The Irish standard., 1902-10-11

Under the tariff act now in force, every
coal from the outside is subject to duty
of 81 cents per ton. His reference to the
Standard Oil company is equally mac
curate. Kerosene. as such, is on the free
list. But kerosene is only one of the
scores of products of petroleum. All the
by products of petroleum, from parafin to
vaseline, are protected by duties so high
that the Standard Oil company has abso-
lutte monopoly of the domestic market in
all OF those commodities.
To my mind the only efficient remedy
within our grasp not subject to the delays
of litigation, is the reasonable reduction
or repeal of the tariff duties on all COM
modities where the tariff serves no other
purpose than that Of protecting monopoly.
Free Trade No Longer Possible.
To argue that this proposition involves
the question of either free trade or pro-
lection is absurd. Free trade can never
again become a practical question with
the electors of the United States in view
of the recent decision of the United States
supreme court limiting the field of taxa
ton, until other sources of national reve-
nue. are provided by amendment to the
constitution.
The tariff. more or less protective, has
become such part of the fiscal policy of
our country that free trade is simply out
of the question. Under the present cheap
er processes of production, any tariff on
a commodity produced or manufactured
here Is necessarily protective. The mar
gin of profits in the worlds industries,
unaided by monopoly, is not great any
where, SO that a tariff need not be UNI
reasonably high to afford a liberal meas
ure of protection. A tariff on commOdi
ties produced here which adequately
serves the fiscal demands Of the govern
ment, affords all the legitimate protec
kt-., sGrI~ Il,
policy While believe that the Ameri
can producer, who helps to maintain our
institutions and to bear the burdens of
prevents legitimate competition. Public
policy requires the protection of the con-
srmer well as the producer, and the
American people who are not blinded by
party zeal or self-interest, irrespective of
party, are, in my judgment. in accord on
this proposition. 1 agree with the presi
dent that this question ought not to be
q party question, but that it is bound to
be just as long as either party undertakes
to defend and perpetuate tariff schedules
that only foster and maintain monopoly
But there are other considerations that
dictate an intelligent revision of the tar
iff The accident of the Spanish war has
awakened in us a national consciousness
OF our industrial and commercial poten
TALLY as well as our political prestige.
During the decades that preceded the
Spanish war; we devoted ourselves to the
development of our vast country and it's
immense resources and to the prosecution
of private affairs with such an intensity
of energy and eXclusiveness that we neg
lected to take account of the general field
of human activity and industry We We're
seli-absorbed, self-sufficient and indiffer
ent to the outside world. We felt that
we had "a good thing and did not pro-
pose to divide with anybody. For gen
GRAFTON before the Spanish war, we actu
ally stood in dread OF the rest of the
world politically and certainly industrially.
We believe it necessary to keep it shut
out and we are still hampered by that old
dc!usion.
Sure of American Supremacy.
Fate or accident thrust me into public
life early. l spent six years in the house
of representatives while yet in my thirties.
Every interest Of this great nation, its
every advance, it's every step of progress,
passes before that body daily as piano.
rama. I saw the building of our victo-
rious navy, l helped launch the Yorktown:
walked the keel of the Texas; l helped
appropriate the money for the Maine;
watched our gunners training. and knew
that. man for man, and vessel for vessel.
no power on earth could stand up against
us. When the Spanish war broke out,
confidently foresaw and predicted it's
speedy and glorious ending. When went
cut in April. 1 assured my wife and chill
,iren that the war would be over and that
I would return before September. The
war was practically ended in July.
The same observations. the same
process of reasoning which imbued my
mind with the conviction of the superior
ity of our navy. and of the efficiency of
our men. led to like conclusions in regard
to our industrial position. We produce
more bread stuffs than any other nation
in the world more cotton. more iron,
more coal more lumber. more copper,
moro precious minerals; with the most
advanced industrial equipment. and labor
unsurpassed not only in numbers but i'll
skill ard energy by any in the world. 1t
is Il Sical necessity which | have real
lied for years that it was Only question
of time when we would be the dominant
power in the worlds history: and il not
hamrered by vicious legislation that we
would control it's commerce. Am l right
in these views. or am I wrong? If right.
it follows that we must be guided by poll
cies: as broad as the opportunities before
u:
Strategic Position Of Minneapolis.
Look at the map of North America or
rather at that portion Of it covered by the
United States and Canada. Note the
valleys the mountain ranges, the lakes
and coast lines. Observe the identity of
the physical contour and the physical d.
visions north and south-the same Pacific
plain and coast line, the same Rocky
mountain region from north to south, the
same division by the Appalachian chain,
the same great interior plain extending
from the Gulf of Mexico OH the south into
the Arctic circle on the north with no
break in its contiguity, containing the
most fertile and the largest continuous
area of arabic land in the world. Its eli
mate and productions covering the entire
range from se1nitropical in the south to
the productions of the Frigid zone in the
north; occupied by a population speaking
the same language, inspired by the same
literature. and welded throughout to the
principles Of self-government. Not far
from the center of the habitable portion
of this vast domain is our own city of
Minneapolis. A traveller from the gulf
to the Arctic, whatever means of transit
he should choose. could not we'll miss our
gates. Our situation is not unlike that
of the great trade centers of the ancient
world. All permanent trade routes in
the past have developed on lines Of longi-
tude rather than latitude. And can see
no reason why that should not be the nat
ural development of commerce in the flu
ture as in the past. II is true that up to
this time trade OH the American CONT
nent, especially in the United States. has
been largely on lines east and west. but
that is because of the differences in in
dustrial development. The population
of the west has titled the soil. That Of
the east has been more advanced in in
dustry. Those differences. in the nature
of things, are temporary. For the west.
with its abundance of food products. its
raw material. and its growing population.
Is bound to equal If not surpass the east
/ in manufacturing. When that time
comes. there will be less occasion for
trade east and west than there Is now
People never exchange nrnflIctS of the