The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-09-26


market
Many Duties Imposed.
1t contains many duties imposed for
the express purpose only, as was OPEN
ly aVowed, of furnishing a basis for
reduction by means of reciprocal trade
/ treaties, which the Republican admin
lstration, implicitly at least, promised
to negotiate. Having, on this prom
Use, secured the increased duties, the
Republican party leaders, spurred on
by protected interests, defeated the
treaties negotiated by the executive,
and now these same interests cling to
the benefit of these duties which the
people never intended they should have,
and to which they have no moral
| right.
Even now The argument most fire.
quently urged in behalf of the Dingley
tariff, and against tariff reform gem
| orally, is the necessity of caring for
our infant industries. Many of these
industries, after a hundred years of
luSty growth, are looming up as in
dustrial giants. In their case, at least,
the Dingley tariff invites combination
and monopoly, and gives justification
, to the expression that the tariff is the
mother of trusts.
For the ve-mentioned reasons,
among many others, the people de-
mand reform of these abuses, and
such reform demands and should re-
ceive immediate attention.
The Principle of Customs Taxation.
The two leading parties have al
ways differed as to the principle of
| customs taxation. Our party has al
ways advanced the theory that the OBJ
ject is the raising of revenue for sup
port Of the government whatever other
results NAV inridnntaIIv Hnuv
FROM The Republican party, on the
other hand, contends that customs du-
ties should be levied primarily for pro-
lection, so-called, with revenue as the
subordinate purpose, thus using the
power of taxation to build up the busi-
| ness and property of the few at the
| expense of the many
This difference of principle still sub
sists, but our party appreciates that
| the long-continued policy of the coun-
| try, as manifested in it's statutes
makes it necessary that tariff reform
should be prudently and sagaciously
undertaken, on scientific principles, to
the end that there should not be an
immediate revolution in existing con-
ditions.
In the words of our platform, we de-
mand "a revision and gradual reduc-
tion of the tariff by the friends of
| and not by the friends of it's abuses,
| its extortions and determinations"
A Gradual Reduction.
'In my response to your committee,
1 pointed out the method under which
| a gradual reduction of customs duties
may be accomplished without disturb
ing business conditions. 1 desire again
to express the opinion that this method
should be followed
1t is true that the Republicans, who
/ do not admit in their platform that
| the Dingley tariff needs the slightest
| alteration, are likely to retain ma
| jority of the Federal Senate through
out the next presidential term, and
could, therefore, if they chose, block
| every attempt at legislative relief. But
| it should be remembered that the Re-
| publican party includes many revi-
| sionists, and / believe it will shrink
| from defying the popular will ex-
| pressed Enthusiastically and perempto-
rily at the ballot box.
| The people demand reform of exist
| ing conditions. Since the last Demo-
/ cratic administration the cost of liv-
| ing has grievously increased. Those
| having fixed incomes have suffered
keenly; those living on wages, If there
has been any increase, know that such
| increase has not kept pace with the
| advance in the cost of living, including
rent and the necessaries of life. Many
| to-day are out of work, unable to Sc
cure any wages at all. To alleviate
| these conditions, in so far as is in our
| power should be our earnest endeavor.
| Trust Remedies.
! pointed out in my earlier response
the remedy, which in my judgment, can
effectually be applied against monopo-
| 81 he then piWof1
that If existing laws, including both
statute and common law, proved mad
| eduate, contrary to my expectations, l
favor such further legislation, within
constitutional limitations, as will best
promote and safeguard the interests Of
all the people.
Whether there is any common law
which can be applied and enforced by
the Federal courts, cannot be deter
mined by the President. or by can
didate for the presidency.
The determination Of this question
was left by the people i'm framing the
| Constitution. to the Judiciary and not
| 10 the Executive. The Supreme Court
of the United States has recently con-
sidered this question, and, I'm the case
| of the Western Union Telegraph Co.
vs.. The Call Publishing Co. to be
| found I'm the one hundred and eighty
|
preme Court reports. at page %, IL de-
cided that common law principles could
be applied by United states courts IN
| cases Involving interstate commerce,
i'm the absence Of United states statutes
specifically covering the case. Such ~
the law OF the land.
The Reciprocity Question.
! In my address 20 the Notification
| Committee ! said that tariff reform -
demanded by the best interests or both
| ,nanufacturer and consumer" with
rqual truth n can BE- SAID that ihe
beneffs of reciprocal trade treaties
vo,fd enure 10 both That the con-
auner would be- helped H. unquestion-
able. That the manufacture wCula ~
@eive gre8f benefit BY extending hin
,aerketa abroad hardly needs demon
-irafl0n. Hla productive capacity has
outgr0nn fhe home markft Ihe teif
I ferm aHone MARKET" has chanre1 ir
~ rlrnffeance once. from me mahf
| .,sartnrefs point ~ view. % meant ~
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