Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1913-04-11
PRESIDENT
DELIVERS
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M @SE HHBEEA -,
& n IA ~ n EH sW<A7t4 Va -. +Ta
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MESSAGE:

9EmS~0 ASS&D
r, y A"}t -" i
schedules have remained what they
were before the change began or have
moved in the direction they were Civ
en- when no large circumstance Of our
industrial development was what it is
today. Our task is to square them
with the actual facts. The sooner that
is done 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
1.-THE nature of free business) instead
Of by the law Of legislation and arti'
fetal arrangement.
How Tariff Has Grown.
We have seen tariff legislation wan.
der very far afield in our day-very far
indeed from the field in which our
prosperity might have had a normal
growth and stimulation. No one who
looks the facts squarely in the face or
knows anything that lies beneath the
surface of action 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 industries Of the
country and moved boldly forward to
the Idea that they were entitled to the
direct patronage of the government
For long time-a time so long that
the men now active In public policy
hardly remember the conditions that
preceded tive have, sought in our
tariff schedules to give each group OF
manufacturers or producers what they
themselves thought that they needed
in order to maintain a practically ex.
elusive market as against the rest OF
the world. Consciously or unconscious
~ we have built up set OF privileges
and exemptions from competition be
mind which it was easy by any. even
the crudeSt. forms or combination t.
orynnizr monopoly. until at last moth
lug is normal. nothing is obliged t."
stand the tests ot efficiency and econo
my. III our world or big business. but
everythin. thrlves by concerted ar
rangcment. Only new principles OF
action will save us from Il final bard
disqualification OF monopoly and com
plete loss OF the Influences that quick
en- enterprise and keep independent en-
ergy alive.
Must Abolish Privilege.
1t is plain what those principles must
be- We must abolish everything that
bears even the semblance OF privilege
or of any kind of artificial advantage
and put our business men and pro
! ducers under the stimulation Of con-
slant necessity to be efficient, econom-
zeal and enterprising, masters Of CON-
petitiye supremacy, better workers and
merchants than any in the world.
Aside from the duties laid upon arti-
:les 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 tariff duties hence
| eortb laid must be effective Compel
don, the whethng Of American wits by
contest with the wits Of the rest Of the
world.
| 1t would be unwise to move toward
this end headlong. with reckless haste
or with strokes that cnt at the very
roots of what has grown up among
| us by long process and at our own in
vitation. It does not alter thing to
upset ;it3and break it and deprive 1t Of
a chance to change. 1t destroys 1t.
We must make changes in our fiscal
laws, in our fiscal system. whose OBJ
h ject As development, a more free and
wholesome development, not revolution
or upset or confusion. We must build
l up trade. especially foreign trade. We
need the outlet and the enlarged field
of energy more than we ever did be
fore. We must build up industry as
well and must adopt freedom in thu
place Of artificial stimulation only 81
far as it will build. not pull down. Ii
dealing with the tariff the method by
which this may be done will be mat
Il ter of judgment, exercised item b,
n item, To some not accustomed to Thu
II excitements and responsibilities o
II gre alter freedom our methods may i,
some res poets and at some points seen
4 heroic, but remedies may be heroi
II and yet be- remedies. It Is our bust
ness to make sure that they are gem
inc remedies. Our object is clear. l
our motive is above just challeng
and only9an occasional error of judg
ment is chargeable against US we shal
be fortunate. Nj. = 551, NJ: II z e. {.
Thorough, but Moderate.
aI We are called upon to render th
country a great service In more mai
tiers than one. Our responsibility