The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-24
STOP THE PROTECTION
ON ARTICLES CONTROLLED BY
UNLAWFUL COMBINATIONS.
BoURkE COCHRAN FULLY ANSWERED
Pecalse all Trusts are not Supported by the
Tariff is no Reason Why Those That
are Shall be Helped by
Tariff Taxes,

Boston, Mass, Sept. 23.-(Special) y
The recent Chicago conference upon
TRUSTS" had one result of great value
1t brought out clearly and Enthusiastically
that the first step to DE taken iG the
matter must be the abolition oil every
protective duty that favors a trust.
All shades of opinion We're represented,
from actual commentator to violent de-
nnnciation, and every position had fair
hearing. 1t only needed such 4 discus
sion to reveal at the same time how
vanced i'll support of the trusts" and yet
how iTEpracticable was almost eyety
remedy proposed fer the evil. But
throughout the discussion, and even be-
cause of it, one proposition aud one
remedy stood cut with greater and great
er clearness each time they were adj
vanced-the proposition becoming Almost
an axiom, whose mere statement at once
demanded the only logical step as a
remedy.
Protection favors trusts;
Then remove the favors.
Other propositions were of doubtful
constitIticnanty there was mo such cues
tion as to this one Some were unius.
this was justice itself Some propose 1
constitutional amendments, involved
uotrbt and delay for many years; this
could be settled in one Congress. Leg
dslaticm compelling publicity would lie
admirable in its way; but publicity would
serve rather as means of discovering
ultimate remedies than as am effective
remedy most needed now.
A POPULAR DF1sIA NJ.
The demand for removal OF the rro-
tective taxes wherever they grant pfivil.
eyes to trusts is mot only logical and Just
but it has arisen spontaneously among
members Gf all political parties and in
all sections of the country The Ameri-
cam people athor privilege. They will
not knowingly consent to it, and when
they have supported legislation which
granted special privileges it has only
been through misunderstanding. The
prominence of the great combinations
called trusts has already removed muc'i
o. the misunderstanding under which
protective taxes have hitherto been sup
ported and the people are eager today 10
hstem to the evidence and ready to give
the case fair hearing.
BOURKE COCHRAN ANSWERED..
One of the most eloquent men in tne
country, the Hem Borrke Cochran. II,
qulred at the recent trust conference
whether a monopoly that Expresses cx-
lists, and whore it is. Who is hurt, and
where? Where has the octopus 5ni pos
session of somebody? On whom is i
acting? Where is its lair?'
The answer is easy and is based on
evidence familiar to all. American pro-.
ducers for years have proved their anti
ity, if freed from tariff restrictions, to
compete with Foreigners. Wherever,
then, a trust is producing a protected ar
ticle, and is extorting from our people
more than the price at which it could be
imported free of the protective tas.-
there is the lair of mononolIy or octo-
pus which has possession of Til. whole
American people and is acting upon
them, hut is able to hurt them solely
because OF the power which it derives
from the protective tariff.
OBJECTIONS CONSIDEREI.
All trusts are not supported by Tie
tariff: but that is no reason why those
which are so supported should IL. allowed
to bleed the people while we ar, cropping
for more complete remedies. Rem wing
the taxes which support those trusts will
not, it is true, reach all the trust evils;
neither will ii remove all the tariff evils.
But that is no argument against TX.
tending relief where it is possible We
do not give UP courts because they can
not do full justice to every one, nor dis
card medicine and surgery because hey
cannot cure every ill.
ia KEN TO WILSON