The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-12-09

speeches, so far as we can remember. Something
can and must be done, he says, but as to what
this something shall be, he speaks in an uncertain
tone. Here is his recommendation:
Il believe that monopolies, unjust d~iscrimina-
tions which prevent or cripple competition, fraud
ulent over-capitalization, and other evils in trust
organizations and practices which iniuriously af-
feet interstate trade can be prevented under the
power of the Congress to regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the several States
through regulations and requirements operating
directly upon such commerce, the instrumental
ties thereof, and those engaged therein. I ear
nestly omm this subject to the considera-
ton of the Congress with a view to the passing
of a law reasonable In it's provisions and effective
in its operations, upon which the questions can
be finally adjudicated that now raise doubts as
to the necessity of constitutional amendment. If
it prove impossible to accomplish the purposes
above set forth by such a law, then, assuredly,
we should not shrink from amending the Consti-
tuition so as to secure beyond peradventure the
power sought"
But the President does say that tariff revision
is not the weapon needed to fight the trusts with.
"Not merely would this be wholly ineffective, but
liz INVERSION u our 01OFIS III SUCH a ulE6cJlOu
would mean the abandonment of all intelligent at
tempt to do away with these evils. Many of the
largest corporations, many of those which should
certainly be included in any proper 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
the country. The only relation of the tariff to big
corporations as a whole is that the tariff makes
manufactures profitable, and the tariff remedy
proposed would be in effect simply to make manu-
features improbable"
Further on in his message, however, the follow
ing paragraph occurs-as if the matter were of
so little Importance as to be only an after
thought:
"The cases in which the tariff can produce a
monopoly are so few as to constitute an incon-
siderable factor in the question; but of course
if in any case it be found that a given rate of
duty does promote a monopoly which works i'll,
no protectionist would object to such reduction
of the duty as would e~qualize competition"
A commission of business experts" to investi-
gate tariff matters is suggested. This idea, how
ever, has already been offered by Senator Allison
and others, and is not likely to be adopted.
X X
There is positive recognition Of the fact that
this is an era of organization and combination.
Exactly as business men find they must often
work through corporations, and as it is aiconstant
tendency of these corporations to grow larger,
so it is often necessary for laboring menfto work
in declarations, and these have become important
factors of modern industrial life. Both kinds
of federation, capitalistic and labor, can do much
good, and as a necessary corOllary they can both
do evil. Opposition to each kind of organization
should take the form of opposition to whatever
lis bad in the conduct of any given corporation
- ,,;oo not oF o+tookc T1DOO COMBINATIONS aS