Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1901-12-12
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
Restoration of Confidence and Re
turn of Prosperity.

| fdenee has been restored. and the Ma
| ton Is 10 be congratulated because Of its
present abounding prosperity. Such pros
perity can never be created by law alone.
although II is easy enough to destroy It
| by mischievous laws.
In dealing with business interests
! for the Government to undertake, by
crude and ill-consldered legislation, to do
what may turn out 10 be bad, would be
to incur the risk OF such Iar-reaciing
national disaster that II would be pref-
| cradle to undertake nothing at ALL The
men who demand the impossible or the
undesirable serve as the allies of he
forces with which they are nomlnally at
war, for they hamper those who would
endeavor 10 find out in rational fashion
what the wrongs really are and TO what
extent and in what manner 1t is pracii-
cable to supply remedies.
Regulation of Corporations.
There Is a widespread conviction in the
minds of the American people that the
great corporations known as trusts are
in certain of their features and tenden-
cies hurtful TO the general welfare. This
springs from no spirit Of envy or I'M
| charitahleness. nor lack OF pride in the
great Industrial achievements that have
placed this country at the head of the
nations struggling for commercial SUI
premacy. 1t Is based upon sincere
conviction that comblnatlon and concen-
tratlon should be, not prohibited, but SUI
| pervised, and. within reasonable limits
controlled: and In my judgment this con-
viction is right
The first essential in determining how to
deal with the great industrial combina-
tions is knowledge of facts-publicity.
Department of Commerce and Indus
tries.
There should be created Cabinet Of
feer, to be known as Secretary Of Com
merce and Industries, as provided in the
bill introduced at the last session of the
Congress. 1t should be his province to
deal with commerce in Its broadest sense:
including among many other things what
ever concerns labor and all matters affect
ing the great business corporations ana
our merchant marine.
Chinese Exclusion.
Not only mast our labor be protected
by the tariff, but 1t should also be pro-
tected. so far as 1t is possible from the
presence in this country OF any laborers
brought over by contract. or Of those who
coming freely, vet represent standard
or living so depressed that they can un-
dersell our men in the labor market and
drag them to a lower level, regard ii as
necessary, with this end In view. to re-
enact Immediately the law excluding Chi
nese iaborers, and to strengthen 1t wher-
ever necessary in order TO make its en-
forcement entirely effective
Trades Unions.
The most vital problem with which tnis
country, and for that matter the whole
civilized world, has to deal. Is the prob
lem which has for one side the better
ment of social conditions, moral and phy-
sical in large cities, and for another side
the effort to deal with that tangle of far
reaching question which we group togeth-
er when We speak of labor" The chief
factor in the success of each inan-wage-
worker, farmer and capitalist alike-must
ever be the sum total OF his own in
dividual qualities and abilities. Second
only to this comes the power of act
Ing in combination or association with
others. Very great good has been and
will be accomplished by associations or
unions or wage-workers. when managed
with forethought and when they com
olne insistence upon their own rights with
law-abiding respect for the rights of 9TH
ers.
Better Immigration Laws Needed,
Our present immigration laws are un-
satisfactory. We need every honest and
efficient Immigrant fitted to become an
American citizen, every Immigrant who
comes here to stay, who brings here a
strong body, stout heart good head.
and resolute purpose to do his duty we'll
In every way, and to bring up his chill
dren as law-abiding and God-fearing
members of the community. But there
should be a comprehensive law enacted
with the object of working a three-fold
Improvement over our present system.
Both the educational and economic tests
in wise immigration law should be de-
signed 10 protect and elevate the general
NJ n NJ, nwN1 .tnl A
pervisfon should be exercised over the
steamship companies, which mainly bring
over the immigrants, and they should be
held to a strict accountability for any
infraction of the law.
Tariff Revision HurtfuI,
There is general acquiescence in our
present tariff system as National policy.
The first requisite to our prosperity is the
continuity and stability of this economic
policy Nothing could be more unwise
than to disturb the business interests of
the country by any general tariff change
Reciprocity must be treated as the hand
maiden of protection. Our first duty is
to see that the protection granted by the
tariff In every case where it is needed is
maintained, and that reciprocity be sought
for so far as 1t can safely be done with
out injury to our home Industries.
Condition of the Merchant Marine.
The condition of the American mer-
chant marine is such as to call for imme-
diate remedial action by the Congress- 1t
Is discreditable to us as 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 under which only q
trifling portion of our great commerce is
carried In our own ships.
Financial Matters.
In many respects the National banking
law furnishes sufficient liberty for the
proper exercise of the banking function;
but there seems to be need Of better
safeguards against the deranging influence
Of commercial crises and financial panies