Arizona republican., 1909-12-08

from the laws and the practice under
 them of any foreign country of thai 1 which is unduly discriminatory. Nc one is seeking tariff war or con- dition in which the spirit of retaliation shall be aroused.
 Uses of the New Tariff Board.
 The new tariff law enables me to appoint a tariff board to assist me in connection with the department of state in the administration of the maximum and minimum clause of the 1 act and also to assist officers of the 1 government in the administration Of the entire law. An examination Of the 1 law and an understanding of the na- ture of the facts which should be con- sidered in discharging the functions i imposed upon the executive show that : have the power to direct the tariff board to make a comparative glossary and encyclopedia of the terms used and articles embraced in the tariff law and to secure information as to the cost of production of such goods in this country and the cost of their production in foreign countries I have therefore appointed tariff board con sisting of three members and have di- rected them to perform all the duties above described. This work will per haps take two or three years and l ask from congress d continuing annual appropriation equal to that already made for it's prosecution. l believe that the work of this board will be Of prime utility and importance when ever congress shall deem it wise again 10 readjust the customs duties If the facts secured by the tariff board are of such q character as to show generally that the rates of duty i'm posed by the present tariff law are excessive under the principles of pro- tection adopted in the platform of sie successful party at the late election. l shall not hesitate to invite the atten- Of congress to this fact and to the ne- cessity for action predicated therein. Nothing. however. halts business and interferes with the course of prosper ity so much as the threatened revi- sion of the tariff. and until the facts are at hand, after careful and deliber- ate investigation, upon which such re- vision can properly be undertaken. 1t seems to me unwise 10 attempt II. The amount of transformation that crops into arguments pro and con in respect to tariff rates is such as to require the kind of investigation that l have directed the tariff board to make, an investigation undertaken by il wholly without respect to the effect which the facts may have in calling for readjustment of the rates of duty.
 War Oepartment
 In the interest of immediate econ omy and because of the prospect ot deficit, I have required a reduction in the estimates of the war department for the coming fiscal year. which brings the total estimates down 10 an amount $45,OOO, 900 less than the core spending estimates for last year. This could only be accomplished by cutting off new projects and suspending Tor the period of one year all progress in military matters. For the same req son I have directed that the army shall be recruited up to its present authorized strength. These measures can hardly be more than temporary to last until our revenues are in bet ter condition and until. the whole ques- ton of the eXpediency of adopting a definite military policy can be sub mitted to congress. for l am sure that the interests of the military establish ment are seriously in need of careful consideration by congress. The laws regulating the organization of our armed forces in the event of war need to be revised in order that the organi- Zation can be modified so as to pro- duce a force which would be more apportioned throughout its numerous branches. To explain the upon which this opinion is based would necessitate lengthy discussion and I postpone it until the first convenient opportunity shall arise to send to congress q special message upon this subject.
 Promotion by Merit.
 The secretary of war calls attention to a number of needed changes in the army. in all of which I concur but the point upon which I place most en- phasis is the need for an elimination bill providing a method by which the merits of officers shall have some ef- feet upon their advancement and by which the advancement of all may be accelerated by the effective elimina- l, ton of a definite proportion Of the | least efficient There are in every 1 army, and certainly in ours. mum her of officers who do not violate their I