The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-05-16
S major CumminS Believes
Reciprocity is Necessary
Detail Of Policy Which May Render Criminal Trusts Innocuous
Benefit Consumer and MOI Iniure Producers

Il farm regions OF the northern p0r.
tion of this continent--in regard tc
everything our farmers sell, then
must We also in the merest spirit OF
fairness, put our American farmer
on complete equality with their
neighbors of the north in respect to
I those things which they buy. To do
other than this would be to do our
farmers an immense injustice, and
our farmers are the very ones whom
we can least AFFORD to treat unjustly.
"The idea, is right, however. !
believe that reciprocity, and finally
free trade with Canada. would so a
long way toward correcting the great
evil of these times in the United
States. The increased cost of living
means, really, decreased purchas-
/ ing power for the wages which our
workers earn. The whole trouble
I finds its source in the destruction of
competition, which has slowly been
in progress in this country, until the
profits of the various great enter
prises which determine prices have
become too great. Combined wealth
in the United States has achieved a
power. far beyond the power which
il is just that wealth should have,
and the enterprises of which COM
bined wealth has secured control pay
far too great a percentage of clear
profit"
And the remedy for this?"
1.-THE great mass of our people de-
pend for their wages upon an indus
trial struggle in fields distinguished
by the severest competition. Those
who supply their wants, both of ne
cessity and reasonable luxury, are
not so situated. They live and con-
duet their enterprise either in a field
Of absolute monopoly, from which
the element of struggle has been en-
tireiy eliminated and in which, there
fore, they have an absolute advan-
tage, or Circumstances have made it
possible for them to so combine
among themselves as to practically
destroy the force Of competition.
Among those who suffer, none
suffer more severely than the Ameri-
can farmer. He is in the keenest
competition with his fellow farmer.
but everything which he produces
must pass through the hands. be-
tween his own and those of those
who buy from him, OF men who ar
bitrarily, and with small considera-
ton of the effort which he has put
forth, fix prices and are able to COM
pei him TO abide by them. It is be-
cause that thoroughly believe that
reciprocity, and eventually, free
trade with Canada would do much
to protect the American farmer from
those who now exploit him and op-
press him, that am in favor Of the
movement which, recently, has gain
ed such force.
but the farmer is by no means
the only sufferer from the false con-
ditions which undoubtedly exist
Every man subsisting on a salary is
also, direct sufferer. Such men
are in the most desperate competi'
ton with one aeother, for all must
find work in order that they may live
and, therefore, their stated salaries
are not entirely governed by the
value OF the services they render
but, instead, are ruled by the fierce
competition for employment which
is feature OF our Industrial system
under the despotism OF the trusts.
THE chief thing they must buy. II
order to live comfortably, in order
as matter Of fact, TO exist at ali
are not, however. governed in theil
price by any such keen competition
as controls the wage for winch the;
work. Somewhere along the routs
between the man who really pro
duccs and themselves. the consum
ers. these things pay, almost invaria
bly,, tribute to monopoly and tina
tribute Is a large one. Reciprocft,
with Canada and eventual free trad,
would help In the adjustment OF thii
great injustice. The right relation
OF the salary to the cost OF living
has, Of late years, been disturbed
Canadian reciprocity would help t
bring Il back TO normal.
i THE real remedy for the chief iii
which now beset this country ma,
be found in the restoration OF tina
competition, al along the line whicl
In one way or another has been TO.
much lessened or has been destroyed
II would require a book, rather thar
J an article In magazine, 10 explain
this matter In detail, but the state
. ment could be readily sustained
Sooner. or later, and the sooner IN,
better, competition must be restore,
. I'm this country, BY one means or an
other, II this country Is 70 prosper
and no one for a moment doubt
} that we shall prosper. We hay,
made mistakes, as all humanity ha
made mistakes. but We Invariabi.
correct them when we find them out
. This competition which has been dc
stroyed can and must and surely vii
be restored. partly through a rear
rangement OF the tariff, OF whicl
: the proposed or some canadial
: agreement certainly will be a de
: tail Then will come real enforce
, ment--cffectiye and complete
antitrust Jaws. Later there mus
come limitation OF the capital q
) be legally employed in any business.
You really regard these thing
J as possible7v
81 consider them all probable: