New-York tribune., 1902-12-03
TARIFF RE4DJUSTHENT.

One proposition advocated has been the reduc-
I ton of the tariff a means OF reaching the
| evils of the trusts which fall within the cate
| cory have described. Not merely would this
be wholly ineffective but the diversion OF our
| abandonment of all intelligent attempt to do
away with these evils. Many of the largest
corporations, many of those which should GER
tainly be included in any proper scheme of
regulation would not be affected in the slight
such change intetfereo with the general pros
perity of the country. The only relation of
the tariff to big corporations as whole is
that the tariff makes manufactures prohtabie
and the tariff remedy proposed would be III
effect simply to make manufactures unproht-
able. To remove the tariff as punitive meas
ure directed against trusts would inevitably
result in ruin to the weaker competitors who
are struggling against them. Our aim should
be not by unWise tariff changes to give for
eign products the advantage over domestic prod
ucts but by proper regulation TO give domestic
competition a fair chance, and this end can
not be reached by any tarlH changes Whlch
would affect unfavorably all domestic compet-
tors, good and bad alike. The question of
regulation of the trusts stands apart from the
question of tariff revision.
Stability of economic policy must always be
the prime economic need of this country This
stab bity should not be fossilization. The coun-
try has acquiesced in the wisdom of the pro
tectfve tariff principle. 1t is exceedingly unde-
sirable that this system should be destroyed
that there should be violent and radical
changes therein Our past experience shows
that great prosperity in this country has al
ways come under protective tariff and that
the country cannot prosper under htful tariff
tariff laws a whole work well, and If bust
ness has prospered under them and is prosper
ing it is better to endure for time slight in
conveniences and inequalities i'll some schedules
than to upset business by too quick and too
radical changes. 1t is most earnestly to be
wished that could treat the tariff from the
standpoint solely Of our business needs. 1t is,
perhaps, too much to hope that partisanship
may be entirely excluded from consideration
Of the subject, but at least il can be made
secondary to the business interests of the coun-
try-that is to the interests Of our people as a
whole. Unquestionably these business interests
will best be served if, together with hxity of
principle as regards the tariff, we combine a
system which will permit us from time to time
make the necessary reappHcation or the
principle to the shifting national needs We
must take scrupulous that the Feappcatton
shall be made in such way that it Will not
amount to a dislocation OF our system, the
mere threat of which mot 10 speak OF the per-
formance) would produce paralysis In the bust
ness energies of the community. The first con-
sidera ton in making these changes would, of
course, be to preserve the principle which under
lies our whole tariff system-that is the princi-
pie of putting American business interests at
least on full equality with interests abroad,
and of always allowing sufficient rate of duty
to more than cover the difference between the
la bor cost here and abroad. The Welbetng OF
the wage worker. like the wellbeng of the
tiller of the SOIL should be treated as an essen
tiaI in shaping our whole economic policy.
There must never be any change which viii
jeopardze the standard of comfort, the stand
ard of wages of the American wage worker