New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-14

AUGUSTUS VAN WICK
innumerable. Your patience and my voice would
both alike give out long before the TASK was
like adequacy even a few of the more important
branches of American commerce. II has come 10 TO
pass as YOU know, that our country Is now tho
greatest centre of industry and the chief PRODUCT
OF exports on the globe The evidences OF our Sea and
in the remotest hamlets OF every Slvin re, anu
land Our S See a ,sls our
are In demand in Europe. Asia and scum AIheIica;;
more than two-thirds OF the ola worn }o ,ho HIM
dance of our soil combined with the wen-aPpn nl
labor Of our husbandmen. the innsotS en- ,b iack
eral OF the chief nations would suHer lot the i"0h
OF food
MUST COEXIST WITHIN ITS BORDERS.
That a country shall be great commercially sew
eral things must coexist within its borders IL
must have the necessary natural resources 's
people must be skilfu and industrious: enterprise
must be fostered by just laws and the spur OF Tree
competition. and finally, as the very cornerstone
of the whole structure. the sense or lndiViuuai
honor must be sustained in full HE
venture TO affirm however. that something re-
mains TO be desired in these two particulars.
in respect TO just laws and the spur TO lIee
the many to the end that favorites may grow tat
as in the case under our so-caed protective 'atu
hands on the throat Of individual enterprise. the
spur OF free eompe tion Is blunted II not
ton evinced in certain quarters to dismiss the
Declaration OF independents as no onser app
modern society II is the foulest mockery Oh reasoi
the equality Of ali men before the law of the land
and in the next to applaud tarln SYSTEM t VIM ~
fattenng of select individuals. who have mastere9
the art of depraving all Federal government ana
directing new feuda,ism which purposes TO subdi-
vide the land into plutocratic dukedoms.
AS TO THE TARIFF.
In resnect to these matters citizens who think as
the founders OF the Republic did take their stand
firmly on the ground that equal before the ia"
means equality of industrial opportunity III so lar
as the action Of the Government is involved Inc
tariff has been one prolific source of monopoly ana
the monstrous misuse Of the franchise giving power
another. Our iron. steel. coal ana sugar t1 h
brought TO pass while in the consolidation OF our
railroads gas companies. electric ight eonpalies
we nave llustra lions OF what has been ana Is beng
accomplished under the legislative power TO nestow
valuable public rights upon private CORPORA iS ~
the correction of these farreaching evils II IL is 10
hold the allegiance OF ne masses neVe er
more urgent than 1t IL to-day and never before was
It less dsputabe than at this hour tha' no pe
"a me nrecess OF consolidating under the control
of 's Single indivduai natural or artificial Of the
various branches of the business OF KINDRED ma
fl will be but a short time when hve or six hum
6red corporate entities will control the entire man
ufacturng and mechanical industries OF TINS coun-
Try in number many times fewer than those en-
Gagged I'm similar business on their own account
WHOM this country had "A population of about three
and one-half millions and was struggling aSalns;
the mother country for poiica aan
suggest some sense OF aarm 10 me
seventy millions OF people will be excluded from
participation upon their own account in these
Of employees without the inspiring hope OF better
ing their condition by mental and physical alert
THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS"
When we are invited gentlemen. to find reasons
for the continued existence Of the Democratic
party we can ] am persuaded accommodate the
inquirer out OF the easily verified body Of facts
here called attention TO- ! do not go so far
TO say that there are no other questions OF large
significance 10 which the Democratic party In the
National fed ought TO give its best thought.
There are other questions; but If there be not in
these (of the tariff and of the trusts with their
death free competition and individual enterprise)
ground enough for a successful appeal 10 an en-
lightened people political experience in the United
There is another subject upon which | will
ture to say very few words though IT is to
merchants of the State Of New York IErefer to
The problem Of our, our STATE canals In doing this
sheraton If the city and State of New York
co cor s OF The Country the canes must be m
proved beyond any limit yet officially proposed
err OF enterprise they think It safe to leave
the State and metropolis at so manifest dsad,
upon make good port and Its auxiaries
what the canals lose has been proved In the most
unmsthkabe form. The statistics OF the port
prove that are not holding own with Can
ada in the matter OF lake traffic despite anything
that the railroads may have done and similarly
we find I'm the matter Of railroad transportation we
are for some purposes less happily situated than
several ports 10 the southwark.
Permit me also in this relation TO express the
belief that the course long pursued by the chief
railroad interests OF the State has been short
sighted The assumption has been that to kill the
canals would be a stroke OF excellent business for
the railroads. Because OF ihis every vicious po-
litical force disposed 10 prey upon the canals mas
10. improve them opposed A large view OF the sub
ject ought not 10 be impossible. The railroads ca
not do for the State the work OF efficient canals
with depth perhaps Of fifteen feet. and II Is
manifest that the general prosperity Of the State
cannot be impaired without detriment In the long
run 10 the chief railroad properties In any event
this IL plainly a matter of much concern to all
the cities and towns along the main lines OF the
canals as we'll the cities OF New York and
Buffalo at the two extremities and II does not
seem 10 me 10 be out Of place as subject OF dis
cussion when the commerce OF the United states
az n whole r. under consideration.
NO ALLIANCE WITH GREAT BRITAIN.
This pressure OF English competition along the
entire Northern. boundary OF our country at the
very time when Il has become so fashionable for a
certain class OF political leaders and after-dinner
speakers 10 thoughtiessly advocate q political ana
commercial alliance. offensive and defensive De-