Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-04-08
TARIFF Is
SUBJECT OF
The MESSAGE
President Wilson Says Party
Promised to Tighten Bur-
den Of the People
SEES URGENT
NEED OF REFORM
BY The United Press.

sentatives;
have called the congress together
in extraordinary session because
duty was laid upon the party now in
power at the recent elections which 1t
ought to perform promptly in order
that the burden carried by the people
under existing law may be lightened
as soon as possible and In order. also,
that the business interests OF the coun-
try may not be kept too long in sus-
pense as to what the fiscal changes
are to be to which they will be requlr-
ed to adjust themselves IL is clear
to the whole country that the tariff
duties must be altered. They must be
changed to meet the radical alteration
In the conditions OF our economic life
which the country has witnessed with
IN the last generation While the
whole face and method OF our indus
trial and commercial life were being
changed beyond recognition the tariff
schedules have remained what they
were before the change began or have
moved In the direction they we're Civ
en- when no large circumstance Of our
Industrial development was what II Is
today. Our task is 70 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
(the nature OF free businessi instead
OF by the law Of legislation and arti-
fcial arrangement.
How Tariff Has Grown.
We have seen tariff legislation wan
der very far afeld 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 a long time-a time so long that
the men now active in public policy
hardly remember the conditions that
preceded tive have sought I'm our
tariff schedules 70 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 a set OF privileges
and exemptions from competition be-
hind which 1t was easy by any. even
the crudest. forms Of combination 10
organize monopoly. until at last moth
ing is normal. nothing is obliged to
stand the tests Of efficiency and econo-
my. in our world Of big business. but
everything thrives by concerted ar
rnngement. Only new principles OF
action will save us from a final hard
specialization Of monopoly and COM
plete loss Of the influences that quick
en- enterprise and keep independent en-
ergy alive.
Must Abolish Privilege.
II is nIain 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 a con
slant necessity 10 be efficient, econom-
ical and enterprising masters OF COM
peutve supremacy, better workers and
merchants than any in the world.
Act I.s.I
cles which we do not and probably
cannot produce. therefore. and the
duties laid upon Injuries and merely
for the sake Of the revenues they yield.
the object Of the tariff duties hence
forth laid must be effective competi-
ton. the whetting of American wits by
contest with the wits Of the rest OF the
world
1t would be unwise TO move toward
a this end headlong. with reckless haste
or with strokes that cut at the very
roots Of what has grown up among
us by long process and at our own in
vitation. 1t does not alter a thing to
upset it and break il and deprive it OF
chance 10 change IL DESTROYS it,
We must make changes In our fiscal
laws. in our fiscal system. whose OBJ
ject is development. more free and
wholesome development. not revolution
or upset or confusion. We must build
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 the
place Of artificial stimulation only so
far as it viii build. not pull down. In
dealing with the tariff the method by
which this may be done will be a mat
ter Of judgment. exercised item by
Item. To some not accustomed TO the
excitements and responsibilities OF
greater freedom our methods NAV in
some respects and at some points seem
heroic. but remedies may be heroic
and yet be remedies. IL is our bust
ness TO make sure that they are genu-
Inc remedies. Our object is clear. II
our motive is above just challenge
and only an occasional error OF judg-
ment is chargeable against us we shall
be fortunate.
Thorough, but Moderate.
We are called upon to render the
country a great service In more mat
tiers than one. Our responsibility
should be met. and our methods should
be thorough. as thorough as moderate
aud well considered. based upon the