Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-02


can do no harm to the honest corpora ton,
and we need not be overtender about
sparing the dishonest corporation.
In curbinS and regulating The cornbfna-
lions of capital which are or may become
injurious to the public we must be care
flu. not to stop the great enterprises which
have legitimately reduced the cost of pro-
duction, not to abandon the place which
our country has won in the leadership of
the international Industrial world not TO
strike DOWN wealth with the result or
closing factories and mines. of turning
the waGeworher idle in the streets and
leaving the farmer without Il market for
what he grows. Insistence upon the i'm
possible means delay in achieving the pos
sible exactly as. on the other hand. the
and what is bad i'm the existing system.
the resolute effort to obstruct any at
tempt at betterment. betrays blindness to
the historic truth that wise evolution is
the sure safeguard against revolution.
Regulation of Interstate Business
No more important subject can come
before the congress than this of the regu-
lation of interstate business. This country
that under our peculiar system of govern
ment we are helpless in the presence OF
the new conditions and unable To grapple
with them or to cut out whatever OF evil
has arisen in connection with them. The
power of the congress to regulate inter
state commerce is an absolute and I'M
qualified grant and without limitations
other than those prescribed by the consti-
tuition. The congress has constitutional
authority to make all laws necessary and
hausted by any legislation now on the
statute books 1t is evident. therefore.
that evils restrictive Of commercial free
dom and entailing. restraint upon national
commerce fall within tho reSClative pow
er of the congress and that 4 wise and
reasonable law would he a ..eceSsary and
proper exercise of congressional authority
to the end that such evils should be Grad
icated.
1 believe that nonopolies. unjust dis
competition. fraudulent overcapitaIizaticn
and other evils in trust organizations and
PRACTICES which inJuuous!y affect inter
state trade can be prevented under the
power of the congress 10 regulate COM
m me- with f9Tfin nations NATIONS and n0ns
and requirements opera ting directly upon
such commerce. the instrumentalities
thereof and those engaged therein
/ earnestly recommend this subject to the
consideration of the congress with view
to the passage Of a law easonable in its
provisions and effective in its operations.
upon which the questions can be finally
adjudicated that now raise doubts as to
the neresci+Z- Of coDsfitutional amend-
DIish the r,llrp5scs above set forth by such
a law, then assu-sdiy should not
shrink from amending the constitution so
as to secure beyond pcradventure the
The congress has not heretofore made
any appropriation for the better enforce
ment of the antitrust law ii
stands. Very much has been done by the
department of Justice in securing the en-
could be done if congress would make a
special appropriation for this purpose. to
attorney general.
No Tariff Reduction.
One prOpositi IN advocated has been Il e
reduction OF the tarin rs means of
within the category. have described.
Not merely would this be wholly ineffec
such q direction would mean the aban-
Comment OF all intellisent attempt 10 do
away with these evils. Many OF the lar
s691lG rTq5nY s. incde osG G p %Ier
IN - Of
fected in the slightest degree by a change
in the tariff save as such change inter
country. The only relation of the tariff
to big corporations as whole IS that the
tariff makes manufactures profitable and
the tariff remedy proposed would be in
effect simply TO make manufactures I'M
punitive measure directed against trusts
would inevitably result in ruin to the
weaker competitors who are struggling
against theI1- our aim should Ge not by
unwise tariff changes to give foreign prod
ucts. but by proper regulation TO grVe do
nestle competition falr chaISe. anI
changes which would affect unfavorabiy
all domestic competitors. good and bad
alike. The question Of regulation of the
trusts stands apart from the question OF
tariff revision
Stability OF economic policy must al
ways be the prime economic need OF TINS
country. This stability should not be fos-
silization. The country has acquieSced
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 tar
if and that the country cannot prosper
under ftfuI tariff changes at short inter-
walls. Moreover, if the tariff laws as a
whole work well and if business has pros
pered under them and is prospecting it is
better to endure for a time slight incon-
veniences and inequalities IN some sched-
ules than 10 upset business by too quick
and too radical changes. 1t is most ear
nestiy 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 craftsmanship may be
entirely excluded from consideration Of
the subject, but at least it can be made
secondary to the business interests of the
country-that is. to the interests OF our
people as whole. Unquestionably these
business interests will best be served If
together with hxity of principle as re-
which viii permit us from time to time to
make the necessary reappI1cauOn or the
principle to the shifting ma tional needs.
We must take scrupulous care that the
thai III will not amount 10 a disloca ton of
our system. the mere threat OF which, not
to speak of the performance. would pro-
duce. paralysis in the business energies
ton in making these changes would, of
course; be to preserve the principle which
ness interests at least on a full equality
lowing a SUFFICIENT rate of duty to more
than cover the difference between the
ing of the wageworker. like the well be-
ing of the tiller of the soil. should be
treated 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 wageworker.
The Reciprocity Idea.
One way in which the reddjustment
sought can be reached is by reciprocity
treaties. Ii is greatly 20 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 en- the one hand. and on the
other hand to secure in practical shape
the lowering of duties wien 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
of the maximum of good accomplished
II it prove Impossible to ratify the pend
ing treaties and If there seem to be no
warrant for the endeavor to execute 9TH
e1s or To s.r,,end the nending treaties so