Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-12-11

an absolute and unqualified grant, and
without limitations other than those pre-
scribed by the constitution. The Con-
gress has constitutional authority to
make all laws necessary and proper for
executing this power. and l am satisfied
that this power has not been exhausted
by any legislation now on the statute
books. II is evident, therefore that evils
restrictive of commercial freedom entail
ing restraint upon national commerce fan
within the reguhtive power of the Con-
gress, ana that a wise and reasonable
law would be a necessary and proper ex-
ercise of congressional authority to the
end that such evils should be eradicated.
Evils Can Be Done Away With.
l believe that monopolies, unjust dis
examinations, which prevent or cripple
competition, fraudulent overcapitaiiza-
ton, and other evils in trust organiza-
tons and practices which injuriously sf-
rect interstate trade. can be prevented
under the power OF the Congress to "regu-
late commerce with foreign nations and
among the several states" through regu-
htions and requirements operating d.
Fectly upon such commerce the instri-
mentalities thereof, and those engaged
therein.
earnestly recommend this subject to
the consideration of the Congress- with a
view to the passage of a law reesonahIe
IN It's provisions and effective In its oner
aticns, upon which the questions can be
hhaly adJudicated that now raise doubts
as to the necessity of constItrtional
amendment. II 1t prove impossible "a ac-
complish the purposes above set forth by
such a law, then, assuredly. we should
not shrink from amending the constitu
tion as to secure beyond peradventure the
power sought.
The Tariff Question.
one proposition advocated has been the
reouclon or the tariff as a means of
reaching the evils of the trusts which
ran wlthin the category I have describ-
ca NOT merely would this be wholly
ineffective, but the diversion of our sf
torts In such direction would mean the
abandonment of all intelligent attempt
10 DO away with these evils. MANY of
the largest corporations, many of those
which should certainly be included in
any proper scheme of regulation. would
not be affected in the slightest degree
by change in the tariff save as such
change interfered with the general pros
perlty OF the country. The only relation
or the tariff to big corporations as a
whole is that the tariff makes manufac-
lures profitable, and the tariff remedy
proposed would be in effect simply to
make manufactures Improbable. To re-
move the tariff as a punitive measure d.
reeted against trusts would inevitably re-
suit in ruin to the weaker competitors
VINO are. struggling against them Our
aim should be not by unwise tariff
changes TO give foreign products the
advantage over domestic products. but by
proper regulation to give domestic com
petition fair chance; and this end can
not be reached by any tariff changes
which would affect unfavorably all do
mestic competitors. good and bad alike.
The question nf 30
stands apart from the question of tariff
revision.
Fitful Tariff Changes Decried.
Stability of economic policy must AL
ways be the prime economic need of this
country. This stability should not be
fossilization. The country has acuuiesced
in the wisdom of the protective tariff
principle. 1t is exceedingly undesirable
that this system should be DESTROYED or
that there should be violent and radical
changes therein. Our past experience
shows that great prosperity in this coun-
try has always come under a protective
tariff and that the country cannot pros
per under ftful tariff changes at short
intervals. Moreover. IL the tariff laws
as a whole work WELL and IL business
has prospered under them and is pros
pering, ii is better to endure for a time
slight inconvenience and Inequalities In
some schedules than to upset business
by too quick and too radical changes 1t
Is most earnestly to be wished that we
could treat the tariff from the stand
point solely of our business needs II is.
perhaps, too much to hope that PARTISAN
ship may be entirely excluded from con-
sideration of the subject, but at least
IL can be made secondary to the busi-
ness interests of the country-that is to
the interests of our people as a whole
PROFESSIONALLY these business interests
will best be served If together with
fixity Of principle as regards the tariff
we combine system which will permit
us from time to time to make the neces-
sary reapplication Of the principle TO the
shifting national needs. We must take
scrupulous care that the reapplication
shall be made in such a way that II will
not amount to dislocation OF our sys-
tenn, the mere threat of which mot TO
speak Of the performance would pro-
duce paralysis in the business energies
of the community. The first considera-
ton in making these changes would, 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 q full equal
ity with interests abroad, and of always
allowing a sufficient rate of duty to more
than cover the difference between the Ia
Dor cost here and abroad The welI-be-
lnR Oh tue NdEe-"OThcT, ike Il0 WELL
being of the tiller of the soil, should
be treated as an essential in shaping our
whole economic policy. There must never
be any change which will jeopardize the
standard Of comfort. the standard of
wages of the American wage-worker.
For Reciprocity Treaties.
One way in which the readjustment
sought can be reached is by reciprocity
treaties. 1t is greatly to be desired that
such treaties may be adopted. They can
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 other TO secure in practical shape
the lowering of duties when they are no
longer needed for protection among our
own people. or when the minimum of
damage done may be disregarded for the
sake OF the maximum OF good accom-
plished. II It prove impossible to ratify
the pending treaties. and IL there seem
TO be no warrant for the endeavor TO
execute others. or to amend the pending
treaties SO that they can be ratified, then
the same end-to secure reciprocity
should be met by direct legislation.
For Expert Tariff Commission.
wherever the tariff conditions are such
that a needed change cannot with adj
vantage be made by the application of
the reciprocity idea, then II can be made
outright by n lowering OF duties on a
given product II possible. such change
should be made only after the fullest
consideration by practical experts, who
should approach the subject from a
business standpoint, having in view both
the particular interests affected and the
commercial well-belng of the people. as
a whole. The machinery for providing
such careful Investigation can readily be
supplied The executive department has
already at its disposal methods of col
Letting facts and figures: and II the con-