Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-05

has any regard for its 0vn welfare, even to
consider the sdvisability Of abandoning the
present system.
yet, or the other hand, where the Undue
trial conditions so frequently change, as
with ne must OF necessity be the case. II is
a matter OF prime Importance that we
should be able from time to time to adapt
our economic policy to the changed condi-
lions. Our aim should be to preserve the
policy Of a protective tarin. in which the
nation as a whole has acQuiesced, and yet
wherever and whenever necessary 70
change the duties in particular paragraphs
or schedules as matters Of legislative detail.
II such change is demanded by the interests
OF the nation as a whole.
In making any readjustment there are
tain important Consideration which can
1t be disregarded. II a tariff Law has on
the whole worked we'll. and II business has
prospered under Il and is pPospering, It
may be better to endure some inconven-
fences aud inequalities for a time than by
making changes to risk causing disturbance
and perhaps paralysis in the industries and
business Of the country. The fact that the
change In a given rate Of duty may be
thought desirable does not settle the ques-
ton whether It ia advisable to make the
hAh AhhAhNaAoNRAgH EVIL = taA
with duties on thousands Of articles ar
ranged in hundreds Of paragraphs and In
many schedules. These duties affect a vast
number OF interests which are often con-
ficting. II necessary for our welfare, then
of course congress must consider the ques-
ton OF changing the law as a whole or
changing any given rates OF duty, but we
must remember hat whenever even a sin
gle schedule is considered some interests
will appear to demand a change in almost
every schedule in the law; and when II
comes to upsetting the schedules generally
the effect upon the business interests Of the
country would be ruinous.
Free Trade No Trust Remedy.
zone point we must steadily keep in
mind. The question OF tariff revision,
speaking broadly, stands wholly apart
from the question Of dealing with the
trusts. No change in tariff duties can have
any substantial effect in solving the So
called trust problem. Certain great trusts
or great corporations are wholly unaffected
by the tariff. Practically all the others
that are Of any Importance have as a mat
ter of fact members OF smaller American
competitors; and of course e change In the
tariff which would work injury to the large
corporation would work not merely injury
but destruction to its smaller competitors;
and equally OF course such a change would
mean disaster to all the wageworkers con-
nected with either the large or the small
corporations. From the standpoint Of those
interested in the solution Of the trust prob
lem such a change would therefore merely
mean that the trust was relieved Of the
competition of it's weaker American COM
p%etitors, and thrown only Into competition
with foreign competitors; and that the FIRST
effort to meet this new competition would
be made by cutting down wages, and would
therefore be primarily at the cost of labor.
In the case Of some of our greatest trusts
such a change might confer upon them a
positive benefit. Speaking broadly, It is
evident that the changes in the tariff will
affect the trusts for veal or for woe sim
ply as they affect the whole country. The
tariff affects trusts only as II affects all
other interests. II makes all these inter
ests. large and small, profitable; and its
benefits can be taken from the large only
under penalty Of taking them from the
small also.
ITO sum up, then, we must as a people
approach a matter OF such prime economic
Importance as the tariff from the stand
point Of our business needs. We can not
afford to become fossilized or to fail to
recognize that the protective system
has now become a settled policy in
our national life. We have prospered
marvelously at home. AS a nation we
stand in the forefront in the giant i~nterna-
tional Industrial competition Of the day. We
can not afford by any freak of folly to for
felt the position to which we have thus
triumphantly attained"