The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1902-12-04

thS ScfSTdl states through regulations
and requirements operating directly upon
such commerce the instrumentalities
thereof and those engaged therein.
earnestly recommend this subject to the
consideration Of the congress with view
20 the passage of a law reasonable in its
provisions and effective in its operations,
upon which the questions can be finally
adJudicated that now raise doubts as to
the necessity Of constitutional amend
ment. If 1T prove impossible to accom-
plish the purposes above set forth by such
law, then assuredly we should not
shrink from amending the constitution SO
as to secure beyond peradventure the
power sought. . .............
The congress has not heretofore made
any appropriation for the better enforce
ment of the antitrust law as it now
stands: Very much has been done by the
forcement, Of this law. but much more
could be done If congress would make a
be expended under the direction po Of the ae
attorney general
One proposition advocated has been the
reaching the evils Of the trusts which fall
Not merely would this be wholly ineffec-
such a direction would mean the aban-
donment Of all intelligent attempt to do
away with these. evils. Many Of the lar
should certainly be included in any proper
scheme Of regulation. would not be af-
fected IN the slightest degree by change
fered with the general prosperity Of the
country. The only relation Of the tariff
to big corporations as a whole Is that the
the tar semsd~ and
profitable To remove the tariff as a
would inevitably result in ruin to the
weaker competitors who are struggling
against them. Our aim should be not by
unwise tariff changes to give foreign prod
uCtS the ADVANTAGE dnmeStic mod.
nestle competition fair chance. and
changes which would affect unfavorabiy
all domestic competitors. good and bad
alike. The question of regulation Of the
trusts stands apart from the question of
tariff revision.
Stability Of economic policy must al
country: This stability should not be fos:
in the wisdom Of the protective tariff
that this system should be destroyed or
changes therein. Our past experience
shows that great prosperity in this coun-
try has always come under a protective tar
under fitful tariff changes at short inter-
walls: Moreover, If the. tariff laws as q
whole work well and If business has pros
better to endure for q time slight incon-
Veniences and inequalities in some sched-
ules than to upset business by too quick
nestly to be wished that we could treat
the tariff from the standpoint solely Of
our business needs. 1t is, perhaps, too
entirely excluded from consideration of
the subject, but at least it can be made
secondary to the business interests of the
people as whole. Unquestionably these
business interests will best be served If
together with iixity of principle as re-
which will permit us from time to time to
make the necessary reapplication of the
principle to the shifting national needs.
reapplication shall be made in such way
that it will not amount to dislocation Of
our system, the mere threat of which, not
duce paralysis in the business energies
of the community The first considera-
ton in making these cna.s : d, OF
underlies our Whole tariff sys tem-that IS,
the principle Of putting American bust
ness interests at least on full equality
Of auy ta ore
labor cost here and abroad: The wen be-
ing of the tiller of the soil, should be
treated as an essential in shaping our
whole economic policy. There must never
Standard Of comfort, the standard Of
wages, Of the American wageworker
One way in which the reimbursement
treaties. It is greatly to be desired V 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
producers on the one hand, and on the
othe + hand to secure in practical shape
the lowering of duties when they are no
longer needed for protection among our
own people or when the minimum of dam
age done may be disregard ed for the sake
of the maximum of good accomplishing.
If it prove impossible to ratify the pend
ing treaties and If there seem to be no
for the endeaVor to execute 9TH
erS or to amend the pending trea ties so
that they can be ratified, then the same
end-to secure reciprocity--Should be met
by direct legislation.
Wherever the tariff conditions are such
that a needed change cannot with advan-
tagc be made by the application of the
reciprocity idea, then it can be made out
right by a lowering of duties on a given
product If possible, such change should
be made only after the fullest consdera-
ton by practical experts, who should APP
proach the subject from business stand
point having in view both the particular
interests affected and the commercial we'll
being of the people as whole. The ma
for providing such careful inveS-
tigation can readily be supplied. The ex-
ecutive department has already at its
disposal methods Of collecting facts and
figures. and if the congress desires addi-
tional consideration to that which will be
given the subject by it's own committees.
then commission of business experts can
be appointed whose duty it should be to
recommend action by the congress after
a deliberate nd scientific examination OF
the various schedules as they are affected
by the changed and changing conditions.
The unhurried and unbiased report of this
would show what changes
should be made in the various schedul
and how far these changes could go with
out also changing the great prosperity
which this country is now enjoying or
upsetting it's fixed economic policy.
The cases in which the tariff can pro-
duce a monopoly are so few as to consti-
tute an inconsiderable factor in the ques-
ton; but. Of course, If in any case it be
mote a monopoly which works i'll, no pro-
tectionist would object to such reduction
of the duty as would equaliZe competition.
In my judgment. the tariff on anthracite
put actually, where it now is neminally,
on the free list. This would have no effect
at all save in crises; but in crises it might
be Of service to the people.
Interest rates are potent factor IN
business activity. and in order that these
ing needs of the seasons and of widely
communities, and to prevent the
Of financial stringencies which
affect legitimate business, 1t
ment of elasticity in our monetary sys.
tenn Banks are the natural servants OF
commerce, and upon them should be
placed. as far as practicable, the burden
Of furnishing and maintaining circula-
ton adequate to supply the needs of our
and foreign commerce, and the issue Of
this should be so regulated that a suffi-
cient supply should be always available
for the business interests of the country.