The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-06


ness world, that is, the entire American
world, cannot afford if it has any re-
gard for its own welfare, even to con-
cider the ACCESSIBILITY of abandoning
the present system.
Yet. on the other hand, where the
Industrial conditions so frequently
change, as with US must Of necessity
be the case. it IS a matter of prime i'm
portance that we should be able from
time to time to adapt our economic
policy to the changed conditions. Our
aim should be to preserve the policy of
Il protective tariff, in which the nation
as a whole has acquiesced, and yet
wherever ard whenever necessary to
change the duties in particular para
graphs~or schedules as matters Of legis-
lativt detail, if such change IS demand
ed by the interests of the nation as
whole.
In making any REIMBURSEMENT there
are certain important considerat tons
which can not be disregarded. If
tariff law has on the whole worked
well, and if business has proSpered I'M
der it and is prospering. it may be bet
ter to endure some Inconvenience and
inequalities for a time 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 set
tie the question whether it is advisable
to make the change Immediately. EN-
cry tariff deals with duties on thou
sands of articles arranged in hundreds
of para graphs and in many schedules
These duties affect q vast number of
interests which are often conflicting
If necessary for our welfare, then of
course congress must consider the
question of changing the law as whole
or changing any given rates Of duty
but we must remember that whenever
even a single schedule is considered
some interests will appear to demand
a change in almost every schedule IN
the law; and when it comes to upset
ting the schedules generally the effect
upon the business interests of the coun
try would be ruinous.
lone point we must steadily keep in
mind The question of tariff revision
snealxina broaf5ix stands wholly apart
from the question 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
corporations are wholly unaffected by the
tariff. Practically all the others that are
I Of any Importance have as matter OF
i fact numbers of smaller American COM
petitors, and OF course a change IN the
tariff which would work injury to the
+ large corporation would work not merely
/ injury but destruction to its smaller COM
petitors and equally of course,
such a change would mean disaster to ali
the wage workers connected with either
the large or the small corporations. From
the standpoint of those interested in the
solution of the trust problem such a
4 change would therefore merely mean that
of its weaker American competitors. 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 al the cost of labor In the
case Of some Of our greatest trusts such
/ a change might confer upon them a posi-
/ tive benefit Speaking broadly, it is evil
/ dent that the changes in the tariff Will
/ affect the trusts for veal for woe simp-
! " as they affect the whole country The
tariff affects trusts only as It affects all
/ other interests. 1t makes all these inter-
ests large or small. profitable and its ben
efits can be taken from the large only un-
der penalty of taking them from the small
also.
I Importance as the tariff from the stand
point of our business needs We can not
! afford to become fossilized or to tali 10
recognize the fact that as the needs OF the
country change it may be necessary to
meet these new needs by changing certain
| features of our tariff laws. Still less can
/ we afford to fail to recognize the further
until the need of them out weighs the dis
/ advantages which may result. and when
it becomes necessary TO make them they
sfDuld be made with full recognition OF
4 the need of stability in our economic sys-
1 tenn and of keeping unchanged the prlncl-
rle of that system which has now become
| a settled policy in our national life We
have proSpered marvelOusly at home AS
/ a nation we stand in the very forefront in
the giant international industrial competi-
/ ton of the day. We can not afford by any
/ freak of folly to forfeit the position &c
which we have thus triumphantly at
tanned"