Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-09-26

treaties, which the Republican admin
istration, implicitly at least, promised
to negotiate. Having on this promise
secured the increased duties, the Re-
publican 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 general
ly is the necessity of caring for our in
FAINT industries. Many of these indus
tries after a hundred years of lusty
growth are looming up as industrial
giants. In their case at least the Ding
ley tariff invites combination and mo-
nopoly and gives justification to the
expression that the tariff is the moth
err of trusts.
For the above mentioned reasons,
among many others, the. people de-
mand reform of these abuses, and such
reform demands and should receive i'm
mediate attention.
The two leading parties have always
differed as to the principle of customs
taxation. Our party has always adj
vanced the theory that the object is
the raising of revenue for support of
the government whatever other results
may incidentally flow therefrom. The
Republican party, on the other hand,
contends that customs duties should
be levied primarily for protection, so
called, with revenue as the subordinate
alton to build up the business and prop
erty of the few at the expense of the
many.
This difference of principle still sub
sists, but party appreciates that the
long continued policy of the country,
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 rev.
olution in existing conditions.
In the words of our platform we de-
mand "a revision and a gradual re-
duction of the tariff by the friends of
the masses, and for the common veal,
and not by the friends of it's abuses,
its eXtortions and determinations" /
1t is true that the Republicans, who
do not admit in their platform that the
Dingley tariff needs the slightest al
~teration, are likely to retain a major
ity of the federal senate throughout the
next presidential term and could, there
fore, if they chose, block every at
tempt at Legislative relief. But it
should be remembered that the Re-
publican party includes many revision
lists, and / believe it will shrink from
defying the popular will expressed I'M
mistakably and peremptorily at the
ballot box.
The people demand reform of exist
ing conditions. Since the last Demo
cratic administration the cost of living
has %grievously increased. Those hay
ing fixed incomes have suffered keenly:
those living on wages, if there has
been any increase, know that such in
creas has not kept pace with the adj
vance in the cost of living, including
rent and the necessaries of life. Many
today 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.
l pointed out in my earlier response
the remedy which, in my judgment,
can effectually be applied against
monOpolies, and the assurance was
then given that If existing laws, in
GLIDING both statute and common law,
proved inadequate, contrary to my ex-
pectations, L favor such further legis-
latiOn within constitutional limitations
as will best promote and safeguard the
interests of ali the people.
Whether there is any common law
which can be applied and enforced by
the federal courts cannot be determin-
ed by the president or by a candidate
for the presidency.
The determination of this question
was left by the people in framing the
constitution to the judiciary and not
to the executive. The supreme court
of the United States has recently con
sidered this question, and, in the case
of the Western Union Telegraph COM
pany versus the Call Publishing COM
pany, to be found in the ONT hundred
and eighty-first volume of the United
States supreme court reports, at page
%, 1t decided that common law prin-
ciples could be applied by United
States courts in cases involving inter
state commerce in the absence of Unit
ed States statutes specifically owe
ing the case. Such is the law of the
land.
Reciprocity.
In my address to the notification
committee l said that tariff reform sis
demanded by the best interests of
both manufacturer and consumer"
With equal truth it can be said that
the benefits of reciprocal trade trea-
ties would enure to both. That the