The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-09-12
president Roosevelt rs FORMAL TER OF ACCEPTANCE

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discrimination and oppression because of
religion. wherever practiced, are acts of
injustice before God and man; and in
making evident to the world the depth
of American convictions in this regard
we have gone to the very limit of diplo-
matte usage.
Evidence of Insincerity.
It is striking evidence of our oppo-
nents' insincerity in this matter that
with their demand for radical action by
the state department they couple a de-
mand for a reduction in our small mill
tary establishment. Yet they must know
that the heed paid to our protests against
ill-treatment of our citizens will be exact
ly proportionate to the belief in our
ability to make these protests effective
should the need arise.
Our opponents have now declared them
selves IN favor of the civil service law,
the repeal of which they demanded in 1900
and in 1896 If consistent, they should
have gone one step further and congratu-
lated the country upon the way in which
the civil service law Is now administered,
and the way in which the classified SER
vice has been extended. The exceptions
from examinations are fewer by far
dividual cases. where the application of
the rules would be impractlcable, unwise,
unjust, or unnecessary. The adminis-
tratioE of the great body of the CLASH
fed civil service is free from politics, and
appointments and removals have been
put upon business basis. Statistics
show that there Is little difference be-
tween the tenure of the federal classified
employees and that of the employees of
private business corporations. Less than
1 per cent of the classified employees are
over 10 years of age, and In the main
. the service rendered is vigorous and ef-
| ficient Where the merit system was Of
course most needed was in the Philip
| pine islands; and a civil service law of
very advanced type has there been put
| into operation and scrupulously observed.
Without one exception every appointment
in the Philippines has been made in ac-
cordance with the strictest standard OF
| fitness, and without heed to any other
| consideration.
Where They Take Issue.
Finally. we come to certain matters
upon which our opponents do in their plat
form of principles definitely take issue
with u.s. and where If they are sin.
cere, their triumph would mean disaster
to the country. But exactly as it is i'm.
possible to call attention to the present
promises and past record of our oppo.
nents without seeming, offensive. so II
Is impossible to compare. their platform
with their other and later utterances ant
not create doubt as to their sincerity
In their private or unofficial utterances
many of them frankly advance this in.
sincerity as a merit taking the position
that as regards the points on which
am about to speak they have no in
IF
of departing from the policies now estab
lished and that therefore they canno
be trusted not to abuse the power they
seek
When we take up the great question o.
the tariff we are at once confronted by
the doubt as to whether our opponents
do or do not mean what they say The,
say that protection is robbery" an(
promise to carry themselves accordingly
If they are given power. Yet prominen
persons among them assert that they d.
rot really mean this and that If they com,
into power they Will adopt our policy al
regards the tariff; while others seen
anxious to prove that it is safe to Civ
them partial power. because the powe
would be only partial, and therefore the,
would not be able to do mischief TIL,
last Is certainly a curious plea to ad
vance on behalf of a party seeking t,
obtain control of the government.
Relation to Trust Question.
At the outset it is worth while to sa,
a word as to the attempt to identify tn,
question OF tariff revision or tariff reduc
ton with solution of the trust question
This is always a sign OF desire to aviot
any real effort to deal adequately witt
the trust question In speaking on th
point Mt Minneapolis, on April L. 1903,
said:
''The question of tariff revision, speak
ing broadly, stands wholly apart from
the question of dealing with the trusts
No change in tariff duties can have an,
substantial effect in solving the so-calle,
trust problem. Certain great trusts o
great corporations are wholly unaffecte,
by the tariff. Almost all the others tina
are of any Importance have as a mat
ter of fact numbers of smaller American
competitors; and of course a change ii
the tariff which would work injury f
the large corporation would work no
merely injury but destruction to its small
er competitors; and equally of eours
such, change would mean disaster to al
the wage-workers connected with eithe
the large or the small corporations From
the standpoint of Those interested in tn
solution of the trust problem such
change would therefore merely mean tina
the trust was relieved of the connect
Ton Oh IT'S weaker American cOmDet or
ana thrown only into competition witt
foreign competitors; and that the frs
eiIort TO meet this new competition woul
pe made by cutting down wages. an,
would therefore be primarily at the cos
oil labor In the case of some of on
greatest trusts such change might con
Ter upon them positive benefit. Sneak
ing broadly, 1t is evident that the change
IN the tariff will affect the trusts for wea
or Tor woe simply as they affect the whol
country. Inc tariff affects trusts only n
II aHects all other interests. 1t make
81 these interests, large or small, pro
ntaple' and its benefits can be take
.l1in the large only under penalty O
taking from the small also"
There ls little for me to add IN this
IL Is but ten years since the last 81
tempt was made by means of lowori,
the tariff. to prevent some neon1a IN
prospecting too much The attemnt n,a
entirely successful The tariff law ~ ~
year was among the causes which .,
mat year and for some time aftaryy, "a
eHectually prevented anybody from mo-
perlng too much and labor from pros
pering at all. Undoubtedly It wonfd - 10 -
possible at the present time to nro,,o,,
any OF the trusts from REMAINING 80
porous by the simple expedient If ,,,oi,
ing SUCH a sweeping change in tho ta,is
as TO paraiyze the industries Of tho 80
Try. Inc trusts would cease RI nros,,o..
put thelr smaller competitors vo,,1d !,
ruined ana the wage-workers ,,o,,,,
starVe, while 1t would not nav tba 90.
Her TO maui his produce to market IN
evils connected with the trusts 90, -
reached only by rational effort -