The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-12-26


ual measures OF reduction?
conoress Understood; President
Didn't.
THE economic life OF the nation Is
a very delicate. very sensitive fabric
We are all business men, as | nave
just been pointing out. What anects
the business OF the country Affects
All OF VA Whatever changes may be
made must be made I'm the interest
of all: must be thoughtfully consider
ed and carefully squared with actual
circumstances.
! with regard 10 some schedules IL
Is already abundantly evident what II
ia lust and necessary 10 do. Con
gress In the special session showed
that il understood which they were
I and how they ought TO be dealt with.
The president did not seem 10 under
stand either the spirit and purpose oil
/ congress or the temper and OPINION
! OF the country"
But, Governor, II Is being ureen
that the interests OF the east and the
west are divergent as to the tarln'
Do you think that Is SOL
NO: the interests or the east and
the west do not seem TO me to be
divergent in any important matter OF
national policy"
What eject has the tariff had on
| Gov. Wilson was next asked;
Very little, directly. When wages
have risen they have generally risen
more In response TO the demand OF or
ganixed labor than from any other
cause. The men who have chiefly
profited by the tariff have not many
OF them voluntarily shared It's bene-
Ats with their workmen. The work
I ingmen OF the country have been
grossly deceived about this matter
| from the hrst. But. fortunately Tor
] the country, their eyes are being
opened now 10 the real facts and TO
the real forces that are AT work.
A pile OF reports OF investigating
committees, and OF the department OF
commerce and labor, on the COVER
nors desk was evidence OF the inter
est he takes in the so-called trust
problem" II suggested the next line
OF questioning:
How are the trusts TO be dealt
WITH"
Tariff the Greatest Issue.
The tariff lies az the bottom OF
much OF the trNlst quosIlon. That Is
the reason why the tariff question Is
the central and dominating question.
II is behind the shelter OF the tariff
wall that the trusts have been able 10
build up a system by which they have
| limited opportunity and all but shut
the door upon independent enter
prise"
The Power to Throttle.
| will the reduction OF the tarin
schedules by which the greatest trusts
thrive virtually solve the trust ques-
ton, them"
by no means II will do a vast
deal TO cut away the artificial advan-
tages upon which the trusts depend
/ for establishing monopoly; but there
/ is something beyond that Looked at
from the side OF business organization
the trusts are chiefly means OF econ
omy and efficiency. II is from that
side that they are so vigorously and
persuasively defended by their advo-
Gates and by many thoughtful students
! OF modern economic effort But along
with their efflcient organization goes
tremendous power and they have
used that power TO throttle competi-
\ ton and establish virtual monopoly
in every market that they have COW
eted"
DO you think, governor, that com.
petition can be -re-established- by
law"
1T is not necessary TO answer that
question until we have done what the
law certainly can do The methods
| by which the greater trusts have driv-
en- competitors out Of business are
well known. So are also the methods
by which those who tried TO establish
rival enterprises were prevented from
doing so. There are lawyers available
who can describe these methods with
abundant precision In statutes. Those
methods can be made criminal Of
lenses and the monopolistic use OF
trusts can be stopped by the punish
ment OF every person who tries TO
make such use OF their power.
Guilt 10 always personal and we
shall never get at the root OF these
things by changing merely the size
and organization OF our business cor
poration. The offenses they have
been committing against freedom OF
opportunity and OF enterprise are well
known and can be put stop to. II Is
not question OF their size, but OF
1 tnelT ACTS. ucSo udNt UccH uIOubhI
out In detail by the inquiries of half
dozen committees and many legal
contests"
| Gov. Wilson had looked at his
watch, and rising, asked his inter
viewer to walk with him TO his street
car. On the way he answered two
more questions in terse. epigram-
matte form.
4
"Dou you think. governor, that the
direct primary and direct nominations
will eliminate the boss
Nothing will eliminate the boss
but such a simplifcation Of the pro-
cesses of government as will enable
public opinion 10 control IL without
the Intervention OF the elaborate or
ganization at present needed 10 take
care OF nominations and to keep the
various parts OF government from
working at loggerheads with one an
other. as a result OF their lack OF In
ternal unity. But the direct primary
and direct nominations do AFFORD the
people an opportunity to override the
boss or thrust him aside when they
choose TO do SO They are indispen-
sible instruments OF reform. They
will at least create honest and open
political managers The boss 10 a
gumshoe political manager"
Publicity the Great Antiseptic.
| - In