The Prescott daily news., 1913-04-08

perceive the principles upon whici 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 or the government. For a long time a time 80 long that the men now active In public policy hardly remember the conditions that preceded tive have sought Tn our tariff schedules to give each group of manufacturers or pro- du%rs what they themselves thought that they needed in order to maintain practically exclusive market as against the rest of the world. Consciously or unoonsciously, we have built up set of privileges and exemptions from competition be- hind which 1t was easy by any, even the crudest, forms of combination to organize monopoly; until at last noth- ing Is normal, nothing Is obliged to stand the tests of efficiency and econ omy, In our world of big business. but everything thrives by concerted ar rangement. Only new principles of action will save us from a final hard specialization of monopoly and a complete loss of the influences that quicken enterprise and keep inde- pendent energy alive.
 W N1o must be. We must abolish everything that bears even the semblance of priv ilege or of any kind of artificial ad- vantage, and put our business men and producers under the stimulation of constant necessity to be efficient, economical, and enterprising. masters of competitive supremacy, better workers and merchants than any in the 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 tariff tu- ties henceforth laid must be effective competition. the whetting of Ameri- can wits by contest with the wits of the rest of the world.
 Development Not Revolution.
 It would be unwise to move toward this end headlong, with reckless haste, or with strokes that cut at the very roots of what has grown up amongst us by long process and at our own invitation. It does not alter a thing to upset 1t and break it and deprive 1t of a chance to change. It destroys it. We must make changes in our fiscal laws, in our fiscal system. whose object is development. a more free and wholesome development, not revolution or upset or confusion We must build up trade. especially for eign trade. We need the outlet and the enlarged field of energy more than we ever did before We must build up industry as we'll and must adopt freedom in the place of arti- fcial stimulation only so far as 1t will build. not pull down. In dealing with the tariff the method by which this may be done will be matter of judg- ment, exercised item by item.
 To some not accustomed to the ex. elements and responsibilities of greater freedom our methods may ill some respects and at some points seem heroic, but remedies may be heroic and yet be remedies. It is our business to make sure that they are genuine remedies. Our object is clear If our motive Is above just challenge and only an occasional error of judg- ment Is chsrgeable against us, We shall be fortunate.
 We are called upon to render the country great service in more mat ters than one. Our responsibility should be met and our methods should be thorough. as thorough as moderate and we'll considered. based upon the facts as they are. and not worked out as If we were beginners. We are to deal with the facts of our own day, with the facts of no other. and to make laws which square with those facts. It Is best, indeed 1t is neces- sary to begin with the tariff. will urge nothing upon you now at the opening of your session which can ob- scure that first object or divert our energies from that clearly defined duty. At later time l may take the liberty of calling your attention to re- forms which should press close upon the heels of the tariff changes, If not accompany them, of which the chief is the reform of our banking and cur