The Canton times., 1902-12-05

should be not by unwise tariff changes to
gve fersgn he Sv oyer
tion to give domestic competition q fair
chance; and this end cannot be reached by
ayyorapT good
and bad alike. The question of regulation
Of the trusts stands apart from the ques-
tion of tariff revision.
Stability of economic policy must always
be the prime economic need of this country.
This stability should rot be. fossilization.
Of the protective-ta principle 1t is ex-
cee6ingly undesirable that this system
should be destroyed or that there should be
past experience shows that great prosper
ity in this country has always come under
protective tariff and that Iat the country
la>s as a whole work well, and if business
7 mas prospered under them and is prosper
ing, it is better to endure for time slight
inconveniences and inequalities in some
schedules than to upset business by too
quick and too radical changes. 1t is most
the tariff from the standpoint solely of our
business needs. 1t Is, perhaps, too much to
hope that partisanship may be entirely ex-
cuded from consideration of the subject,
but at least 1t can be made secondary to
the business interests of the country-that
Is, to the interests, of our people as whole
| will best be served If together with fixity
| of principle as regards the tariff We COM
bine a system which will permit us from
| time to time. to make the necessary reap
| plication of the principle to the shifting ma
| tional needs. We must take scrupulous
care that the reapphcation shall be made
| in such a way that it will not amount to
| a. dislocation of our system, the mere
| threat of which (not to speak of the per-
fformance) would produce paralysis in the
| business energies of the community. The
| first consideration in making these changes
| would, Of course, be to preserve the. prin-
cple which underlies our whole tariff sys-
tem-that is. the principle of putting Amer
| lean business interests at least on a full
equality, with interests abroad and Of al
Ways allowing sufficient rate Of daty to
| labor cost here anC abroad. The we'll be-
| ing Of the wage worker. like the well-be-
| ing Of the tiler of the soil, should be treat
| ed as an essential in shaping our whole
| economic policy. There must never be any
change which will jeopardize the STANDARD
| American wage worker
One way in which the readjustment
| sought can be reached is by reciprocity
treaties. It is greatly to be desired that
| such treaties may be adopted. They can
| be used to widen our markets and to
| give greater field for the activities of
lowering of duties when they are no
| longer needed for protection among our
own people. or when the minimum of
pshed psf a. fe it proYe % bHe0 to afa ray
to be no warrant for the endeavor 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.
Need of Tariff Commission.
| Wherever the tariff conditions are such
| that needed change cannot with ad-
vantage be made by the application Of
given product. If possible such change
should be made only after the fullest les
| should approach the subject from a busi-
ness. standpoint. having in view both the
particular interests M affected . and the com,
4 whole. The machinery for providing such
| careful investigation can readily be sup
piled The executive department. has haiia a.
ing facts and figures. and # the con-
gress desires additional consideration to
that which will be given the subject b by
| of business experts can be appointed
whose duty it should be to recommend
and scientific examination of the various
| schedules as they are affected by ,the the
changed and changing conditions. The
aHu Would shoW WHAT changes
| should be made in the various schedules,
and how far these changes could go
so his hf is epoy
ing. or upsetting its fixed economic pol
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 If in any case
| 1t be found that given rate of duty
does promote monopoly which works
| i'll, no protectionist would object to such
reduction of the duty as would equalize
| competition.
| cite coal should be removed, and anthra-
| cita 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.
How to secure fair treatment alike l,s for or
labor and for capital, how to hold IN
| check the inscriptions man, whether
employer or employe, without weakening
| individual initiative, without hamperlng
of the country, is a problem fraught with
| great difficulties and one which it Is OF
the highest Importance to solve on lines
! of sanity and far-sighted common sense
| as well as of devotion to the right This
| is an era of federation and combination
Exactly as business men find they must
| often work through corporations, and as
| it is constant tendency of these cor
| porations to grow larger, so it is often
necessary for laboring men to work in
! federations. and these have become i'm
| portant factors of modern industrial life:
| Both kinds of federation, capitaliStic and
1 labor, can do much good. and as a NEG
| essary corrolary they can both do evil
| Opposition to each kind of organization
| should take the form of opposition to
| whatever is bad in the conduct of any
| given corporation or union-not of at
| tacks upon corporations as such nor upon
| unions as such: for some of the most
! far-reaching benefcent work for our peo-
! pie has been accomplished through both
| corporations and unions. Each must re-
| frafn from arbitrary or tyrannous inter-
| ference with the rights of others. Or
| ganized capital and organized labor alike
| should remember that in the long run
| the interest of each must be brought
| into harmony with the interest of the
| general public: and the conduct of each