The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-02-03

trade relations bind her with cords
strong as iron to every part OF the
globe. Her social relations bind her
with cords as far reaching as thought
to every nation on the globe. Business
and society roll the great world into
one. and pull it about to its eyerlasting
disadvantage, or pull II together for
its eternal benefit.
We can no longer think in states;
we must thing in nations. America
points with pride to her Declaration
of Independence" 1t is time now to
lay it reyerently away among the mem
ories of valiant, courageous, happy,
and well-spent youth, and take up, with
the duties of maturer years, the posi-
tion of dependence that she thought
she had left forever behind.
The tariff question is solving itself
Everyone recognizes the need Of re-
vision downward, in a manner not to
disturb business conditions more than
necessary. A balanced trade in the
world is as necessary and natural as
balanced money in the world.
The present idea of free trade is a
state where no tariff exists; but when
the labor conditions of Europe are such
on account Of the cheapness of labor
il Europe, as to make 1t impossible for
America to compete in certain lines of
manufacture, where her own natural
supplies make it otherwise expedient
and practicable for her to do so, free
trade is impossible; and the only way
to equalize conditions, and make trade
balance, is to impose tariff to offset
the inequality
To understand the bearing of the
tariff on commercial conditions one
must look beneath the surface of
things. What is the tariff?
To put It in simple language, the
tariff is an equalizing machine, adjust
able in its parts, adaptable to regulate
the natural advantages or disadvan.
tages under which the different coun.
tries labor, owing to the diverse habits
customs, abilities, and movements OF
its peoples. Strong, uncomfortable in
huences keep up constant fluctuation
in industrial and commercial relations
between the different nations, There
is no way to offset this but by regula
tion on an industrial and commercial
basis.
Each nation must use it's discretion
as to how much or how little regula
tion Is necessary; but is handicapped
at present by having no universal clear
ing-house. The regulating machine il
the hands of each nation is the bes
guarantee that each will respect ant
consult the wishes of the others be
fore making any move to upset |
proper equilibrium
When good business conditions il
any country invite a great increase il
its population with no corresponding
increase in its farm products eacl
month, prices of food become dear un
der the increased demand.
The population of the world is fire.
to move about, and causes grea
changes in conditions, overstocking o
markets with labor. and depicting 0
the markets of supplies; the bringing
together of "many men of many minds
all thinking themselves ripe for citi
zenship, such as they@have been &C
customed to, but sadly lacking in mum
erous instances, in the essential lmowl
edge and training to make intelligen
voters in their new environment. Thus
the tariff in any country may itsel
help to invite irregularity unless it il
supported by the tariffs of other na
ions, where it may act as a deterren
10 keep people at home.
In short, the world is one great Who'll,
and its parts are iEterdependent. Sep
arate regulation devices applied onl.
to parts, create, in other parts mor'
disturbance thar they can regulate
and bring upon themselves more trou
BILE than they have power to control
The low places of the business worlt
need to be filled, and the hills brough
down to the level.
But any artificial conditions brough
about by the tariff can not be swep
away by violence without driving hun
dreds of business men to the wall, an,
playing havoc in the country TIL
tariff has helped to build up the eour
try; but 1t is like any other good thing
il allowed to go to excess, it become
an evil.
America is then not to blame for al
the evils brought about by the tarifl
When an important country like Ene
land is without a tariff. 1t makes con
mercial and industrial conditions III
even; but 1t is not easily brought t
the minds of the people of England
who are misled by their high impor