The Alaska citizen., 1912-09-09

''' l."''it' sit sili
 These three reforms. the popular election of senators. the presidential primaries. and publicity will in them. selves. reFolutionize American poli- ti.s and put the people in control of the federal government
 Governor Wilson devotes consider ahl" time to the tariff question Al ter announcing that There should ho an immediate revision" and that it should be downward unhestat- ingly and steadily downward" he proceeds to point out the lines along which reduction should proceed He says that it should begin with the schedules which have been rlost obviously used 10 kill competition and to raise prices in the United States. arbitrarily with regard to the piiccs pertaining elsewhere in the markets of the world. and that "bcforc ii is finished or intermittea il should extend to every item in every schedule which affords any opportunity for monopoly. for spec ial advantage 10 limited groups of Joncficiarics or for subsidized con, .rol of any kird in the markets of the country until special favor of every source shall have been ab- solutcN withdrawn and every part f our laws of taxation shall have been transformed into a system of so,rrmeutal patronage into sys- tenn of just and reasonable charges which shall fall where they wil .learc the least burden" When We shall have done this. he contin- ucs, "c can fix questions of revenue and business adjustment in a new spirit and with clear minds.
 This is a very strong statement of the Democratic position and will commend itself to those who seek the overthrow of the doctrine that
 protection should be given for pro- tpctiun's sake and the establishment of the doctrine that tariff laws should be framed for the purposes of rajsiu" reycEues and for that pur- pose only. He recognizes. and in a-a speech uc,llres. that there has been 10 more demoranzing influence In eur politics than the idea that the government is the grand dis 4sHsrr Of faEors. the maker and un- maker Of fortunes" and he tersely presents the automatic truth that ia. tors are never conceived in the general interest, but always for the aeHelit of the few.
 While planning himself firmly up on the principle that tariff laws should be framed for the purpose of collecting revenue, be so framed as to collect revenue with the least hardship and be carried no further than the necessity of the govern '''' ''' i'i'''7 li' "pbicN'S ol tIt platform declaration that reductions should be made gradually rather han at one stroke.
 Governor Wilson deals at some length With the trust question also. He states the conclusions which can BOW be drawn from experience and asserts an economic truth, namely, that while up to certain point, combinations effect economies in ad- ministration and increase efficiency by simplifying and perfecting or sanilation, still that this is true only within limits. It is fortunate for the discussion of the subject that ne points out that combination and concentration are not economically beneficial when carried too far. The trust magnates assume that bil. lion dollar corporation can produce more economically than a fifty mil lion dollar corporation, merely be. cause a fifty million dollar corpora ! ion may be able to produce more l economically than q fifty thousand 1 dollar corporation. The Socialist makes the same mistake Both over i look the fact that there is a leak at each step in tbe descent of au- 1 thority from the official head of | the concern down to the hand of 1 the workman and that, in time, the i total leakage overcomes whatever l economic advantage there would