Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-12-04

Constitution so as to secure beyond per-
adventure the power sought
The congress has not heretofore made
n appropriation for the better enforce
ment Of the ANTITRUST law as II now
stands. Very much has been done by the
S%ePsrnmsp' Of Il tbs 3Ss''f isw. but Sesui mach sAg more ore
could be done IL congress would make a.
special appropriation for this purpose, to
be expended under the direction of the
Tariff Must Not Re Diaturbed.
One proposition advocated has been the
reduction Of the tariff as a means OF
reaching the evils Of the trusts which
fall within the category | have described.
Not merely would this be wholly ineffect-
I've, but the diversion of our efforts In
ment of all intelligent attempts 10 do
away with these evils. Many OF the
largest corporations, many Of those which
should certainly be included In any prop
er scheme Of regulation. would not be
affected in the slightest degree by a
change in the tariff, save as such change
interfered with the general prosperity Of
tariff to big corporations as q
whole Is that the tariff makes
manufactures profitable, and the tar
feet simply to make manufactures un-
profitable. To remove the tarfr as a
punitive 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 tarin changes to give foreign
products the advantage oyer domestic
products. but by proper regulation 20 give
domestic competition a fair chance; and
this end n be reached by any tarir
changes which would affect u~nfayoTably
all domestic competitors, good n BAD
alike. The question OF regulation of the
trusts stands apart from the question OF
tariff revision.
that a needed change cannot with ad-
vantage be made by the application of
the reciprocity idea. then II can be made
outright by a lowering OF duties on a
gwen product. II possible, such change
should be made onIy aIler the fullest con-
sideration by practical experts, who
should not 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 coll
lecting facts and figuresi and IL the con-
gross desires additional consideration to
chat which will be given the subject by
its own committees, then a commission
or business experts can be appointed
whose duty 1t should be to recommend
action by the congress after a 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 20 with
out also changing the great prosperity
unsetting it's fixed economic policy.
The cases In which the tariff can pro-
duce a monopoly are SO few as TO consti-
tute an inconsiderabie factor in the cues
ton: but Of course IL in any case 1t be
found that a given rate of duty does pro-
mote a monopoly which works i'll, nc pro-
t%ectionist would object to such reduction
OF the duty as would equalize comped-
ton.
cite coal should be removed, and anthra-
cite put actually. where it now is nom.
inally, on the free list. This would have
no effect at all save In crises: but In
crises It might be OF service to the peo-
pie.
Financial Legislation D~esirabIe.
Interest rates ARE a potent factor In
business activity, n in order that these
rates may be ~eqilalized to meet the vary
Ing needs of the seasons and of widely
separated communities. and TO prevent the
recurrence of financial stringencies which
i~njurionsly AFFECT legitimate business. IL is
necessary that there should be an element
OF elasticity in our monetary system.
Banks are the natural eryants OF conl-
merce, and upon them should be placed,
as far as practicable, the burden of fur
nlshing and maintaining a circulation ade-
quate to supply the needs of our DIVERSE
fled INDUSTRIES TaFa our domestic and
foreign comnerce: and the issue Of this
should be 20 regulated that a sufficient
EH ~ Nv =. AAeAh " NAAG
business interests Of the country.
II would be unwise and unnecessary at
this time to attempt to reconstruct our
r system which has been the
growth of a century; but some additional
legislation is, / think. desirable. The
mere outline OF any plan sufficiently COM
p~rehensiye to meet these requiremeqnts
would transgress the appropriate limits
Of this communication. 1t is suggested,
however, that all future legislation on
the subject should be with the view OF
HnG0lfTQ cinU 4 fn - 80 ~sFnH
talities as viii automatically supply every
demand OF productive Industries
ana or commerce, not only in the kinds
CT money interchangeable, and, at the
will OF the holder. convertible into the
established gold standard.
harmony Between Capital and La
bor.
How to secure fair treatment alike for
labor and for capital. how to hold In
check the 1~nscrupulous man, whether
employer or employe, without weakening
individual initiative. without hampering
and cramping the Industrial development
or the country, Is a problem fraught with
great difficulties and one which 1T Is OF
the highest Importance TO solve on lines
OF sanity and far-sighted common sense,
as We'll as OF devotion I" the right. This
is an era of federation and combination.
Exactly as BUSINESS men find they must
often work through corporations, and as
ii is a constant tendency of these corpor-
atoms to grow larger, so Ii is often nee
essary for laboring men TO work in fed
erations, and these have become impor-
tant factors of modern Industrial life.
Few people deserve better of the coun-
try than those representatives both of
capital and labor-and there are many
such-who work continually to bring about
a good understanding OF this kind, based
upon wisdom and upon broad and kindly
sympathy between employers and EN-
ployed, Above all, we need to remember
that any Kind OF class animosity In the
political world Is. 80 naseihle. even more
wicked. even more destructive to national
welfare, than sectional, race or religious
animosity We can get good government
only upon condition that we keep true to
the principles anon which this nation was
founded, and Judge each man not as a part
Of a class. bat upon mis- Individual mer-
its. All that we have a rigfit to ask OF
any man. rich or poor, whatever his
creed, his occupation, his birthplace, or
his residence. IS that he shall act well
and honorably by his neighbor and by his
country. We are neither for the rich.
man as such nor for .he poor man as
such: we are for the upright man, rich
or poor. So far as the constitutional
powers of the natioEal government touch
these matters of general and vital mos
ment 70 the nation. they should be ex-
erclsed in conformity with the principles
above set forth.
New Seat fn the Cabinet Recom-
mended,
IT Is earnestly hoped that a secretary of
may be created, with a seat
in the cabinet. The rapid multiplica-
ton OF questions Affecting labor and cap