The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-25


business proposition
and not from the standpoint of the
temporary needs of any political party.
A nation like ours can adjust it's busi-
ness after fashion to any kind of
tariff. But neither our nation nor any
readjusting it's business to radical
changes in the tariff at short intervals.
This is more true now than ever it
was before, for owing to the immense
extent and variety of our products the
tariff schedules of today carry rates Of
ticles. Continual sweeping changes in
such tariff. touching so intimately the
commercial interests of the nation. can
not but be disastrous. Yet, on the other
hand, where the industrial needs of the
nation shift as rapidly as they do with
us, it is a matter of prime Importance
that we should be able to readjust our
economic policy as rapidly as possible
and with as little friction as possible to
those needs. We need scheme which
will enable us to make. a reapplcation
of the principle to the changed condi-
tions.
"The problem, therefore. is to devise
some plan by which these shifting
needs can be recognized and the neces-
sary readjustment of duties provided
without forcing the entire business
community, and therefore the entire
nation, to submit to violent surgical
operation, the mere threat of which,
and still more the accomplished fact of
which, would probably paralyze for
considerable time all the industries of
the country Such radical action might
very readily reproduce the conditions
from which we suffered nine years ago,
in 1898.
at is on every account most earnestly
to be hoped that this problem can be
solved in some manner into which par
tisanship shall enter as a purely Sec
ondary consideration if at all: that is,
in some manner which shall provide for
an earnest effort by non partisan in
quiry and action to secure any changes,
the need of which is indicated by the
effect found to proceed from given rate
of duty on a given article: its effect. If
any, as regards the creation of a sub
stantial monopoly: it's effect upon do
nestle prices, upon the revenue of the
government, upon importations from
abroad, upon home production and upon
consumption.
'In other words, we need to devise
some machinery by which, while perse-
vering in the policy of protective
tariff. in which l think the nation as a
whole has now generally acquiesced, we
would be able to correct the Irregular
duced by the changing conditions, with
out destroying the whole structure. Such
machinery would permit us to continue
our definitely settled tariff policy while
providing for the changes in duties
upon particular schedules which must
inevitably and necessarily take place
from time to time as matters of legis-
lative and administrative detail, This
would secure the needed stability of
economic policy which Is a prime fac
tor i'm our industrial success while
doing away with any tendency to fossil
izaton.
1T would recognize the fact that as
our needs shift it may be found ad-
visable to alter rates and schedules,
adapting them to the changed cond-
tions and necessities of the people and
this would be In nowise incompatible
with preserving the principle of pro-
lection, for belief I'm the wisdom of a
protective tariff is in no way ncon-
sistent with frankly admitting the de-
STABILITY of changing set of sched-
ules when from any cause such change
is in the interest of the nation as
our tariff policy Is designed
to favor the interests of the nation as
a whole and not those of any particu-
lar set of individuals, save as an incl
dent TO their building up of national
well-being.
"There are two or three different
methods by which it will be possible to
provide such readjustment without any
shock to the business world. My per-
sonal preference would be for actions
which should be taken only after pre-
iminary inquiry by. and upon the ind