The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-08

the administration has been successful or not in that respect. IL is certain that there has been no revolutionary improvement in business that can be described as such, and as a mathemati- cal proposition a fresh start toward permanent advancement will have to be age of the year.
 Tariff Law as Factor
 The tariff law was the first depress- ing factor, first in the agitation for the tariff revision, which was in reality the most important feature of the years entire record. Complaint Is now heard that the law as at present con- stituted is defective in many respects and will have to undergo considerable reconstruction before 1t Is satisfactory or efficacious. The palapable results so far in America have been to reduce production in nearly every industrial field, to force letting down. in prices and a curtailment in the number of working men hitherto employed%n the manufacturing lines. Wages have been cut where the unions do not control, and elsewhere the issue of labor and wages has been settled by decreasing hours and apportioning the work &C., cording to the old payrolls. The tax therefore falls on the entire working force instead of dividing it among reduced number of employees.
 That arrangement seems to have been fairly satisfactory, but 1t isn't as good as full time and full wages. Esti
 mates of all kinds have been made as to the extent of the loss so far in wages and in the value of manufac
 tured products. These estimates ap- praise the shrinkage in business and labor at S2,000,000 to s4,000.000 day on the wage account-equal to SIP,
 000.000 to $20,000,000 loss every 24 hours. These are huge figures but the statisticians seem to be men of expe- rience and ability. It will thus be seen that the experiment of revision is not what was hoped for. The sug- gestions that are now heard are for revision of the new law in many par ticulars and such legislation as will place foreign and American competition
 on a more even plane from the home viewpoint. That means an extension of period of political and manufac- turing confusion in the United States which may extend through years
 Let Clean Test Be Made
 There is fairness among all classes the benefit of a clean, clear test of the experimental legislation put through Congress under the leadership of the President, who made himself personally as well as officially respon- sible for the management. From a strictly business standpoint the expe- riment thus far has not been what might be called a great success. That fact has brought about something of a change of front on the part of the President It 's not an easy job for amateur workmen to make a perfect job the first time and that is the con- dition of the country now. Personally Mir. Wilson has probably increased his popularity. As the self-appointed d. rector of the greatest business insti- tuition in the world about which intl- | mate knowledge is a necessary factor | it would have been strange indeed if mistakes had not been made A ma | jority of the Presidents advisers have not enjoyed the variety of experience needed for the guaranteeing of the best results. The calibre of the cabinet and their advisers does not inspire un- broken confidence in their ability to I put out the highest class of work in | specialties with which they might have | lacked in detail qualification. But this | is situation which could not we'll have | been avoided. There was very little | fully equipped talent available for the full discharge of duties of hundreds ol | | tlemen in whom there was excuse for oversights and omissions.- There re- ] mains three years in which to complete perfect machinery.
 ] Although few will admit it. much of
 the nervousness is still here that orig | inally tended to paralyze enterprise
 and inaugurate condition of enforced 1 idleness throughout the land. Wash | ington and New York are still the | centers for the concentration and diff fusion of the new forces which the au- | thors were convinced will effect an
 ideal revolution in the country. Few l men are willing to concede that the public is disappointed in the president
 tial achievements thus far They are willing to give him credit for having done his level best and would like to ' see him win out. Beyond the ques- | tion, however mature men have their doubts. He has not as yet come up to expectations, although his entire hon l esty of purpose is admitted. There is | also honest willingness and desire that
 he contribute substantially to the ad yancement of the personal advantages of the 100, ,000.0 people within it's
 borders. At the same time he is not going to be spared criticism even from | his best friends if he falls radically
 short of expectations.
 1 It is undeniably true that while
 these experimental movements are in-
 complete in many essential details the patience of the audience may give out
 after a fair test of endurance. Opin- | ion is freely expressed that the Pres ident will eventually confirm the judg-
 ment of his friends when they put him I forward as the greatest man in tha | republic. As the case now stands
 however, a great many men of wealth and judgment are reiterating their de- termination to proceed with their own affairs with unbroken caution. They
 would denv any indictment that they
 were cowardly and destitute of true loyalty. They do not feel that the safety of the country demands that
 they take any more chances than they have to. Hence 1t is that business is slack and there Is a universal dispo-
 sition on the part of men of affairs to
 delay the taking of riskA
 Warm Elections This Fall
 The forthcoming congressional cleo.
 ton Is already beginning to engross at. | tention in the financial district as wei