Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-08-20

! IclIDBHL VI inc stdtutc iHuklnB II IcNl'
sion and the date Of It's enforcement,
as shall be deemed sufficient for the
| industry or business affected by such
revision TO adjuSt itself to the changes
and new conditions imposed. SO colt
fldent am in the belief that the de-
mand Of the people for a reform Of the
tariff is just, that indulge the hope
that should a democratic house Of rep
rcsenta,iyos and democratic execu-
tive pc chosen by the people. even a
republican senate may heed the warn
ing and consent 10 give at least some
measure Of relief to the people.
The combinations, popularly called
trusts, which aim to secure monopoly
Of trade in the necessaries OF life as well
as in those things that are employed
upon the farm, in the factory ard In
many other fields of industry, have been
encouraged and stimulated by excessive
tariff duties. These operate to furnish
a substantial market in the necessities
/ OF 10000 900 OF people, by practical
! ly excluding competition. With so large
market and highly remuneratiye prices
continuing long after the line OF possible
competition would naturally be reached,
| the temptation Of all engaged In the
| same business to combine so as TO pre-
vent competition at home and result
ing reduction Of r-i@es. Mas proved lr-
resistible in number OF cases. All men
must agree that the net result Of enact
! ing laws that foster such inequitable
conditions, Is most unfortunate for the
people rs a whole, and Il would seem as
| II all ought TO agree that the effective
remedy would be TO appropriately modi-
iy the offending law The growth OF
monopoly, Of which complaint Is justly
made cannot be laid al tho doors Of the
courts of this country. The decisions Of
the supreme court Of the United States,
the court Of appeals Of this state and the
courts Of last resort in many other
states, warrant the assertion that the
common law as developed affords a COM
plete legal remedy against monopolies.
The fact that they have multiplied in
number and increased in power has been
due. not to the failure Of the courts to
apply the law when properly moved by
administrative officials or private indi-
viduals. but TO the failure Of officials
charged with the duty of enforcing tn 2
law TO take the necessary procedure 10
procure the judgments Of the courts in
the appropriate jurisdiction, coupled
with the fact that the legislative depart
ments of some of our state governments.
as well as congress in the manner al
ready referred to, have, by legislation,
encouraged their propagation. What Is
needed-in addition to the passage OF n
statute revising the tariff duties to q
reasonable basls--is not so much other
and different laws, as officials having
both the disposition and the courage to
enforce existing law. While this is my
view, Of the scope OF the common law, Il
It should be made to appear that it is o
mistaken one. then favor such further
legislation within constitutional limita-
tons as will give the people just and
full measure Of protection
1t Is difficult TO understand how any
citizen Of the United States, much less
descendant of revolutionary stock, can
tolerate the thought Of permanently
denying the right Of government to
the Filipinos. Cen We hope to lnstill into
the minds OF our descendants reverence
and devotion for government by the
people, while denying ultimately that
right to the inhabitants Of distant coun-
tries, whose territory we have acquired
either by purchase or by force? Can we
say to the F'iiipinos: "Your lives, your
liberty and your property may he taken
from you without due process OF law for
all time and expect We will long glory
in that feature of Magma Charta, which
has become incorporated, IN substance
and effect, into the constitution Of every
state, as well as into the fourteenth
amendment Of the constitution Of the
United States? Can we hope for the re-
spect Of the civilized world, while proud
y guaranteeing 20 every citizen OF the
United States that no law shall be made
or enforced which shall abridge the priv
ileges or immUr tiles OF citizens Of the
United States, or deny to any person the
equal protection O. the laws, and at the
same time not only deny similar rights
to the inhabitants Of the Philippines,
but take away from them the right OF
trial by jury, and place their lives aud
the disposition OF their property In the
keeping of those whom We send to them
TO he their governors? We shall GER
tainly rue itas nation If We make any
such attempt Viewing the question
even from the standpoint OF national
seishness, there is no prospect that the
$4,000 900 expended in the purchase
of the Islands and the s650,000 Coo said
TO have been since disbursed Will ever
come back to us. The accident Of war
brought the Philippines into our posses
sion and we are not at liberty to disre-
gard the responsibility which thus came
to rs. but that responsibility will be best
subserved by preparing the islanders as
rapidly as possible for self-goyernment
and giving to them the assurances that
Il will come as soon as they are reason
ably prepared for il. There need be no
fear that the assertion so often made
of late, that We have now become
world power, will then be without sup
port. Ours 10 a world power and as such
Il must be maintained. but deny that II
Is at all recently that the United States
has attained that eminence. Our coun-
try became a world power over G century
ago, when, having thrown of foreign
domination, the people established
free government, the source of whose
authority sprung and was continuously
to proceed, from the will Of the people
themselves. 1t grew as world power as
It's sturdy citizens, to whose natural in
crease were added migrants from the
old world seeking to obtain here the
liberty and prosperity denied them In
their own countries, spread over the face
Of the land, reduced the prairlee and for