The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-26
MONEY UEABovE THE TARIFF.
So Says Andrew Carnegie. Who States TIN
Reason Why,

Before Andrew Carnegie. the iron
king, sailed for Europe Saturday, he was
interviewed by the Iron Age Journal
with the follw ing RESULT
@. What is the one thing needful for
this country?
A. The one thing needfnl, and
there is only one, is to settle the
question at homo and for the world
abroad that we are to tread the path of
honor and of good policy; that is, that
the dollar Of the republic shall mean 81
in gold worth its face in any part of the
world. This is to be done by subordinat-
ing all other issues to that. Sink parties;
no man should be either Republican or
q Democrat; but patriot, and insist
that this coming campaign shall settle
for all time the question of a standard of
value in this country.
@. Do you attribute the great depres-
sions and panics that have occurred in
the last few years to the agitation for a
reduction In the standard of value?
A. I do, AL other causes combined
AttfO uOU lsACDGSd bl0 COuEUEy W uli5 GA
tent that this has. 1t is fundamental;
nothing is settled uuless this is settled,
and no genuine prosperity is possible.
Capital at home, equally with capital
abroad, has become alarmed. 1t has run
into its hole, and will not come forth to
embark in enterprises which create pros
perity until it is settled that the Ameri-
Can people borrowing 81 in gold will re-
turn 81, and not seek to defraud its credi-
tor by returning dollar worth only so
cents.
Q. What about the tariff?
A. Well, I agree with George B.
Roberts, president of the Pennsylvania
railroad, who is typical man of affairs
of this country, and, indeed, of the
world, since he is at the head of the larg
est organization and gives employ mont
to more labor than any other man. l
agree with him when he says that the
tariff can wait. But, although this be
true, revenue cannot wait. The first
duty of the coming Congress is to IN.
crease the import duties on luxuries of
the rioh-fne woolens. fine silks, fine
linens, old wines, rare china, and the
thousand such articles, not one of whic b
the poor man uses. Another point is to
change this advalorem for specific duty.
The United States government loses one
third of the duties which it assumes to
levy. Honest men are driven out of bust
ness: it is fast coming into the hands of
scoundrels who Will swear to anything.
Give me gold and l will give you pros
perity, is what can truly be said. Until
this there can be none.
@, What do 20 think of the prospects
of this iron trade?
A. A great disappointment has come
upon US. l think most people looked for
a repetition of the conditions Of last
year. I confess that I did not. There
has been something like paralysis in the
last two months. No wonder capital,
the root Of all enterprise, is alarmed. If
capital is alarmed, capital will not ID
vest. Proposed railway building and
manufactures have been postponed.
Capital must first find whether the gold
dollar is to come back. Therefore there Is
paralysis. With sound gold platforms
candidates, change will come over the
scene. Every condition but one favors
prosperity, and that is the pernioious
agitation for q lower standard of value.
We have good crops, the world wants our
products, and the country has baen econ
! oInical for some years; the only obstacle
to the return of prosperity, genuine, per-
manent prosperity, is this question of
| standard of value.
90. Surprising that good gold platforms
and gold candidates were adopted. what
is the first step for Congress to take?
A. Although it is true that the agi-
tation for change of standard is at the
root of all the trouble, yet it is to be re-
membered that the fact that the govern
ment revenues were not sufficient to pay
it's expenses operated on the imagination
of many, and caused run upon our gold
which would not otherwise have occurred
Therefore, the first step, because it is the
easiest, is to increase the revenue Of the
government. That will have some good
effect. 10 will be salye for the irritating
sore, but it will not cure the poison III
the blood.