New-York tribune., 1907-08-20

ship of railways because he does not believe il
commission that the money power cannot and
viii not ultimately own He would nave the
initiative and referendum because he distrusts
representative government, and has no coIih-
dence in the ability of the people to find men
fiuence Of the money power represent them
in preparing and voting legislation. He would
take away from courts because he dlstruslS
the ability of judges to resist the nalign IN
huence of the money power the power ~
enforce their orders until jury is called
to tell the court whether the order has been dis
obeyed, and thus, in practice though not IN
theory the jury would come to pass on the cor
rectness and justice of the courts order
MR. BRYAN ENCOURAGES LAWLESs POOR
Mr. Bryan seems to be seeking some system
/ Of administering law under which the Tlch
wrongdoer shall be certainly restrained while
the lawless poor shall escape He would nave
his judicial machinery adjusted to restrict the
violations of law by q corporation, but would
give freedom Of action to the lawless members
of a labor union. Indeed, in the constitution OF
oklahoma. which he says is the greatest con-
stitution written. this anomaly prevails
No one can be punished for violating an order
of Injunction or restraint except after a ver-
diet Of a Jury deciding that the violation was
committed and yet in the same constitution a
corporation commission of an executive and ad-
ministrative character, body of laymen. au-
thorized to make orders against railroads and
/ other corporations is empowered, if its orders
are not obeyed. to change itself into q court
and after giving due process of law by hear
ing TO enforce its own orders by a fine OF Souo
a day until the order is performed.
OFFERS IMMUNITY TO RICH
Such a discrimination in practical legislation
cannot be maintained for moment Courts
and judicial procedure are made for ell. and
must operate equally for and against all The
only method by which wealthy and powerful
malefactors can be restrained is by maintaining
the power of the courts. and the minute the
power of the court is weakened in the supposed
interest. of the lowly and unfortunate accused
OF wronEdoing, the lawiess rich are furnished
the immunity they seek The wealthy wrong
doers could easily escape the restraint OF the
law through the rents in its meshes Mr.. BRYAN
would make for the benefit of those with less
influence and means.
! MP. BRTAN'S A WEAK GOVERNMENT
In all his proposed reforms Mr. Bryan seems
TO give little attention to securing efficiency
| and force in government so that the evils he
recognizes may be suppressed. The government
which his system Of remedies would tend to pro-
duce would be nerveess. Estopped by MS own
expressed fear of power put in the hands OF any any
individual. he would find difficulty in welding
ii when most needed.
ABSURDITY OF NATIONAL REFERENDUM.
The representative government that has
served well for 1870 years has not been for
Mr.. Bryan sufficiently expressive of the will Of
the people. Election of Senators by the people
is not enough for him. We must call upon
fourteen million electors TO legislate directly.
Could any more burdensome inefficient
/ method be devised than this? 1 believe that
referendum under certain conditions and Hrnita-
tions in the subdivisions of state certain
issues may be healthful and useful, but as ap-
piled to our national government IL is entirely
impracticable If il difficult for the people to
use proper judgment in the concrete question OF
the personality of the representatives they
TO select carry their national government,
as Mr. Bryans theory assumes. how much more
difficult for them TO give sufficient attention 10
the settlement OF the many questions Of policy
and procedure in complicated statutes which
the people have always been willing to leave 10
the decision Of their representatives. skilled In
the science of legislation. whose general views
on the main political issues of the day are well
understood Think Of the possibility OF secur-
ing vote Of fourteen millions OF electors
the four thousand items of tariH bill The
opportunity 70 retire a representative VINO iails
20 he truly representative is all that the people
wish and need 10 enforce their will
Certainly II is difficult for impartial OBJ
server TO find anything n the actual govern
ment of Mr.. Roosevelt that harnonizes with
/ what would he the government under Mr.. Bryan
1 II he could carry out his theories. Mr.. R0ose-
/ Welt is doing everything in his power 10 avoid
! the conditions which Mr.. Bryan's theories when
put in practice would bring about
THE TARIFF, ITS REVISION, TRUSTS.
/ come now to the question Of the tariff. It's
revision and its relation 10 the unlawful trusts
/ after the election of Mr. Mckinley. Since that
! time have passed through the Spanish war
and have had a decade Of prosperity and an
! increase and expansion OF trade unexamp!ed IN
E the history Of this or any other country, The
J Republican principle of the protective tariff IS
: as I understand II, that through the customs
/ revenue law n tariff should be collected on all
I imported products that compete with American
/ r,rodr,cts which will at least equal a difference
! in the cost Of production in this country and
/ abroad and that proper allowance should be
made in this difference for the reasonable profits
/ to the American manufacturer The claim OF
/ protectionsts-and It has been abundantly JUS
/ tilted in the past-is that protection secures a
! high rate Of wages. and that the encouragement
! it gives to the home industry operating under
/ the influence Of an energetic competition be-
/ tween American manufacturers induces such
/ Improvement in the methods OF manufacture
/ and such economies as to reduce greatly the
/ prfce for the benefit Of the American public,
/ and makes it possible 10 reduce the tariff with
J out depriving the manufacturer Of needed pro-
lection and a good profit
FREE TRADE -EVISION DISASTROUS.
/ The present business system of the country
| rests on the protective tariff and any attempt TO
change il to free trade basis will certainly lead
J only TO disaster.
DUTY TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE RATES
1t is the duty of the Republican party, how
/ ever to to il that the tariff on imported
/ articles does not exceed substantially -he rea-
soma blv permanent differential between the cost
/ Of production in the foreign countries and that
in the United States and therefore when
/ changes take place in the conditions OF 2roduc-
! tiou likely to produce a very large reduction IN
the cost Of production in the United States II Is
| time that schedules be re-examined and II ex-
/ cessiye that they be reduced as to bring them
/ within the justification for the rule, by which
! the amount Of tariff be imposed under the
protective system is properly determined
TEMPTATIONS TO MONOPOLY.
| Whenever the tariff imposed is largely in ex
cess of the differential between the cost OF pro-
! duction in the two countries, then there Is
| formed at once a great temptation 10 monCpo-
! I've the business OF producing the particular
| rroduct and to take advantage or proht IN the
/ excessive tariff This denies 10 the people alto
/ eether the economies or producuon tnat coHl-
petition under protective tariff should develop
SOME SCHEDULES THOUGHT EXCESSIVE
In the enormous progress in the manufactur-