The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-20
THE TARIFF AND TRUSTS.

Speaker Henderson's withdrawal is likely
to nave a good effect in promoting discus
sion of the relation between the tariff and
trusts. or the combinations of manufac-
turing capital improperly called trusts.
The effect of such discussion will be to
convince all intelligent people that there
Is no necessary connection between the
tariff and trusts, and that If such connec-
ton exists in any case it is accidental.
As a matter Of fact. or of principle, there
Is no more connection between the tariff
and trusts than there is between the tariff
and the smallpox. The tariff is no more
the mother of trusts than the Methodist
Church Is the mother of bucket shops, )r
than the Masonic order is the mother of
adulterated food. The expression has
proved a godsend TO the Democratic party
and has come nearer furnishing 1t with a
new issue, or putting new life into an old
one, than anything that has happened
since the party started out on its grand
circular hunt after an issue. Free trade
had been it's time-honored panacea for all
the ills of the body polite until through
repeated failures it had fallen somewhat
into disrepute. The discovery that 1.-The
tariff is the mother of trusts" came just
In time to save 1t, and now the Demo-
cratic cure-all is to have a new run. Ac-
cording to the political quacks of that
school the only remedy for trusts is free
trade.
Representative Littleheld, of Maine, ad-
verted to this point In a speech he deliv-
cred a few days ago at Gloucester. Mass.
He said:
1 can understand how the average man
feels that there may be some connection
between the tariff and the trusts. but
there is none. In the first place. IL the
tariff is the mother of trusts. the tariff
is the creator and the trust the creature.
Wherever you find the creature you'd ex-
pect TO find the creator. and vice versa:
you would expect the result to follow the
cause. What is the fact about that? There
are hundreds of articles with reference
to which there is no protective tariff and
with reference to which there are trusts
and there are hundreds OF articles with
reference to which there is a tariff and
with reference TO which there are no
trusts.
The Standard Oil Company is the best
Illustration L suppose that is an ideal
trust or combination, and yet there was
never any tariff with reference to IL. We
have a coal trust and no tariff on anthra-
cite coal. Trusts and Industrial combina-
lions existed in Thu country long before
there was any protective tarin to create
them. The result is again that we have
the creature without the creator.
There is nothing new In this statement
Of the case. but II is well put. One NAV
go through the entire list OF trusts and
combinations in this country and compare
them with the tariff schedule only to dis
cover that there is nothing more thar an
accidental connection in exceptional cases
between the tariff and trusts.
In one sense. however. there is a con-
nection between the tariff and trusts. The
tariff has contributed materially to the
universal prosperity which now prevails In
the United States, and trusts are an out
growth of high commercial conditions. No
: prosperity. no trusts. In this sense. also.