mltcholl. At thirty-four. ho Is mayor
of tho greatest city In tho nation. And
tho girl who thinks tho opportunities
nro fewer should look up Mrs. John
Purroy MItchol. At twenty-four sho
Is tho wlfooftho mnyor of tho great
est city In tho nation,
Suroly, thoro isn't anything In tholr
mutunl triumph to prove that opportu
nities nro any scarcor than they used
to bo. When a young man travels tho
road from obscurity to tho mayoralty
of tho greatest city In six yonrs tho
dlstanco through tho governorship to
tho presidency Is comparatively short.
Tho caroor of Theodoro Hoo3ovelt Il
lustrates that, nnd John Purroy Mich
el has Just as good a start as Theodoro
Roosovelt had.
Soon after John Purroy MItchel was
graduated from Columbia Law school,
at twonty-ono. ho became tho 1unlm-
member of tho law firm of Mullnn, Cobb & MItchel, and Now York never
heard of him until April 22, 1S07, when he was appointed commissioner of,'
accounts becauso a lnwyor was needed on tho Job. An Investigation of tho
ofllco of Borough President Ahearn of tho Ilronx was necessary; tho law did
not provldo for tho employment of nn attorney by tho commissioner of ac
counts, bo MItchol was named as commissioner, by Mayor McClollan andi
thlngB began to happen tho very next minute.
AlllCilOl Was UOm In thO Bronx. Ho
Purroy, tho Tammany boBO of tho Bronx when Croker was tho big chic
Tammany.
- V
Tho sunlight which stronmed in
Judge Landls' Chicago court tho oth
er day fell upon tho shiny, hairless
heads of Assistant United States At
torney Harry Park In nnd Attorney
Francis J. Houlihan Judgo Landls
frowned ns tho wheels of justlco Jog
ged onward sluggishly. -
Finally thero came a rift In tho mel
ancholy court. Ivan Wldo, 507 North
Center nvonuo, had Just pleaded guilty
to n chargo of sending prohibited
drugs through tho malls.
"I'm not making thoso drugs any
moro, Judgo," ho pleaded. "I'm mak
ing hnlr tonic now."
A gleam of Interest fllckorcd Into
tho court'B oyos. Ho looked shnrply
at tho two lawyers nnd tho smooth
domes upon which tho sun fell so lov
ingly. "Will It grow hair?" ho asked Wldo.
"Sometimes," faltered tho defend
ant, "but In extreme casos "
Both Mr. Parkin and Mr. Houlihan
IN LABRADOR
STANDS FOR
Tho "A" In A. Mitchell Palmer
Btands for Aloxandor. If you Bhould
happen to wander through tho quiet
town of Stroudsburp, Pa., you will seo
a llttlo two-story framo structure near
tho mnln stroot and on tho door load
ing to the second floor you will notice
a vory small sign reading, "A. Mitchell
Palmer, Lawyer." Thero aro a lot of
pooplo In Pennsylvania who think Mr,
Palmer Is ono of tho brlghtost men
that atnto has turned out Ho Is a
member of congress,
Prosldcnt Wilson offerod tho secre
tary of wnr to him, but Mr.. Palmer
declined becauso ho Is a Quakor and,
as such, opposed to war. Ho would
llko to havo had tho attorney general
ship. Thoro is no doubt that Mr. Palmer
was somewhat chagrined at not being
mado attorney general, but that has
all worn off, and tho president today
has no moro ardent admirer.
WAS a nnnhnw nf Mm ntn ITnnrv -
i
Axty
Be
