Before going into town to hear the returns, I write you my congratulations.  Even if you were defeated, I should still congratulate you on putting a Presidential campaign on a higher level than it has ever before reached since Washington’s time.  Your grip became firmer and your sweep wider every week.  It was inspiring to watch the unfolding of the deep meaning of it and to see the people’s grasp of the main idea.  It was fairly, highly, freely, won, and now we enter the Era of Great Opportunity.  It is hard to measure the extent or the thrill of the new interest in public affairs and the new hope that you have aroused in thousands of men who were becoming hopeless under the long-drawn-out reign of privilege.

     To the big burden of suggestions that you are receiving, may I add
     these small ones?

     1.  Call Congress in extra session mainly to revise the tariff and
     incidentally to prepare the way for rural credit societies.

Mr. Taft set the stage admirably in 1909 when he promptly called an extra session; but then he let the villain run the play.  To get the main job in hand at once will be both dramatic and effective and it will save time.  Moreover, it will give you this great tactical advantage—­you can the better keep in line those who have debts or doubts before you have answered their importunities for offices and for favours.

The time is come when the land must be developed by the new agriculture and farming made a business.  This calls for money.  Every acre will repay a reasonable loan on long time at a fair interest rate, and group-borrowing develops the men quite as much as the men will develop the soil.  It saved the German Empire and is remaking Italy.  And this is the proper use of much of the money that now flows into the reach of the credit barons.  This building up of farm life will restore the equilibrium of our civilization and, besides, will prove to be one half the solution of our currency and credit problem. . . .

2.  Set your trusted friends immediately to work, every man in the field he knows best, to prepare briefs for you on such great subjects and departments as the Currency, the Post Office, Conservation, Rural Credit, the Agricultural Department, which has the most direct power for good to the most people—­to make our farmers as independent as Denmark’s and to give our best country folk the dignity of the old-time English gentleman—­this expert, independent information to compare with your own knowledge and with official reports.

3.  The President reads (or speaks) his Inaugural to the people.  Why not go back to the old custom of himself delivering his Messages to Congress?  Would that not restore a feeling of comradeship in responsibility and make the Legislative branch feel nearer to the Executive?  Every President of our time has sooner or later got away with Congress.