The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-09-03

I DIished as soon rs b0tkt. branches 0
congress and an executive in favor Q
| it are elected, withou! creating tina
/ sense of uncertainty and instabt1il.
/ that has on other occasions manifested
| itself This can be achieved by proyia
ing that such reasonable period shall
intervene between the date of the en-
#factment 81 the statute making a reVi
] sion and the date of its enforcement
as shall be deemed sufficient for tn
industry or business affected by suct
revision to adjust itself to the change:
and new conditions imposed. So con
fident am I in the belief that the de
mand Of the people for reform Of tht
tariff is just, that indulge the hope
/ that should democratic house Of rep
reseL tatives and a democratic execu
tive pc chosen by the people, even
republican senate may heed the warn
ing and consen: 10 give at least some
measure OF relisG to the people.
The combinations. popularity called
trusts, which aim to secure monopoly
| of trade in the neeessaries of life as wei
| sg in those things thai are employed
| upon the farm, in the factory and ID
| many other fields Of industry, have been
| encouraged and stimulated by excessive
tariff duties These operate to furnish
a substantial marked IN the necessities
OF 100000 of people, by practical
ly excluding competition. With so large
market and highly remuaeratiVe 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-
rent competition at home and result
ing reduction Of ps:se{ss seas. has proved ir-
Fesistible 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 as whole, and it would seem as
If all ought to agree that the effective
remedy would be TO appropriately modi-
fly the offending law. The growth OF
monopoly. of which complaint is justly
made, cannot be laid at the doors of the
courts of this country. The decisions Of
the supreme court of the United States,
!. the court CT 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
q nntB q 1ay7r rhdo r!r- vnd hI-
administrative officials or private indi-
viouals but to the failure of officials
charged with the duty Of enforcing tha
law to take the necessary procedure To-
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
statute revising the tariff duties to
reasonable basis-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. II
it should be made to appear that it is
mistaken one, then favor such further
legislation within constitutional limita-
tons as will give the people a Just and
full measure Of protection
It is difficult to understand how any
citizen Of the United States, much less
q descendant OF revolutionary stock, can
tolerate the thought OF permanently
denying the right of self-government to
the Fillpinos. Can We hope to instill 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 Filipinos. Your lives. YOUR
liberty ana your property may be 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 We'll 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 |
" guaranteeing 70 every citizen of the
United States that no law shall be made
or enforced which shall abridge the priv |
lleges or lmmuIlties of citizens of the
United States or deny to any person the
equal protection Of the laws. ana at the 7
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 and
he disposition OF their property In the
keeping of those whom we send to. them I
% be their governors? We shall GER
sainly rue II as nation il We make any
such attempt. Viewing the question
even from the standpoint Of national |
selishnesss there is no prospect that the
40, 900 600 expended in the purchase
If the Islands and the $650,0O0 ,0G0 said /
70 have been since disbursed will ever
,ome back to us. The accident ar war
brought the Philippines into our posses
sion and we are not at liberty to disre-
ard the responsibility which thus came
0 us, but that responsibility will be best
subseryed by preparing the islanders as
'apidly as possible for self-government
md giving to them the assurances that
will come as soon as they are reason
IDLY prepared for it. There need be ma
ear that the assertion so often made
# late. that We have now become