The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1902-12-12
TRUSTS AND THE TARIFF DEALT WITH
Fitul Changes of Import Duties Menace TO The Business
Interests of the Country Reciprocity Treaties
Desirable Monetary Legislation -Rela-
lions of Labor and Capital.


good and what Is bad In the existing sys-
tenn. the rcsoluto effort 90 obstruct any
attempt at bcttcrment. betrays blind
ness 20 the historic truth that wise cvolu
ton Is tho sure safeguard against rovo-
luton.
Importance Of the Subject.
No more important subject can come
before the Congress than this OF the
regulation % interstate business The
country cannot AFFORD 20 sit supinc on
the plea that under our peculiar system
OF government We are helpless ga the
presence 81 the new conditions. and un-
able 20 grnpplc with them or 20 cut out
whatever % evil has arisen IN connec-
ton with them. The power ~ the Con-
grcss 60 regulate interstate commerce is
an absolute and unqualified grant. and
without limitations other than those pre-
scfihcd by the constitution. The Con-
grcss has constitutional authority 10
make all laws necessary and proper for
executing this power. and I am satisfied
that this power has not been exhausted
boy my legislation now ON the statute
books. II is evident therefore. that evils
restrictive % commercial freedom entail
iug restraint upon national commerce fan
within tho Fcguatiys power 81 the Con
rrrsa. and that wise and reasonable
law would be a necessary and proper cN-
ercise 81 congressional authority Co the
~.
Evils Can Be Done Away with.
believe that mouopollos. unjust dis
ordinations which prevent or cripple
competition. fraudulent uvcrcapltallza-
tion. and other evils IN trust ofgnuiza-
tions and practices which iniuriously az
feet interstate trade. can DE prevented
under the power % the Congress 10 "rcgu-
late commerce with foreign nations and
among the several states" through reyu-
n nd N
rectly upon such commerce the instru-
mcntalitics thereof. and those engaged
therein.
earnestly recommend this subject 10
the consideration OF tho Congress with a
view 10 the passage % a law reasonable
In its provisions and effective in It's opsr-
htlouH, upon which tho questions can bc
finally adjudicated that now raise doubts
as To- tho necessity % constitutional
amendment II % prove impossible 60 nc.
complish the purposes above set forth hv
such law. then. assurcdly We should
not shrink from amending the constitu-
ton as To secure beyond pcradycuture tho
power sought
The Tariff Question.
ono proposition advocated has bear ~,
| reduction ~ tho tariff ne means OF
reaching tho evils 81 the trusts which
/ ilu within Oh" category 7 have dcsrrIh.
"d Nut mrrr,y would this boo wholly
| ineffective. hut the diversion OF our rf-
forts DOB such direction would moan tho
abandonment Of an Intelligent attempt
90 do away with these evils. MANY OF
the largest corporations. many ~ those
which should certainly be included In
any proper scheme of regulation. would
not be affected In tho slightest degree
by change In tho tariff. save aa such
change iutcrfcrci with the general pros
| p"rlty Or the country The only relation
u Of
whole is that the tarim makes mauufac-
| lures profitable. and the tarln remedy
| proposed would De In effect simply to
make manufactures uuprontable To re-
/ move the tarif as punitive measure d.
| roctcd against trusts would Inevitably re-
suit IN ruin 90 tho weaker competitors
| who are struggling against them. our
| aim should be not By unwise tariff
| changes To give foreign products the
advantage over domestic products. but by
/ proper regulation 90 give domestic COM
petition fair chance: aud this end can
not be reached by any tarin changes
which would affect unfavorably all do
nestle competitors. good and bad alike.
| The question % regulation OF the trusts
stands apart from the question OF tarln
| revision.
Fitful Tariff Changes Decried.
Stability Of economic policy must al
ways be tho prime economic need OF this
| country. This stability should not be
| fossllizatlon. The country has acqulesced
In the wisdom OF the protective tarln
principle. IL Is exceedingly undeslra BILE
that this system should be DESTROYED or
that there should be violent and radical
changes therein. our past experience
shows that great prosperity In this eoun-
| try has always come under protective
tariff: and that the country cannot pros
per under ntfui tarin changes At short
Intervals. Moreover. ~ the tarir laws
| a. "A -whols-work well. and II business
has prospcred under them and Is pros
| pering. u Is better 90 endure for time
| slight Inconvenience and Inequalities IN
some schedules than 20 upset business
by too quick and too radical changes II
In most earnestly 20 be wished that we
could treat the tarin from the stand
| point solely Of our business needs IL f.
perhaps. too much 90 hope that partisan
ship may be entirely excluded from con-
| sidoratiOn Of the subject. but at least
u can be made secondary 20 the bust
ness interests OF the country-that Is. "a
tho interests OF our people as n whole
Internationally these business interests
viii best be served II together with
nSlty OF principle as regards the tarln
We combine system which will permit
us from time 90 time 90 make the neces-
sary reapplication OF the principle 20 the
shifting national needs. We must take
Hcrupulous care thnt the rcapplcatlon
shall be made In such n way that Il will
not amount 90 dislocation OF our avs.
tenn. the mere threat of which mot %
speak OF the pcrformnncel would pro.
duce paralysis IN the bus.rcss energies
OF the community. The first considera-
ton In making these changes would. OF
course be 20 preserve the principle which
undcriics our whole tariff system-that ia
the principle Of putting American bust
ness interests az least on "A full equal.
ity with Interests abroad. and Of always
| allowing n sufficient rate OF duty 20 more
than cover tho difference between the IN.
Dor cost here and abroad. The woll-be
ing OF the wage-workcr. like the we'll
being of the tillcr OF tho soil. should
be treated as an essential In shaping out
whole economic policy. There must nevoi
be any change which will jeopardlze th'
standard OF comfort. the standard oi
wages Of the American wage-worker.