Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1902-12-11
For Reciprocity treaties.

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. If 1t prove impossible to ratify
the pending treaties, and IL there seem
to be no warrant for the endeayor 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 needed change cannot with ad-
vantage be made by the application OF
the reciprocity idea, then it can be made
outright by a lowering of duties on a
given product. If 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-being 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
| lecting facts and figures; and If the con-
! gress desires additional consideration to
that which will be given the subject by
| it's own committees, then commission
| of business experts can be appointed
| whose duty it should be to recommend
| action by the. Congress after deliberate
| and scientific examination Of the various
| schedules as they are affected by the
| changed and changing conditions. The
| unhurried and unbiased report of this
| commission would show what changes
| should be made in the various schedules,
| and how far these changes could go
4 without also changing the great pros
| perity which this country is now enjoy
| ing, or upsetting its fixed economic pol
| icy.
The cases in which the tariff can pro-
| duce a monopoly are so few as to con-
| stitute an inconsiderable factor in the
question; but of course il in any case
it be found that a given rate of duty
does promote a monopoly which works
| ill, no protectionist would object to such
reduction of the duty as would equahze
| competition.
| In my Judgment, the tariff on anthra-
cite coal should be removed, and anthra-
| cite put actually, where 1t now Is NOM
| inally, on the free list. This would have
| no effect at all save in crises; but in
| crises 1t might be of service to the peo-
| pie.
| monetary Ee9lSldIOns
Interest rates are a potent factor in
business activity, and in order that these
rates may be equalized to meet the vary
| ing needs of the seasons and of widely
separated communities, and to prevent
the recurrence of financial str1ngencles
which injuriously affect legitimate ousi-
ness 1t is necessary that there should
be an element of elasticity in our none
tary system. Banks are the natural ser
wants of commerce. and upon them should
be placed, as far as practicable, the
burden of furnishing and maintaining a
circulation adequate to supply the needs
of our diversified industries and OF our
domestic and foreign commerce; ana
| the issue of this should be so regulated
that a sufficient supply should be al
ways available for the business interests
of the country.
It would be both unwise and unneces-
sary at this time to attempt to recon
struct our financial system, which mas
been the growth of a century; but some
additional legislation is, 1 think, deslr-
able. The mere outline of any plan SUM
GENTLY comprehensive to meet these re-
ouirements would transgress the appro-
pirate limits of this communication. II
| is suggested however, that all future
legislation on the subject should be with
the view of encouraging the use OF sucn
| instrumentalities will AUTOMATICALLY
supply every legitimate demand OF pro
ductive industries and of commerce. NOT
only in the amount, but in the character
of circulation; and of making all xmas
of money interchangeable, and, at the
will of the holder, convertible into the
established gold standard.
Relations of Labor and Capital.
How to secure fair treatment alike for
labor and for capital, how to hold In
check the INSCRIPTIONS man, whetner
employer or employe, without weakening
individual initiative. without haInperine
and cramping the industrial development
of the country, is a problem fraught with
great difficulties and one which 1t Is oil
the highest importance to solve on lines
of sanity and far-sighted common sense
as we'll as of devotion to the right. rms
is an era of federation and combination.
Exactly as business men find they mus'
often work through corporations, and as
, it is a constant tendency OF these cor
porations to grow larger, so 1t Is otten
necessary for laboring men to work II
declarations, and these have become I'M
portant factors of modern Industrial life
Both kinds of federation. capltallstlc anC
labor. can do much good, and as a neces-
. sary corrollary they can both DO evli
+ | Opposition to each kind OF organization
should take the form of opposition tc
whatever is bad in the conduct Of any
given corporation union-not OF at
tacks upon corporations as such nor upor
S unions as such; for some OF the mos
E far-reaching benefcent work for our peo-
i pie has been accomplished through botf
I | CORPORATE and unions. Each must re-
e | frain from arbitrary or tyrannous inter
r | ference with the gifts of others. Organ
l lied capital and organized labor alike
e should remember that in the long run the
interest of each must be brought into
G harmony with the interest Of the genera
public: and the conduct of each mus
t conform to the fundamental rules of ODE
s dience to the law. of individual freedom
s and of justice and fair dealing toward all
Each should remember that in addition t.
e power 1t must strive after the realization
. | of healthy, lofty and generous ideals
s | Every employed every wage worker, mus
t be guaranteed his liberty and his right t.
e do as he likes with his property or his la
Dor so long as he does not infringe upor
, the right of others. 1t is of the highest i'm
: portance that employer and employee alike
should endeavor to appreciate each thu
t viewpoint of the other and the sure dis
: | aster that will come upon both in tn,
o long run II either grows to take as habit
:. ual an attitude of sour hostility and dis
s trust toward the other. Few people de
b serve better of the country than thos'
I representatives both of capital and labo
[ and there are many such-who worl
: | continually to bring about a good under
e standing of this kind. based upon wisdom
e and upon broad and kindly sympathy be
n tween employers and employed. Allow
II ALL we need to remember that any kim
: of class animosity in the political worlt
o is, If possible, even more wicked, evel
= more destructive to national welfare
S than sectional, race or religious animos
: ity. We can get good government onl,
# upon condition that we keep true to tn
h principles upon which this nation wa
). founded, and judge each man not as
: part of a class. but upon his individual
: merits. All that we have a right to asl
s of any man, rich or poor, whatever hi
e creed. his occupation, his birthplace, o
: his residence, is that he shall act wei
: and honorably by his neighbor and b,
i his country. We are neither for the ricl