Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-03

power Of the conereSs to .:rseuissS cc ny
merce with foreign nations and smons
the the sevs!si statee through reguiations
she ssers and those snssged therein.
considerasiSyn Ie 50 nm this subject to the
n 20 .ds pasea1s Ct law reasonable IN its
provisiOne ana effective in its operations,
oPf,,,, wnlcn' the questions can be finally
sns necessity OF constitutional amend
ment II 1t prove impossible to accom-
z law sne } Rurposss above set forth BY such
shrink from amending the Contribution 20
- 100 10 secure beyond peradventure the
The congress has not sheretofor. made
my appropriation for the better enforce
ment OF the antitrust law a. IT. now
stands. Very much has been done By the
forcement Of this law. bb but much me m ore
could be done II congress would mako q
special APPROPRIATION for this purpose, TO
0s sxpenoed under the direction OF the
One proposition advocated has been the
reduction OF the tariff as means of
within the category have described.
Not merely would this be wholly inefrec-
tive but the diversion of our efforts in
SUCH direction would mean the aban-
Comment Of all intelligent attempt to do
away with these evils. Many of the lar
gest corporations, many. Of those which
scheme OF regulation, would not be az
fected in the slightest degree by a change
IN the tarin save as such change inter
Tered with the general prosperity of the
country. The only relation of the tariff
TO big corporations as q whole is that the
tarin makes manufactures profitable, and
tne tarin remedy proposed would be In
erect simply to make manufactures un-
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 tarin changes to give foreign prod
ucts. but by proper regulation to give do
mestic competition a fair chance, and
changes which would affect unfavorably
all domestic competitors, good and bad
alike. The question of regulation of the
trusts stands apart from the question OF
Stability Of economic policy must al
ways be the prime economic need of this
in the wisdom of the protective tariii
principle. 1t Ia exceedingly undesirable
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 coun-
try has always come under a protective tar
in and that the country cannot prosper
under fitful tariff changes at short inter-
walls. Moreover, II the tariff laws as a
whole work well and II business has pros
pered under them and is prospecting. 1t is
better to endure for a time slight incon-
veniences and inequalities in some sched-
and too radical changes. 1t Is most ear
nestly to be wished that We could treat
the tariff from the standpoint solely Of
our business needs. 1t Is. perhaps. too
much to hope that partisanship may be
entirely excluded from consideration of
the subject, but at least it can be made
secondary to the business interests of the
country-that is, to the interests of our
people as a whole. unQuestionably these
business interests will best be served if
together with fixity of principle as re-
CARDS the tariff we combine a system
which will permit us from time to time to
make the necessary reappliea ton Of the
We must take scrupuous care that the
reapplication shall be made in such a way
that it will not amount to disloeat,on OF
to speak of the performance. would pro-
duce paralysis In the business energies
of the community. The first considera !.
course. be to preserve the principle which
underlies our whole tarir system-that is.
as Of at su eauaty
with interests abroad and of always al
lowing a sufficient rate of duty to more
labor s cost soSs here s and abroad. The well be.
! ing Of the wageworker, like the well be-
| ing of the tiiler of the soil. should be
be any change which will jeopardize the
standard of comfort. the standard OF
| wages, of the American wageworker.
One way in which the readjustment
| sought can be reached is by reciprocity
treaties. 1t IL greatly to be desired that
| such treaties may be adopted They can
! be used to widen our markets and to give
| n greater field for the activities OF our
producers on the one hand, and on the
other hand to secure in practical shape
the lowering Of duties when they are no
longer needed for protection among our
people or HhsG the MINIMUM or t Sf
| Of the ma ximum of good accomplished.
| If IL prove impossible to ratify the pend
ing treaties and II there seem 10 De a, no
that they can be ratified. then the same
end-to secure reciprocity be met
Wherever the tariff conditions are such
| that a needed change cannot with advan-
tage be made by the application OF the
/ reciprocity idea, then 1t can be made out
| right by n lowering OF duties on given
| product. II possible, such change should
| be made only after the fullest considera-
| ton by practical experts, who should ap-
| proach the subject from business stand
| point having in view both the particular
| interests affected and the commercial wei
| being Of the people as whole Inc ma
| chinery for providing such careful inves-
| tigation can readily be supplied The ex-
| ecutiye department has already at its
| disposal methods Of collecting facts and
figures, and IL the congress desires addi-
| tionaI consideration to that which Will Oe
| given the subject by its own committees
then n commission Of business experts car
be appointed whose duty 1t should be tc
recommend action by the congress after
a deliberate and scientific examination OF
the various schedules as they are aMecteo
nv the changed and changing conditions
The unhurried and unbiased report OF tnls
commission would show what changes
should be made in the various schedules
and how far these changes could go WITH
out also changing the great prosperity
which this country Is now enjoying OF
| upsetting its fixed economic policy.
The cases in which the tariff can pro
J, duce a monopoly are so few as to consul
tute an inconsiderable factor in the ques
| tion: but, of course. IL I'm any case II OF
found that a given rate of duty does pro
; mote a monopoly which works Ill. no pro
tectionist would object to such reductloi
| OF the duty as would eaualize competition
In my Judgment. the tarih on anthracit'
| coal should be removed and anthracit'
| nut actually, where 1t now Is nominaily
. | On the free list This would have no enec
/ at all save in crises: but in crises II misn
be Of service to the people. =.
Interest rates are potent iactoL II
! business activity. and in order tnat tnes
,, | rates may be equaliEed to meet the VARY
ing needs OF the seasons ana OF Widel!
. | senarated communities, and to prevent IN
~lau atp