The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-04-10
WILSON WOULD NOT
DISTURB BUSINESS
Presidents Message Asks fo-
Gradual Reduction Of
Tariff Duties.

washington. April 8.-President
Woodrow Wilson today communicated
his first message to the Sixty third
congress, convened in extraordinary
session. 1t was an unusually brief doc
ument, dealing exclusively with the
need for a thorough, moderate and well
considered revision Of the tarif. The
president drew attention to the neces-
sity for an early reform in the bank
ing n currency laws, but refrained,
ne SAID, from urging, for the present,
an other legislation that might divert
M energies Of congress from Its
clearly defined duty toward the tariff
question. =
Outlines His Views.
The message referred to no particu-
lar schedule, mentioned no rates, and
included no statistics. 1t was an enun-
citation Of the presidents principles on
tariff revision. His specific views and
Ideas az to rates and duties, 1t has been
generally accepted. will be contained
In the tariff bill itself, which he is now
considering In detail. The presidents
decision to put the weight of the ad-
m~inistration's influence behind the bill
with Its various schedules as drawn by
the house ways and means committee,
caused him to omit specific reference to
tarin rates until the measure was final
~ agreed upon in the opening days Of
the present session.
+ Cut Out Privilege.
The message urged that special priv
lese and exemptions from competition
be cut out OF the nations tarfff sys-
tenn and that the revision be made ito
square with the facts as they are" At
the outset, the president called atten-
uon to the party's pledge for tariff re-
duction.
The message in full follows:
TO the Senate and House of Representa-
yves: 1 nave called the congress together
IN eIaraordinary session because a duty
was laid upon the party now in power al
recent elections which IL ought to per-
FORM promptly, in order that the burden
Carried py the people under existing law
In order also. that the business interests
OF the country may not be kept too long
IN suspense as TO what the fiscal changes
are 70 be to which they will be required
TO adjust themselves, 1t IL clear to the
whole country that the tariff duties must
De altered. They must be changed to
meet the radical alteration In the condi-
try has Witnessed within the last genera
ton. While the whole face and method Of
our industrial n commercial life wefo
oeing changed beyond recognition the
were before the change began, or have
moved In the direction, they were given
when no large circumstances OF our In
dustrial Development was what it is to-
day. Our task Is to square them with
the actual facts. The sooner that 10 lone
the sooner we shall escape from suffering
from the facts and the sooner our men Of
business will be free to thrive by the law
of nature (the nature of free b~usiness) In
stead or by the law Of legislation and arti-
hcial arrangement.
Wandered Far Afisld.
+ We have seen tariff legislation wander
very far afield in our day-yery far In
deed from the field in which our pros
perity might have had a normal growth
and stimulation. No one who looks the
facts squarely In the face or knows any
tion can fail to perceive the principles
upon which recent tariff legislation has
been based. We long ago passed beyond
the modest notion of protecting the in
forward to the idea that they were en-
titled to the direct patronage of the gov
rnment For u long time--a time so long
that the men now active In public policy
hardly remember the conditions that pre-
coded tive have sought In our tariff
schedules to give each group Of manufac-
turers or producers what they themselves
maintain a practically exclusive market
as against the rest Of the world. Con-
sciously or unconsciously, we have built
up a set Of privileges and exemptions
from competition behind which 1t was
easy by any, even the crudest, forms Of
combination to organize monopoly; until
at last nothing il normal, nothing ts
obliged to stand the tests of efficiency m
but everything thrives by concerted ar
rangement. Only new principles OF action
will save us from q. final hard crystalliza-
influences that quicken enterprise and
keep Independent energy alive
Demands Competition.
1t is plain what those principles must be.
We must abolish everything that bears
ever the semblance Of privilege or Of any
kind Of artificial advantage. and put our
business men n producers under the
stimulation Of a constant necessity to be
efficient, economical and enterprising,
masters Of competitive supremacy, better
world. Aside from the duties laid upon
articles which we do not, and probably
cannot produce, therefore. and the duties
laid upon luxuries and merely for the
SAKE OF the revenues they yield, the object
of the taft duties henceforth laid must
be effective competition. the whetting or
American wits by contest with the Wits Oh
the rest OF the world.
II would be unwise to move toward this
end headlong, with reckless haste, or with
strokes that cut at the very roots or what
has grown UP amongst us by long process
and at our own Invitation. 1t does not
alter a thing to upset II and break 1t and
deprive 1t Of a chance to change 1t de-
stroys it: We must make make changes IN m, our
object is development, a more f@ee and
wholesome development, not revolution or
unset or confusion. We must build up
trade, especially foreign trade. We need
the outlet and the enlarged field of energy
more thar we ever DID before. We must
build up industry as well. and must adopt
freedom In the place OF artificial stimu-
lation only so far as 1t will build, not
null down. In dealing with the tariff
method by which this may be done will
be a matter Of judgment, exercised item
by Item. To some not accustomed to the
settlements and responsibilities OF great
err freedom our methods may In some re-
spects and at some points seem heroic. but
remedies may be heroic and yet be RENE
dies. 1t Is our business to make sure that
they are genuine remedies. Our object Is
clear. If our motive Is above just chal-
lenge and only a. occasional error OF
Judgment is c~hargeable against US, we
shall be fortunate.
Currency Comes Next.
We are called upon to render the coun-
try a great service in more matters than
one. Our responsibility should be met and
our methods hould be thorough, as thor
ough as moderate and well considered,
based upon the facts as they are, and not
worked out az II we were beginners. We
are to deal with the facts Of our own
dow With tho facts OF no other. and to