The true northerner., 1897-01-13
Republican Interest in Business.

Republican Interest in Business.
Prom the St. Louis Globe Democrat
A better illustration could not pos
sibly be given of party's sincerity
of purpose than the republicans have
shown by the session of the ways
and means committee through the
holiday recess of their intention to
bring the industrial stagnation to an
end at the earliest practicable moment.
The republicans believe that perma-
nent financial improvement cannot
come until the present tariff is intel
ligently revised in all its principal
schedules so as to bring abundant
protection to all business interests
and at the same time afford ample
revenue to the government. These
two ends the republicans aim TO ac-
compllsh in the tariff bill which they
have started out to prepare.
OF necessity an important prellmi-
nary in the work of framing tariff
bill is hearing of representatives of
the interests which are to be affected
by the measure. Naturally they
are better acquainted with the con-
ditions governing their own lines
of business and the foreign competi-
tion to which they are subjected
than outsiders, however intelligent
and solicitous of obtaining knowledge
about them, can be. 1t is manifestly
fair that these interests should be al
lowed to state their case freely and
fully. Everybody, of course, knows
they will be biased to a greater or
less extent in their own favor. This
is human nature, and ample allow.
ance can be taken for this predispo-
sition. The personal equation here
can be approximately estimated and
and provided for with a reasonable
degree of discrimination on the part
of the committee.
The people should be warned be-
forehand against the assumption
that the republicans are going to be
guided implicitly by the counsel of
the protected interests. Everything
that these interests ask for is not to
be given to them. The committee
is expected by the republican party
to exercise its judgment in the mat
ter of duties in the light of the best
knowledge which is available. That
body, while keeping the concerns of
producers in view, must also bear the
interests of the consumers in mind.
1t is true the latter are so numerous
and so unused to acting in any sort
of concert that very few of them
ever get hearing by ways and
means committees, but the present
body will be looked to to give fair
consideration to the wishes of this
large and important class, whether
any of its representatives appear be-
fore the committee or not. Let no.
body presume that the trusts are GO
ing to get any favors from the re-
publican party. Monopolists belong
to all parties and nations, and the re-
publicans are under no special obi
cation to them, and never were. The
party knows the Importance of keep
ing itself free from the imputation of
favoritism toward them, and it can be
relied on to act discreetly in prepar-
ing its tariff bill. 1t is the intention
of the republicans to make their
measure as satisfactory to the coun-
try as possible, when the great num-
Der of conflicting interests are borne
in mind, and to make all the speed
compatible with due deliberation
in getting it into operation.
--------------
IF If were not u,lite so monoto