The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-09-12


from examinations are fewer by far than
ever before, and are confined to indi-
| vidual cases. where the application or the
rules void be impracticable, unwise, un-
Just, OF unnecessary. The administration
| OF the great body OF the CLASSIFIED civil
! service is free from politics, and appoint
ments and removals have been put upon
a business basis. Statistics show that
there is little difference between the
| tenure OF the federal classified employees
| and that OF the employees OF private busl-
| ness corporations. Less than ] per cent
/ OF the classified employees are over ~
| years OF age, and In the main the service
/ rendered is vigorous and efficient. Where
! the merit system was, or course, most
| needed. was I'm the Philippine Islands, and
| a civil service law OF very advanced type
| has there been put into operation and
| scrupulously observed Without one ex-
ceptlon every appointment I'm the Philip
! pines has been made In accordance with
| the strictest standard OF fitness. and
without heed TO any other consideration.
DEFINITE ISSUES.
Finally. we come 20 certain matters up
on which our opponents do in their plat
with US, and where, N they are sincere.
their triumph would mean disaster 10 the
country. But exactly as IL is impossible
10 call attention to the present promises
and past record Of our opponents without
seeming offensive so IL is impossible 10
compare their platform with their other
ana latef OIDclul uttefanCeS ana not
create doubt as 10 their sincerity. In
their private or unofficial utterances
many OF them frankly advance this insin-
certify as a merit, taking the position that
as regards the points on which | am
about 20 speak they have no intention OF
keeping their promises or OF departing
from the policies now established. and
that therefore they can be trusted not
10 abuse the power they seek.
When We take up the great question OF
the tariff we are at once confronted by
the doubt as TO whether our opponents do
or do not mean what they say. They say
to carry themselves accordingly IL they
come into power they will adopt our
policy as regards the tariff; while others
seem anxious 10 prove that IL is safe to
power would be only partial. and there
fore they would not be able 10 do mis-
chief, The last is certainly curious
plea 10 advance on behalf OF party seek
ing to obtain control OF the government
TARIFF AND TRUSTS.
At the outset II is worth while TO say n
word as 10 the attempt to identify the
question of tariff revision or tariff reduc-
ton with solution OF the trust question.
This Is always a sign OF desire 10 avoid
any real EFFORT to deal adequately with
the trust question. In speaking on this
said:
THE question OF tarir revision, speak
ing broadly, stands wholly apart from the
question OF dealing with the trusts. No
change In tariff duties can have any sub
stantial effect In solving the socalled
trust problem. Certain great trusts or
great corporations are wholly unaffected
by the tariff. Almost all the others that
are OF any importance have az matter
or fact numbers OF smaller American
competitors; and Of course a change In
the tariff which would work injury TO the
large corporation would work not merely
destruction IN
petitors; and equally, OF course, such
change would mean disaster to all the
wage workers connected with either the
large or the small corporations From
tho standpoint OF those interested I'm the
solution OF the trust problem such
change would therefore merely mean that
the trust was relieved OF the competition
OF Its weaker American competitors and
thrown only into competition with foreign
competitors: and that the first effort 20
meet this new competition would be made
by cutting down wages and would there
fore be primarily at the cost OF labor. In
the case OF some OF our greatest trusts
such q change might confer upon them
positive benefit.
Speaking broadly. IL is evident that the
changes in the tariff will affect the trusts
for veal or for woe simply as they affect
tho whole country. The tariff affects
trusts only as 1t affects all other Interests
IL makes all these interests, large or
small. profitable; and its benefits can be
taken from the large only under penalty
of taking them from the small also"
There Is but little for me to add TO this
1t Ia but 10 years since the last attempt
was made, by means OF lowering the
tariff, to prevent some people from pros
pering too much.
PREVENTED PROSPERITY.
The attempt was entirely successful.
The tariff law OF that year was among
the causes which In that year and for
some time afterwards erfectually prevent
ed anybody from prosperins too much.
and labor from prospering at all. I'm
doubtedly IL would be possible at tho
present time 10 prevent any Of the trusts
from remaining prosperous by the simple
expedient OF making such sweeping
change in the tariff as to paraiyze the I'm
dustries OF the country. The trusts would
cease 10 prosper. but their smaller com
petltors would be ruined, and the wage
workers would starve, while II would not
pay the farmer TO haul his produce TO
market.
The evils connected with the trusts can
be reached only by rational effort. step by
step. along the lines taken by congress
and the executive during the past three
years. " tariff law 10 passed under
which the country prospers az the coun-
try has prospered under the present tariff
law. then all classes will share in the
prosperity. II tariff law is passed
aimed at preventing the prosperity OF
some OF our people. It is as certain as
achieved only by cutting down the pros
perity OF all OF our people.
OF course, IL our opponents are not sin
cere I'm their proposal 10 abolish the sys-
tenn Of a protective tariff. there is no use
I'm arguing the matter at all. save by
pointing out again that II on one great
Issue they do not mean what they say. IL
is hardly safe 10 trust them on any other
issue. But III they are sincere I'm this
matter then their advent 10 power would
mean domestic misfortune and misery as
and far reaching as that
which we saw 10 years ago.
When they SPEAK Of protection as rob
berry" they. OF course. must mean that II
Ia immoral 10 enact a tariff (as IL tho
present protective tariff 20 secure TO the
American wage worker the benefit OF the
high standard OF living which we desire
to see kept up In this country.
FALSE ON IT'S FACE.
Now TO speak Of the tariff I'm this sense
as "robbery." thereby giving II n moral
relation. 10 not merely rhetorical: II is On
It's face false. The question OF what
tarn IN best for our people r. primarily
one of eSpediency. TO be determined not
on abstract academic grounds. bat I'm tho
isht or experience. II 10 matter of
business, for fundamentally ours is a
business people 81 manufactures mer-