Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-10-31

~ declare without sly wink. Was II
even with the fear OF the people before
their eyes? Surely nothing indicates II,
On the contrary, they exultantly relied
upon their ability TO delude the people.
for they had not even yet learned TO
fear them.
Their work was undertaken as they
would have entered upon a privilege
TO make the most OF 1t. ] have heard
IL said upon excellent authority that
expectant benefciaries under the ex"
listing tariff laws-made by their
friends-were actually allowed to con-
struct the schedules by which they ex-
pected TO profit This was quite IN
keeping with the color and complexion
of the entire scheme. Evidence abounds
in and about It, indicating that the well
fare and interests Of the common peo-
pie OF our land were not allowed To.
disturb In any unpleasant degree the
serenity Of those taking the work III
hand. | believe this last exploit OF
the so-caled friends Of the tarlf In thls
revision should amply satisfy any
thoughtful citizen unblaZed by interest
that the spirit OF a high protective
tariff grows by indulgence and mocks
what IL feeds upon, and that lts pro-
gresslve greed and ruthlessness Is be-
coming more and more menace to the
welfare and happiness of our people,
How long has II been thought decent
or even safe to cheat the consumers or
coal by putting II on the free list but
dishonesty providing for it's custom
taxation In another cunningly con-
struoted provision OF the law? How
recently have the friends of the tarif.
had the b0ldness to perpetrate suoh
a trick and take the chances OF racing
the people when, In the painful stress
Of a threatened coal famine, II should
be exposed
81 have called your attention TO the
fact that in 1887, competition, which, II
unrestricted, might modify the erect
upon our consumers Of high protec-
tive tariff, was spoken of as too OFTEN
strangled by combinations quite prev
aent at this time and frequently called
trusts which have for their object the
regulation Of the supply and price OF
commodities made and sold by mem
bers OF the combination. When TINS
was written, | suppose the trusts ana
combinations mentioned as quite
prevalent so far as they were at al
important might have been counted
on the fingers of the two hands. When
the friends of the tariff last took UP
the work of its reconstruction, these
trusts and combinations had Increased
by hundreds. The consequence OF
their operation could not fail to be UNI
derstood 1t was as plain then as now
that a high protective tariff defendss
them against foreign competition, ana
that by agreement, associauon ana con-
federacy in production and price they
defend themselves against competition
at home. II was perfectly apparent
that under the broad wings OF hlgh
protection and fattened by unearned
accumulation they could complacently
close their ears TO the troublesome cry
for easier living from the everyday
consumer.
as It not true then, that the en-
croachments Of the doctrine OF hlgh
protection have been constantly pro-
gressive? Is II not true that needless
ness of its expectant beneiiciaries ana
their disregard for the welfare Of the
| great mass of consumers Is more and
more impudently exhibited, and Is 1t
| not true that, to all other reasons for a
reform Of our tariff laws, there Is added
the birth and growth Of their cruel and
unmerclful prodigy OF trusts and COM
binations, which stand guard against
all attempts to seek relief in the field
Of free competition That the present
tariff conditions have assumed COM
pllcation which not only requires a
check on its aggressiveness, but actual
amendment, Is at last admitted among
those responsible for these conditions.
Such a concession was made when a
dozen or more reciprocity treaties were
submitted to the senate but the sim
certify Of the concessions and the hon
est intention to surrender the
advantage as long as II can be held,