Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-31

It was rather IN connection with the
war of peace that / had desired to
say something today. We desire To
recognize that tariffs are rnmparts and
that ramparts are war. and that while
these ramparts exist, which protect tho
markets of our rivals from our peace
full aggression and so deprive our
capitalists Of the return on their cap
ital and our workmen OF the wages
they might earn. and thus produce
lower wages in our country, an in
creasing number of unemploycd-the
blowing or at the safety valve OF emil
grafton, and distress, that It is tho
duty of the state to have a care for
our commerce ana our idustries, Just
as much In this state of belllgerency
as in the case OF actual war; and
THAT 1t is the Imperative duty OF
the state to take means to mitigate
the rigors OF this so-called peace.
FALLACY AS TO WAGES.
There are other matters to be con-
sidercd IN this connection. There Is n
lcallacy in relation to wages deeply
rooted In the workingman's mind. 1t
is that each man should receive as
much money for as 1.-THE work as pos
lsibfe. Much recent aociallstic fegis-
lation has been in this direction. Men
making laws for themselves have in
many countries enacted statutes Civ
ing q minimum wage and determin-
ing a maximum labor day. That for
the individual would no doubt be an
excellent institution, but for laborers
MS a whole-for the state as a unit
II is suicide How can we still cling
70 the belief that every man, selfish
ly seeking his own ends even If he
seeks them by means which are on the
right side OF the law, will cOnduce to
the benefit of the community? The
economists who hold thet creed are fat
alists. We know better and we sea
that the state may regulate labor so
as TO secure benefits for the state,
which could not be secured by the I'M
checked dictates of greed In the mr.
1ividual. We hold also that the state
may so regulate or modify our rela~
tions to other countries as to con-
duce to the benefit OF the whole work.
ing community This leads one to CON-
slider the curious reason which has
dictated the doctrine that the work.
man, knowing what Is best for him.
self, is also doing what VIII be best
for the community, 1t seems to be
founded on belief IN the incompe-
tence of the state to do anything in
relation to trade. Here, however, we
have the valuable lesson of interna-
tional law before our eyes. The free-
doom of the states from any inter
mational law or convention might
| with as much reason have been urged
as a tenet as the freedom of the in
| dividual from all state control In the
pursuit of his needs and greeds.
LAW AND COMMERCE..
What we are aiming at In rela-
| ton to law and commerce is an or
| ganiaed world That these would make
| for peace In the widest sense none can
doubt. The larger the unit the less
| the strife We desire to see the or
| ganization of tho world, not by th3
| chance called free trade. but by the
| wisdom of statesmanship in a great
| and extending commerce. Mutual I'M
| uerstandlng, treaties. conventions and
even the writings of jurists are the
| foundations of the law of nations; so
mutual understandings, treaties and
| conventions, and eVen--although here
| We have a doubt-the writings of
economists may be made the founda-
| lions of international trade. Why
| should we not enter into commercial
| treaties with foreign nations for the
reduction of their tarffs7 In all our
international law there have been NUT
ual concessions. So II Is with our
commercial alliances. We must ba
prepared to give preferences II we are
to receive preferences, II we are TO ro-
@eive preference; we must lie pre-
PatNN W NltHHulu the Tree entry into
our markets from those who shut the
door of their markets in our faces.
That the achievement or a great I'M
ternatlonal trade by means of such ~
policy Is possible j believe, and AL
/ though i am by no means convinced
that free trade Is absolutely the hes.
for every nation under all circ,,m-
stances, l am convinced that freer
trade than the nations now enjoy
would be better for the great nations
who are. even during the soft peace
carrying on the tariff war with one am
other and who. while they recognize the
evils of arms. are making their marts
fortresses against the peaceful en-
trance of each others wares and mort
cullis their harbors with implaoable
tariffs"