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Show THE MESSAGE V 1 1 1 1 111 - , , The. Chicago Daily .Tribune discusses the President's message in what w,e consider a sane manner. We differ dif-fer with the Tribune, however, on the matter of the Cummins resolution for a senate committee. The committee com-mittee to which the resolution wrts referred .has now unaniously rejected it, which is wise. Senator. Borah's resolution for open discussion is better. The Chicago daily's editorial is as follows: t "The president's address to congress is in large part an eloquent review of Ameriacn 'tiChievement in this world war. It expresses with th' felicity to which his public utterances have accustomed us what is in the American Am-erican mind and heart in these epochal days of victory, our gratitude and admiration for the heroism and devo-ition devo-ition of our soldiers and sailors, as veil as that honorable satisfaction which without immodesty may be felt by those who in multifarious services at home supported the magnificent performance of our men at the front. It is as thrilling, a nepic story, the nobility and significance signi-ficance of which wll show forth in larger outlines to posterity pos-terity than to us who lived through it. But it is. well for us to ponder it.and to gain such strength and inspiration as it can give us to meet confidently and wisely the du- ties and responsibilities before us. If there are reservations reserva-tions in the president's review,' we may pass tliem by on '"suh an occasion without putting thorn forever out of our thought or refusing finally to weigh them in our assay of things accomplished and things left undone. We have 1 earned our moment of glory. I In respect to the president's concrete suggestions there will be differences of opinion. The proposal re-'specting re-'specting the treaty with Colombia, if it is to be accepted as approval of the plan Mr. Bryan for what was in effect ja confession of wrongdoing, will be most emphatically ' opposed oh the best of grounds. We have no such confession confes-sion to make and we do net think congress will permit itself it-self to make il. r The recommendation as to the, taxation for 1920 is somewhat modified and will be given, doubtless careful consideration by congress. That t&udung upon the disposition dis-position of the railroads is of broad character and, in our opinion, essentially wise. The questions involved are complex and difficult and call for thorough investigation and ripe consideration. The president has done well to urge an immediate beginning of such investigation and consderation and we trust congress will lose no time in takng action in accordance with his advice. There Is no problem of reconstruction with which it is more necessary neces-sary for congress to deal informedly, farsightedly, and as promptly as possible to careful consideration. Our railroad rail-road policy has been disgracefully and injuriously incomplete, incom-plete, with a result serious to the prosperity of all classes of the. country. Nothing is more essential to that prosperity pros-perity than an efficient system of transportation. With i our years of experience, culminating in that of the war, i we ought to be able to evolve now a proper policy which shall be beneficial to the public and just to the millions who are interested directly or indirectly in the railroads as property. I The. president's statement as "o the purpose of his i journey to the peace conference is of a general nature, land does not attempt to answer the objections raised 1 against the departure. We see no reason at this time to 1 discuss these objections, inasmuch as his course is deter-I deter-I mined upon and comment would be futile. We sincerely hope that the president's presence in Paris will assist the I evolution of a peace which shall subserve the legitimate I interests of our country and advance the cause of international inter-national accord to which all America is devoted. The i problems he will encounter are momentous and we could i wish he had been minded to assure for himself a weightier weight-ier and more representative counsel than he has seen fit to provide. In the absence of this counsel we trust the senate, acting in wise preparation for the exercise of its , own conclusive duty of ratification, will take steps to 'provde itself with information through such committee as Senator Cummins has proposed. We do not think this ,iieed he taken in any sense a mark of want of confidence I in the president but only as a necessary provision for the faithful performance of a duty imposed upon the coordinate coor-dinate branch of the government. "We also believe that congress should ake appropriate appro-priate action for the organization of agencies of reconstruction. recon-struction. The proposal of-the president to allow present .agencies to preside over the critical and complicated con- ditions which we already are involved is neither reassuring reassur-ing nor safe." . -, h ,.,. 9 |