The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-03

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lnsistence upon the impossible means delay
IN achieving the possible, exactly as, on
the other hand. the stubborn defence alike of
what /, good and what il bad IA the existing
system, the resolute effort to obstruct any at
teiupt at bett.rnent, DotraNs blindness TO
the Historic truth that wise evolution is
he sure safeguard against revolution
No more important subject can come
before the Congress than this of the rcgu-
lation of interstate business. This country
can not afford 10 sit supine ON the plea that
under our peculiar 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 inter state COM
meroc Is an absolute and unqualified grant,
ana without limitations other than those
prescribed by the Constitution The Con-
gress has Constitutional authority To make
al laws necessary and proper FOR tx cutting
this power. and | am satisfied that th,s
power has not been exhausted by any
legislation now on the statute books. II
Is evident, therefore, that evils restr ictive
of commercial freedom and entailng re-
stralnt upon national commerce fall within
the regulative power of the Congress, al d
that a wise and reasonable law would be a
necessary aud proper exercise of tongr"--
alOnal authority Ia the end that such evils
should be eradicated
| believe that monopolirs, unjust dis
criinina ions, " hiCh pr.,,'.' or DrIUpir COM
petition fraudulent overcapitallHIti II, and
other evils II. tiu-' organizations and
pTdct ices ~ hich iiiui OF w affect interstate.
trade can bc prevented under the power of
the Congress 10 regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the several
States" through regulations and require
mentr operating directly upon such COM
merc", the instrum Qualities thereof, and
those engaged therein
| earnestly recommend tins subject 10
the cousid"rat ion of tn" Congress with a
view Ia the passage Of law reasonable
IN its provisions ard effective in it, ourrH-
ions, upon which the qhestots can b. finally
adjudlvdt"d that now raise doubts a. 10 the
necessity Of { pl-tltutluLil amendment II
n prove impossible to accomplish the Iur-
poses set forth 10y such a Jaw, then, as
suredly, we should not shrink from amend
ing the Constitution - as To secure beyond
p"radventure the. power sought
The Congress has not heretofore made
any appropr'n'i ion for the better enforce
mellt of the Ant t 1I-t law A. il now stands.
Very much has been done by he Department
of Justice in securing the enforcement #
this law, but much more could b' done "
Congress would max" a special appropria-
ton for this purpose, 30 u" eNpt'.,s'-t under
the direction Of the Attomey-'icVortl
TRUSTS NOT DEPENDENT on THE TARIFF.
"
reduc ion q the tariff a means 4 reaching
the evil, Of the trus, which fan within ia.
category ! have described Not merely
would this be wholly Ineffective, hu' the
diversion of our effort, in such "A direction
would mean the abandonment uf all iutolli-
gent attempt to do away with these evils
Many Of the largest corporations, many Of
tho-" which should certainly b. included
ia any proper scheme of regulation, would
not be Affected in the slightest degree by
change in the tariff, save as such change
interfered with the general prosperity Of
the country The only relation of the tariff
10 big corporations a. Who'll" l. that the
tariff makes manufactures profitable, aud
the tarln remedy proposed would b" ia effect
simply 10 make manufactures unprotit able.
To remove the tariff a. a punitive
measure directed against trusts would in
evitably result ia ruin to the weaker COM
petitors who are struggling against them
Our aim should be not by unwi-e tariff
to give foreign products the adj
vantage over domestic products, but bv
proper regulation to give domestic compa-
tition fair chance, and this end can not he
reached by any tariff changes which would
affect unfavorably all domc-t c competitors
good and bad alike The question Of regu-
lat ion 81 the trusts stands apart from
the quest ion of tariff revision.
IMPORTANCE OF CHANCES IN TARIFFS.
StaD!uty oi economic PuHCy must alwdv-
be- the prime economic need Of TINS country.
This stability should not Toe iu-slllIatIu
he country has acQuIe-Ced ia the wisdom
ui the protective tdrin Principe. It l.
exceedingly undesirable that tnls system
should be destroyed or that there should
be violent and radical changes therein.
Our past experience shows that great pros
perity III this country has away, com"
under d protective tarln, and that the
country can not prosper under f,iu tariu
changes at short Intervals
Moreover, the tariff laws d~ "A
whole work well, and II business has
prospered under them and il prospcr-
ing, 1t is better To endure for "A time
slight iuConVei.iouces and Inequalities ia
some schedules than to upset business by
too quick and too radical changes 1t il
most earnestly to TO Wished that We could
treat the tarlii from the standpoint solely
OF Our business needs, 1t il, perhaps, too
much to hope that partlsansnip may he
entirely excluded from COhSlurI ION Of the.
subject, tut AT least II can tc uladc sccou-
daiy to the business interests Of The country
that II, TO the interests of our people as a
whole
PROFESSIONALLY these business interests
VIII best be served II together with
hXty OF principle as regards the tarih We
combine system whlcu will permit us
from time to time TO make the necessary
reapphCatiOn OF the principle to the shifting
national needs. We must take scrupulous
care that the rcdppNCdtlpu shall lo made
In such a way that IT will not amount to a
dslocatiOn OF our system, the mere threat
OF which mot 10 speak of the performs
ancel would produce paralysis in th.
business energies of the community The
first ueideiatiuu N making these changes
would, OF course, pr to preserve the pm
ciple which unuei lies our whole tarin .vs-
teni-that l., the principle of putting Amcri-
can business Interests at least on a full
with interests abroad and of
always allowing sufficient rate of duty
to more than cover the Gln erenco hetw cen
the labor cost here and abroad The we'll
being Of the Wage-worker, like the well.
being Of the tiller of the soil should b.
treated as al essential in shaping our whole
economic policy. there must never he
any change which will jcopardze tho
Of comfort, the standard Of wages
OF the American wage-workcr
RECIPROCITY TREATIES URGED.
One way III which the reimbursement
sought can be reached il ~ reciprocity
treaties II II 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 pro-
duoers on the one hand, and on the other
hand 10 secure III practical shape the low or
ing of duties " hen they are no longer neeied
for protection among our own people. or
when the minimum of damage done NAV
be disregaided for the sake of tho maxi
mum OF good accomplished If il prove
impossible to ratfy the pending treaties,
and " there seem to be no warrant for
the endeavor 10 execute others, or to amend
the pending treaties so that they can be
ratified. then the same end-to secure rcci-
procity should ~" met 10y direct legis-