Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-12-03

the several ststssT thrst'sh res,i;atlssSs
~ fFgsilfsaieits operating directly upun
ssta evntnerce. taq instramentaiities
ttefeot snd thoAe engaged therelu.
e1Tuestiy pminen1 this subject a. the
sNF,sl Iteration % the congress- with View
~ ne passese q a law reasonable ia its
praYisipas aud effective Ia is opcrs tlorN
Nif4h NAich the questions can be finally
,ssJullsAtesi that now raise doubts as to
49, NH' AiY ~ constitutional amend
nfnt II u prove isnpaeSlble 10 accom-
hhtn tae purposes above SGT forth by such
sk.ssaW' t9en asasrediy we should rot
q g secure beyond peradvrnture tho
power sought
The congress has not heretofore made
any appropriation for the better enforce
ment " The antitrust law as il now
stands Very rtuch has been done by the
ss ol..,s q Justice IN securing the en-
could be done " congress would make a
special appropriation for this purpose. 10
~ ~ sNpen.led under the direction OF the
One proposition advocated has been the
rednetion OF tic tarifv as a means Of
wtthtD the cate Dry nave described.
Not merely would this be wholly lnerYec-
i've but the diversion Of our efforts in
such direction would mean the sean-
donmcnt OF all intelligent attempt to do
away with these evils. Many of the lar
should certainly be Included In any proper
fsetesi IN shs slightest degree By change
fered with the general prosperify Of inc
country. The only relation OF the tarlff
70 h.g corporations al a whole IL that the
the taFtn remedy proposed would be In
eFfgt sippiy 70 make manufactures I'M
pfotiaeia 10 remove the tarify as
punitive measure directed against trusts
would inevitably result in ruin to the
weaker competitors who are RtrugKilng
AGAINST them our aim should be NOT by
unwise tariff changes 10 give foreign prod
ueis the advantage over domestic prod
vets but by proper regulation To give do
m ~ etapetitien tar chance, and
changes which would affect unfavoraby
~ domestic competitors. good ana bad
alike. The question OF regulation Of the
trusts stands apart from the question Of
taFsn revision,
Stability % economic policy must al
ways be the prime economic need OF this
country. This stability should not be fos-
ssiiEatinn. The country has aeqHiesced
IN The wisdom Of the protective tarin
thsg fhss system should be destroyed Or
that there should Be violent and radical
changes therein. Our past experience
shows that great prosperity 10 this coun-
try has always come under a protective tar
~ and that the country cannot prosper
under ntfst tRFiu changes AZ short inter-
taia. Moreover II the tarln laws "a a
whole work we'll and " business has pros
Psrcd under them and a. prosperfng. IL Is
better 20 endure fer time slight theou-
vw0ienrcM nna inequalities IN some ached-
ulee than 10 upset business by too quick
and Too radical changes. II ia most ear
nsstiy 80 be wished that we could treat
the tariff from the standpoint solely OF
eur huaineas needs II u. perhaps, too
much 10 hope that partiNSnEhtp may be
entirely excluded from consideration Of
the nu6trct but AT least u can be made
secondary ~ the business interests Of the
ra9ntFy-~that IT, 10 the interests OF our
people rs a whole. Internationally these
Together with nxity Of principle rs re-
cards ths tariW We e9tnesne q system
make the necessary Feapptscats0n of tns
pftnciplc To the shifting national needs.
We must taks s@rttpuiuNg cage that the
re&ppllcattpu shall bs made IN such way
that IA viii nOi amount 20 o dislocatlon Of
car aTateEa. the mere threat OF when. not
20 speak Of tine performance, would pro-
OF the community The first eonssacrG-
t5an ia raa&ing these changes would, q
course, be . EresEFxe tse pringlp'. y aish
unGrriies our whole taria eysteiu--ih4t u.
the principle Of putting &fnerlcau husi.
ness Interests at ieaat on e full equality
with interests abroad and u slways al
lowing q sufficient rate OF duty TO more
than cover the difference hetwcen the
labor cost here and abroad, The well be-
INK " the t.lleT Of the soil, should b.
treated as an essential In AhaptnS our
whole economic policy. There must never
be any change which will ieppnr1i9c the
Nfau4i4rd IN comfort the standard OF
wages. OF the American waEoworker
one way In which the REIMBURSEMENT
i
Treaties II Is greatly 10 be desired that
sach treaties may be adopted. They can
be used 10 widen our markets and % give
a greater ncld for the activities Of our
producers on the one hand. and on the
other hand 10 Nceure In practical shape
ihe lowering OF duties whsa they are no
longer needed for protection among our
a~n people or when lhe minimum OF jam
age done may BE- dlsregarled for the sake
q the maximum o. good aecoinp'lshe4l.
Ing treaties ard II there seem 90 he no
warrant TOT the unhtavor TO execute 9TH
sss Q. to ss1d q, Rs9ai ,ss 'r ts sane 20
efld-t0 secure ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS be met
b. direct legislation.
Wherever the tariff conditions are such
that a needed change cannot with advRn-
tawe BE- made BY the application Of the
reciprocity idea. then u can be made out"
right BY a lowering Of duties on given
product IL possible such change should
l., made only after the fullest eonsidcra-
tlan hy practical experts. who should APP
proaeh the snbiect from a business stand
point having In view both the particular
Interests affected and the commercial well
being % the people as "A whole fhe ma
ehinery fer providing such careful inVes-
tfgakion can rnadiiy be supplied The ex-
eeutfve department has already at ITS
disposal methods Of collecting facts and
figures and IL the congress desires add
tt0nal consideration 20 that which Will be
given the subject by It's own committees.
then a commission Of business experts can
be appointed whose duty II should De 70
recommend action by the congress after
a deliberate and scientific examination OF
The various schedules as they are affected
~ the changed and changing conditions.
The unhurriod and unbiased report OF tnis
3 sotnu, laNion would show what change
shouId be maze In the various schedules
and havs far these changes could 40 with
Z out also changing the great pFosprrity
( which this country is now enjoying OF
tspaettlng it's fixed economic policy
/ The cases IN which the tariff can pro-
Z duce a uaoa.Qoly are so few as TO consti-
I tute an uncomfortable factor In the guess
tfon. tstt, OF course. II In any case II be
found that a given rate OF duty does pro
I mote a monopoly which works III. no pro-
tsctt0nist would object to such reduction
l ~ the duty as would equalsze competition.
I In my Judgment. the tariu on anthracite
I coal should be removed and anthracite
I put actually where il nos Is nom'nAlty.
on the free list. This would have no euect
al ali save in crises; but In crises it might
I be Of service to the people,
Interest rates are potent tnctof IN
1 business activity. and In order that these
] rates may be equalized 20 meet the vary
I ing needs OF the seasons and OF widely
( aefsaratesi communities. and TO prevent ths
I recurrence Of financial stringencies when