The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-12-05

such commerce. the instrumentalities
thereof and those engaged therein.
consideration OF the congress with. view
to the passage OF q law reasonable In It's
provisions and effective IN IFS operaslons,
upon which the questions can be finally
-adtudicated that now raise doubts as to
the necessity of constitutional amend
nent II 1t prove impossiole or 10 b ace surb
q law then assuredly We should not
shrink from amending the constitution SO
as to secure beyond peradventure the
The congress has rot heretofore made
any appropriation for the better ENFORCE
stands Very much has been done by the
department of Justice IN securing the en-
forcement of this law, but much more
.couid be done if congress would make a
special appropriation for this purpose 70
be expended under the direction Of the
one PROPOSITION aduoea ted has been the
reduction of the tariff as a means OF
reaching the evils of the trusts when ran
within the category j have described.
Not merely would this be wholly inetfec-
tive but the diversion of our EFFORTS In
. such a direction would mean the aban.
away with these evils. Many or the lar
! gest corporations, many OF those Whlcn
scheme of regulation would not be af-
: fected in the slightest degree by q change
in the tariff save as suGn cnaihge ~ lnt the
country. The only relation Of the tarir
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 manufactures I'M
| profitable. To remove the tariff as a
punitive measure directed against trusts
| would : inevitably result In ruin TO the
| weaker competitors who sare struggling
| against them. Our aim should be not by
| unwises tariff changes to give fereign prod
| ucts the advantage over domestic PROC
| ucts, but by proper regulation to give DO,
nestle snd Se reached By any ar
] changes (which would affect untavoraoly
all domestic competitors. good and BAD
trusts stands apart from The question OF
tariff revision.
| Stability of economic policy must al
cUan Se Tss staSfS Should not
| silization. The country has acqulesced
| in the wisdom Of the protective tarin
\ that this system should be destroyed or
| that there should be violent and radical
changes therein r Our Past In tbIs oen6s
l, try has alwa VS. come undera protective tar-
IF and that the country cannot prosper
under fitfui tariff changes at short inter
whole work well and II business has pros
pered under them and is prosPertng 1t IS
| yeniences and inequalities In some sched-
| uies than to upset business by too quick
| and too radical changes. 1t Is most ear.
| the tariff from the standpoint solely, OF
| our business needs. 1t is. perhaps, too
much to hope that partisanship may pc Dc
| 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. Unquestionabiy these
| business interests will best be served II
\ together with f1xity of principle as re-
Which viii permit US from time TO time to
| make the necessary reappltcation or the
| principle to the shifting national needs
| reapplication shall be made In such way
| that 1t will not amount to disloeation OF
our system. the mere threat OF which, not
duce paralysis in the business energies
| Of the community. The first considera.
Sn N be a to the prncpie Which
!! underlies our whole tariff system-that ls
1 the principle of putting American bus1-
With interests abroad and OF always az
| than cover the difference between the
ing of the wageworker, like the well be-
| ing of the tiller of the soib should be
treated as an essential In shaping our
BE- any change which viii jeopardizs the
standard q Comfort sr, 5ns Ssancerd q
one Way in which the readjustment
| sought can be reached Is by reciprocity
| treaties. 1t is greatly to be desired that
he used to Widen our markets. and to give
a greater field for the activities of our
| producers on the one hand, ana on the
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 disregarded for the sake
Of the maximum of good accomplished.
| II It prove impossible to ratify the pend
Ing treaties and If there seem to pc no
| warrant for the endeavor to execute 9TH
ers or to amend the pending treaties SO
| that they can be ratified, then the same
| end-to secure reciprocity be met
Wherever the tariff conditions are sucn
that needed change cannot with advan-
tage be made by the application OF the
reciprocity idea. then 1t can be MADE OUT.
right by lowering of duties on given
product If possible, suoh change snoulo
be made only after the fullest conslqera-
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 well
being Of the people as a whole. The ma
chinery for providing such careful inves-
tigation can readily be supplied. The ex-
ecutive department has already at lts
| 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 a commission Of business experts car
be appointed whose duty it should be tc
recommend action by the congress afteI
deliberate and scientific examination Oh
the various schedules as they are affected
! by the changed and changing conditions
The unhurried and unbiased report of this
commission would show what changes
should be made in the various schedules
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
duce a monopoly are so few as to consti
tute an inconsiderable factor in the CUES
ton; but, of course, If in any case it b'
! found that given rate of duty does pro
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 anthracit
coal should be removed and anthracite
put actually, where 1t now is nominaily
: on the free list This would have no effec
! at all save in crises; but In crises 1t Nigh
be of service to the people.
Interest rates are a potent factor II
I business activity. and in order that thes
rates may be equaliZed to meet the vary
ing needs of the seasons and Of widel,
separated communities, and to prevent tn
recurrence of financial stringencies Whic!
: injuriously affect legitimate business, !
> | is necessary that there should be an ele
] ment of elasticity in our monetary sys
| tenn. Banks are the natural servants Q
commerce, and upon them should D
D placed, as far as practicable. the purde
= Of furnishing and maintaining circula
ton adequate to supply the needs or on
: and foreign cornrnerca and the issue Q
this should be 81 regulated TICK = sun
4 client supply shds;i6 ne always a"rjiab'
: | for the business -.-~oTt 2 ~ f:LnfnyFy
Z + would = ,Gh on~ q a~cfS
g 49, al .nls TO ssi-r,pt L s-'
!. slruc1 our Saa:,ciai SYST W.T.
e been tbs growth of Seneury, o'It -.fs
: additional legislation Is. tssruk. ,ieaita ~
: The mere outline of any plan sufficient
$ comprehensive to meet these requirement.
: would transgress the spprcpfta'e iTiII
1 of this communication Is % suggested
4 however that al: >t@u5. segtsiation on til
a subject shoui,; ~:,h the view of er
= couraging use OF snch instrumental
= fies as unlaticaiiy supply ever
! ! ,vyst.rret> saluapd Of productive indus
: tries go. Of commarce. not only in tn
j amount. but in the character OF circula
q interchangeable and. at the win of tn
A holder convertible into the eStablishe