The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-12-11

ed that now raise doubts as to thu
necessity of constitutional amendment
If it prove impossible to accomplish
the purposes above set forth by such {
law, then, asstredly, we should no
shrink from Amending the Constitu
ton 80 as to secure beyond peradven
ture the power sought.
The Congress has not heretofore
made any appropriations for the bettel
enforcement of the antitrust law as il
nowstands. Very much has been
dono by the dcpal tment of justice in
securing the enforcement of this law,
but much more could be done if Con
gress would make a special appropyia-
ton for this purpose, to be expended
under the direction of the Attorney
General,
MUST NOT TOUCH TIE TARIFF.
One proposition advocated has been
the reduction OF the tariff as q means
of reaching the evils of the trusts
which fall within the category have
described. Not merely would this be
wholly ineffective, but the diversion
of our efforts III such direction would
mean the abandonment of all intelli-
gent attempt to do away with these
evils. Many of the largest corpora
tions, many of those which should
be included in any proper scheme of
regulation, would not be affected in
the slightest degree by 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 whole is
that the tariff makes manufactures
profitable, aud the tariff remedy pro-
posed would be in effect simply to
make manufactures Improbable. 10
remove the tariff as punitive measure
directed against trusts would inevitably
result in ruin to the weaker competi-
tors who are struggling against them.
Our aim should be not by unwlse tariff
changes to give foreign products The
advantage over domestic products, but
by proper regulation to give domestic
competition fair chance; and this
end cannot be reached by any tariff
changes which would affect unfavor.
ably 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
ways be the prime economic need of
this country. This stability should
not be fossilization. The country has
acquiesced in the wisdom of the protec-
tive tariff principle. 1t is exceedingly
that this system should be
destroyed or thai there should be
violent and radical changes therein.
Our past experience shows that great
in this country has always
come under a protective tariff; and
that the country cannot prosper under
nLfui tariff cnaIlges aJ short Intervals.
Moreover, if the tariff laws as a whole
work we'll, and if business has pros
pered under them and is prospecting,
it is better to endure for a time slight
and inequalities in
some schedules than to upset business
by too quick and too radical changes.
1t is most earnestly to be wished that
we could treat the tariff from the stand
point solely of our business needs. It
is, perhaps, too much to hope that
craftsmanship 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 whole. Unquestionably these
business interests will best be served
If together with tixity Of principle as
regards the tariff we combine system
which will permit us from time to time
to make the necessary reapplication of
the principle to the shifting national
needs. We must take scrupulous care
that the reapplication shall be made in
such way that it will not amount to
a dislocation of our system, the mere
threat of which (not to speak of the
performance) would produce paralysis
IN the business energies of the COM
munity. The first consideration in
making these changes would, of course,
be to preserve the principle which un-
derlles our whole tariff system that
is, the principle of putting American
business interests at least OH a full
equality with interests abroad, and of
always allowing a sufficient rate of
duty to more than cover the difference
between the labor cost here and
abroad. The ell-being of the wage
worker, like the well-being of the tiller
Of the soil, should be treated as an
essential IN shaping our whole econo-
mic policy. There must never be any
change which will jeopardlze the stan
dard of comfort, the standard of wages
of the American wage-worker.
RECIPROCITY TREATIES.
One way i'll which the REIMBURSEMENT
sought can be reached is by recipro-
city Treaties. 1t is greatly to be desired
that such treaties may be adopted.
They can be used TO widen our mark
cts and to give 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 du-
ties when they are no longer needed
for protection among our own people,
or when the minimum of damage done
may be disregarded for the sake of
the minimum of good accomplished
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