Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-05

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sure decent start under American conan
lions This would stop the influx of cheap
labor and the resulting competition which
gives rise to SO much OF bitterness In
American Industrial life. and II would dry
up the sprl-gs OF the pestilentlal social
conditions IN our great cities where an
archistic examinations have their great
est possibility OF growth
| Both the educational and economic tests
IN wise immigration law should he de-
signed to protect and elevate the general
body polite and social. A very close su
pervision should be exercised over the
steamship companies which mainly bring
over the immigrants, and they should be
held TO a strict accountability for any in
fraction Of the law,
The Tariff.
There Is general acquiescence In our
present tariff system as a national policy.
The FIRST requisite 10 our prosperity is the
continuity and stability OF this economic
| policy. Nothing could be more unwisa
than to disturb the business interests Of
the country by any general tariff change
at this time Doubt apprehension. UNI
certainty, are exactly what we most wish
TO avoid In the interest Of our commercial
and material well being. Our experience
| In the past has shown that sweeping revi-
s!ons of she tariff are apt to produce con-
| ditions closely approaching panic in tho
business world. Yet II. Is not only posi-
Bile. but eminentiy desirable. to combine
with the stability Of our economic sys-
TEN supplementary system of reciprocal
benefit and obligation with other nations.
| Such reciprocity Is an Incident and result
! Of the firm establishment and preservation
! OF our present economic policy II was
| specially provided for in the present tariff
| law.
Reciprocity mist be treated as the hand
| maiden OF protection. Our FIRST duty is to
see that the protection granted by the tar
| III in every case where It is needed is
maintained and that reciprocity be sought
| for so far as II can safely be done without
injury TO our home industries. Just how
| far this is must be determined according
10 the individual case. remembering nj
| ways that every application of our tariff
policy 10 meet our shifting national needs
| must be conditioned upon the cardinal
| fact that the duties must never he re-
duced below the point that will cover the
difference between the labor cost here and
abroad. The well being OF the wageworlS-
er Is prime consideration OF our entire
policy of economic legislation
Subject to this provlso of the proper
protection necessary to our Industrial
well being at home the principle of reci-
proctty must command our hearty sup
port The phenomenal growth OF our
export trade emphasizes the urgency of
the need for wider markets and for a lib
eral policy in dealing with foreign ma
tons Whatever ia merely petty and vex-
attous in the way of trade restrictions
should be avoided. The customers 10
whom we dispose OF our surplus products
In the long run directly or indirectly pur-
chase those surplus products by giving us
someihing In return. Their ability to pur.
chase our products should as far as pos
sthle be secured by so arranging our tar
N as 10 enable us to take from them
those products which we can use without
harm 10 our own industries and labor or
the use of which will be of marked bene-
fit to us.
II is most important that we should
maintain the high level of our present
prosperity. We have now renched the
point IT. the development of our interests
where we are not only able to supply our
own markets. but TO produce constantly
growing surplus for which we must find
markets abroad. To secure these markets
we can utilize existing duties In any case
where they arc no longer needed for the
purpose OF protection. or in any cnae
where the article is not produced here
and the duty Is no longer necessary for
revenue, as giving us something to offer
IN exchange for what we ask. The cor
dial rotations with other nations which
are so desirable will naturally be pro-
NOTED b. tho course thus required by our
own int trests
The natural line of development for a
policy 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 sound
basis. and with those others where either
because of natural or of economic causes
we are beyond the reach of successful
competition.
I ask the attention of the senate to the
reciprocity treaties laid before 1t by my
predecessor.
Merchant Marine.
The condition OF the American merchant
marine is such as TO call for immediate
Ia unf htV . H..
creditable to us as nation that our
merchant marine should be utterly insig-
nificant in comparison with that of other
nations which we overtop in other forms |
OF business. We should not longer submit |
10 conditions under which only trifling |
portion of our great commerce is carried |
in our own ships. To remedy this state of |
things would not merely serve TO build |
up our shipping interests, but 1t would |
also result in benefit to all who are inter-
ested in the permanent establishment of a |
wider MARKET for American products and |
would provide an auxiliary force for the |
navy, Ships work for their own countries |
just as railroads work for their terminal |
points Shipping lines. IL established to |
tHe prlncipa. countries with which we /
have dealings. would be of political as |
well as commercial benefit. From every |
standpoint 1t Is Gnwlse for the United |
states to continue to rely upon the ships J
OF competing nations for the distribution I
49, oSSAS ~ DS lnaue auNan- !
tageous 10 carry American goods in
American built ships
AT present American shipping Is under
certain great disadvantages when nut In
competition with the shipping of foreign
countries Many Of the fast foreign
steamships. at a speed of fourteen Knots
or above, are subsidized. and ali 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 taat the wages paid Ameri.
can officers and aennen are very much
higher than those paid the officers and
seamen u Foreign competing countries 1
and that tho standard of living on our
ships Is far superior to the standard of
living on the ships OF our commercial RI
walls.
Our government should take such action
as Will remedy these inequalities. The
American merchant marine should be re-
stored TO the ocean.
Financial.
The act Of March Il. 1900. intended I'M
equivocally to establish gold as the stand-
ard money and to maintain at a parity
herewith all forms of money medium in +
use with u.s. has been shown to be timely
and judlcious. The price of our govern
ment bonds in the worlds market when
compared with the price of similar obli-
cations issued by other nations is a fat
tering tribute to our public credit. This
condition 1t Is evidently desira BILE to main
tain.
In many respects the national banking
law furnishes sufficient liberty for the
proper exercise OF the banking function
but there seems 10 be need of better safe.
guards against the defanging influence of
commercial crises and financial panics