Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-12-12

to decrease the sum Of ignorance. so potent
In producing the envy, suspicion, malignant
passion, and hatred Of order, out of which
Finally. all persons should be excluded who
are below a certain standard of economic
ntness to enter our Industrial field as com,
petitors with American labor. There should
! be proper proof of personal capacity to earn
an American living and enough money to
insure decent start under American condi'
tlons. This would stop the influx of cheap
labor.
THE TARIFF.
There Is general acquiescence In our pres
ent tariH system as national policy. The
first requisite to our prosperity Is the con-
tinuity and stability of this economic policy
Nothing could be more unwise than to dis
/ turb the business interests OF the country
by any general tariff change at this time
Doubt, apprehension, uncertainty are exact
ly what we most wish to avoid In the inter
est of our commercial and material well
being. Our experience In the past has
shown that sweeping revisions of the tariff
are apt to pro1'"e conditions closely ap.
proachlng panic In the business world. Yet
1t is not only possible, but eminentiy de-
sirabe. to combine with the stability of our
economic system supplementary system
OF reciprocal benefit and obligation with 9th
er nations. Such reciprocity Is an incident
and result of the firm establishment and
preservation of our present economic policy.
1t was specially provided for In the present
tariff law.
Reciprocity must be treated as the hand.
OF protection. our nrSt 0uty Is 10
see that the protection granted by the tariff
in every where it is needed Is main
talned and that reciprocity be sought for
50 far as It can safely be done without in
jury to our home Industries. Just how far
this Is must be determined according to the
individual case, remembering always that
every application of our tariff policy to meet
our shifting national needs must be condi-
toned upon the cardinal fact that the du-
ties must never be reduced below the point
that will cover the difference between the
labor cost here and abroad The we'll heir O
of the wage-worker Is a prime consideration
of our entire policy of economic legislation
Subject to this provso of the proper pro
lection necessary to our Industrial we'll
being at home, the principle of reciprocity
must command our hearty support The
phenomenal growth of our export trade en-
phaslzes the urgency of the need for wider
markets and for liberal policy In dealing
with foreign nations. Whatever Is merely
petty and vexatious in the way of trade re-
strictions should be avoided
The natural line of development for pol
Icy of reciprocity will be in connection with
those of our productions which no longer
require all of the support once needed to
establish them upon a sound basis, and with
those Others where either because of natural
or of economic causes we are beyond the
reach of successful competition.
ask the attention of the senate to the
reciprocity treaties laid before 1t by my
predecessor.
OUR MERCHANT MARINE.
The condition of the American merchant
marine Is such as to call for Immediate
ECIueulul action Dy congress- 1T Is uiScreu-
liable to us ms nation that our merchant
marine should be utterly insignificant In
comparison to that of other nations which
we overtop In other forms Of business. We
should not longer submit to conditions un-
der which only trifing portion of our
great commerce Is carried in our own ships.
10 remedy this state of things would not
merely serve to build up our shipping in
terests. but 1t would also result In benefit
to all who are interested in the permanent
establishment of a wider market for AmerI.
can products, and would provide an auxil.
larry force for the navy. Ships work for
their own countries just as railroads work
Ii established to the principal countries
with which we have dealings would be OF
political as well as commercial benefit. 1t
should be made advantageous to carry
ican goods in American built ships.
At present American shipping Is under
certain great disadvantages when put In
countries. Many of the fast foreign steam
ships, at n speed of IA knots or above, are
subsidized; and all our ships, sailing vessels
and steamers alike, cargo carriers of slow
speed and mail carriers of high speed, have
to meet the fact that the original cost OF
building American ships is greater than is
the case abroad that the wages paid Ameri.
can officers and seamen are very much high
er than those paid the officers and seamen
Of foreign competing countries and. that
! superior to the standard of living on the
ships of our commercial rivals.
Our, government should take such action
as Will remedy these inequalities. The
American merchant marine should be re-
stored to the ocean:
THE CURRENCY.
The act of March IA, 1900 intended un.
equivocally to establish gold as the stand
ard money and to maintain at a parity
| Herewith all forms of money medium In use
with us, has been shown to be timely and
ludlcious The price of our government
bonds in the worlds market, when compared
with the price of slmllsr obligations issued
by other nations, is a nattering tribute to
our public credit. This condition 1t Is eyi.
IDENTIFY desirable to maintain.
In many respects the national banking
er exercise of the banking function but
there seems to be need OF, better safeguards
against the deranging influence of CONNER
cial crises and financial panics. Moreover,
the currency of the country should be made
! responsive to the demands Of our domestic
trade and commerce.
call special attention to the need of
strict economy in expenditures. The fact
| that our national needs forbid us to be mig
gardly In providing whatever is actually
necessary to our well-being, should make us
doubly careful to husband our national re-
sources, as each of us husbands his private
| resources, by scrupulous avoidance of any
thing like wasteful or reckless expenditure
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAW.
In 1887 a measure was enacted for the
regulation of interstate railways, commonly
known as the interstate commerce act. The
cardinal provisions of that act were that
and that all shippers, localities and com
| mOditieS should be accorded equal treatment
commission was created and endowed
with what were supposed to be the neces
| sary powers to execute the provisions OF
| this act.
That law was largely an experiment. Ex
| pcrience has shown the wisdom of it's pur.
| poses, but has also shown, possibly that
| some of it's requirements are wrong, GER
tainly that the means devised for the en-
| forcement of its provisions are defective.
The act should be amended. The railway
Is a public servant. Its rates should be
| just to and open to all shippers alike. The
government should see to It that within It's
| jurisdiction this is so and should provide
| a speedy, inexpensive and effective remedy
| to that end. The subject Is one of great
| Importance and calls for the earnest atten
| tion of congress.
FORESTRY.
Public opinion throughout the United
States has moved steadily toward just ap.
probation of the value of forests. whether
| planted or of natural growth. The great
| part played by them III the creation and
| maintenance of the national wealth is now
more fully realized than ever before. The
| preservation of our forests is an imperative
business necessity. We have come to see
| clearly that whatever destroys the forest
| pNceDt to make WAY for agriculture thIent.