The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-03

betrays blindness TO the historic truth
that wise evolution is the sure safe
guard against revolution.
No more important subject can
come before the Congress than this Of
the regulation of interstate business.
This country can not afford to sit
supine on the plea that under our Pc
culiar system of government 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 in
terstate commerce is an absolute and
unqualified grant, and without limita-
tons others than those prescribed by
the Constitution. The Congress has
constitutional authority to make all
laws necessary and proper for execut-
ing this power, and am satisfied that
this power has not been exhausted by
any legislation now on the, statute
books. It is evident, Therefore, that
evils restrictive of commercial freedom
and entailing restraint upon national
commerce fall within the regulative
power of the Congress, and that a
W Use anu iedOOlldDEC clN hOhAN NC x
necessary and proper exercise of Con-
gressional authority to the end that
such evils should be eradicated.
I believe that monopolies, unjust
determinations, which prevent or Grip
pie competition, fraudulent over
capitalization, and other evils in trust
organizations and practices which in
! juriously affect interstate trade can be
| prevented under the power OF the Con-
gress to regulate commerce with for
eign nations and among the several
States" through regulations and re-
quirements operating directly upon
such commerce, the instrumentalities
thereof, and those engaged therein.
l earnestly recommend this subject to
| the consideration of the Congress with
view to the passage of a law reason
able in it's provisions and effective in
it's operations, upon which the ques-
tons can be finally adjudicated that
now raise doubts as to the necessity of
constitutional amendment. If it prove
impossible to accomplish the purposes
above set forth by such a law, then,
| assuredly, we should no shrink from
amending the Constitution so as to Sc
cure beyond peradventure the power
sought. "
The Congress has not heretofore
made any appropriation for the better
enforcement of the anti-truts law as it
now stands. Very much has been done
by the Department of Justice in secur-
ing the enforcement of this law, but
much more could be doae if Congress
would make special appropriation for
this purpose, to be expended under the
direction of the Attorney-G General.
BE CAREFUL ABOUT THETARIFF.
One proposition advocated has been
the reduction of the tariff as means
of reaching the evils of the trusts
which fall within the category | have
described. Not merely would this be
wholly ineffective, but the diversion of
our efforts in such a direction would
mean the abandonment of all intelli-
gent attempt to do away with these
evils. Many of the largest corpora
lions, many of those which should GER
tainly be included in any proper
scheme of regulation, would not be af-
fected in the slightest degree by a
cnange in the tariff, save as such
change interfered with the general
prosperity of the country. The only
relation of the tariff to big corporations
as a whole Is that the tariff makes
manufactures profitable, and the tariff
remedy proposed would be in effect
simply to make manufactures unprof-
table To remove the tariff as a punt
tive measure directed against trusts
would inevitably result in ruin to the
weaker competitors who are struggling
against them. Our aim should be not
by unwise tariff changes to give for
eign products the advantage over do
nestle products, but by proper regula-
ton to give domestic competition a
fair chance; and this end can not be
reached by any tariff changes which
would affect unfavorably 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 pf
this country. This stability should not
be fossilization. The country has ac-
guessed in the wisdom of the protec-
tive-tariff principle. 1t is exceedingly
undesirable that this system should be
destroyed or that there should be vio-
lent and radical changes therein. Our
past experience shows that great
prosperity in this country has always
come under a protective tariff; and
that the country can not prosper under
fitful tariff changes at short intervals.
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
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. 1t
Is, perhaps, too much to hope that
partisanship 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 bust
ness interests will best be served if to-
gether with fxity of principle as re-
cards the tariff we combine a system
which will permit us from time to time
to make the necessary 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 it will not amount to
a dislocation of our system, the mere