The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1902-12-04

practices which injuriously AFFECT inter
state trade can be prevented under thu
power Of the congress to regulate com
the seasss throagh a resuation.!
ana requirements operating directly upor
such commerce. the instrumentalities
earnestly recommend this subject to the
consideration Of the congress with view
20 the passage Of law reasonable in its
upon which the. questions can be finally
adjudicated that now raise doubts as tc
the necessity Of constitutional amend.
nsh the prove SSH to
a law, then assuredly. we should not
shrink pd from nso1 amending the constitution &c
The congress has not heretofore made
any appropriation for the better enforce
ment Of the antitrust law as it now
department Of Justice In securing the en-
forcement Of this law, but much more
could be done II congress would make a
be expended under the direction Of the
attorney general.
One proposition advocated has been the
reaching the evils Of the trusts Which eS fail
Not merely would this be wholly ineffec-
such a direction would mean the aban-
donment Of all intelligent attempt to do
away with these. evils. Many Of the lar
should certainly be Included in any proper
scheme Of regulation, would not be at
fected in the slightest degree by a change
In the tariff, save as such change inter-
fered with the general prosperity Of the
country. The only relation OF the tariff
to big corporations as q whole Is that the
tariff makes manufactures profitable, and
effect simply to make manufactures un-
profitable. To remove the tariff as a
punitive measure directed against trusts
weaker competitors who are struggling
against them. Our aim should be not by
unwise tariff changes to give foreign prod
ucts the advantage over domestic prod
nestle competition fair chance. and
this end cannot be reached by any tariff
changes which would affect unfavorably
alike. The question Of regulation Of the
trusts stands apart from the question Of
tariff revision.
Stability, Of economic policy must al
country. This stability should not be fos-
silization. The country has acquiesced
in the wisdom OF the protective tariff
that this system should be destroyed or
that there should be violent and radical
changes therein. Our past experience
try has always come Under protective tar
lift and that the country cannot prosper
under fitful tariff changes at short inter
yss If the tsr laws as
pered under them and is prospecting. it is
better to endure for q time slight incon-
veniences and inequalities in some sched-
and too radical changes. 1t is most ear
nestly to be wished that we 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 considerable of
the subject, but at least it can be made
70 the ,h o. tine
people as whole. Unquestionably these
business interests will best. be served If
with fixity of principle as re-
which viii permit us from time to time to
make the necessary reapplication of the
to the shifting national needs.
shall be made in such way
that it will not amount to dislocation of
our system, the mere threat of which, not
duce paralysis in the business energies
of the community. The first considera-
ton in making these Changes I'D, OF
course, be to preserve the principle which
underlies our whole tariff system-that Is,
the principle Of putting American bust
ness interests at least on a full equality
with interests abroad and of always al
labor cost here and abroad. The well be-
ing of the wageworker. like the well be-
ing Of the tiller OF the soil should be
be any change which will jeopardize the
standard Of Of comfort the standard of
One way in which the reimbursement
sought can be reached is by. reciprocity
treaties 1t is greatly to be desired that
be used to widen our markets and to give
a greater field for the activities of our
producers on the one hand, and on the
the lowering of duties when they are no
longer needed for protection among our
own people or when the minimum of dam
age done may be disregarded for the sake
If it prove impossible to ratify the pend
ing treaties and If there seem to be no
for the. endeavor to execute 9TH
that they can be ratified, then the same
end-to secure reciprocity--Should be met
by direct legislation.
Wherever the tariff conditions are such
that a needed change cannot with adVan-
tage be made by the application of the
idea, then it can be made out
right by a lowering of duties on given
product. If possible, such change should
be made only after the fullest considera-
ton by practical experts, who should ap-
proach the subject from a business stand
point having in view both the particular
interests affected and the commercial we'll
being Of the people as whole The ma
for providing such careful inves-
tigation can readily be supplied. The ex-
ecutive department has already at its
disposal methods Of collecting facts and
figures, and if the congress desires addi-
tional consideration to that which will be
given the subject by it's own committees.
then a commission Of business experts can
be appointed whose duty it should be to
action by the congress after
a deliberate nd scientific examination of
the various schedules as they are affected
by the changed and changing conditions.
would show what changes
should be made in the various schedul
and how far these changes could go with
out also changing the great prosperity
which this country is now enjoying or
upsetting it's fixed economic policy.
The cases in which the tariff can pro-
duce monopoly are SO few as to consti-
tute an inconsiderable factor in the ques-
ton; but. Of course If in any case 1t be
found that given rate of duty does pro-
tectionist would object to such reduction
Of the duty as would equalize competition.
In my judgment. the tariff on anthracite
coal should be removed and anthracite
put actually, where 1t now is nominally,
on the free list. This would have no effect
at all save in crises; but in crises 1t might
be Of service to the people. y.
Interest rates are potent factor IN
business activity. and in order that these
rates may be equalized to meet the vary
ing needs Of the seasons and OF widely
separated communities, and to prevent the
of financial stringencies which
injuriousy affect legitimate business, it
is necessary that there should be an ele-
ment of elasticity in our monetary SyS-
tenn Banks are the natural servants OF
chr hn