Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1912-08-15

WOODROW WILSON.
ter, have been represented in recent
years when our tariff schedules We're
being discussed and determined, not
on the floor of Congress, for that is
not where they have been determin-
ed. but in the committee rooms and
conferences? That is the heart of
the whole affair. Will you, can
you, bring the whole people into the
partnership OF not?
I'VE do not ignore the fact that
the business of a country like ours is
exceedingly sensitive to changes in
legislation of this kind. 1t has been
built up, however ill-advisedly, upon
tariff schedules written in the way /
have indivated, and it's foundations
must not be too radically or too sud
denly disturbed. When we act we
should act with caution and pru-
dence, like men who know what they
are about, and not like those in love
with a theory. It is obvious that
made only at such rate and in such
a way as will least interfere with the
normal and healthful course of com
merce and manufacture. But we
shall not on that account act with
timidity, as if we did not know our
own minds, for we are certain of our
ground and Of our object. There
should be an immediate revision land
it should be downward unhesitating-
ly and steadily downward.
High Cost Of Living.
"The nation as a, nation has grown
immensely rich. She is justly proud
of her industries and of the genius
of her men of affairs. They can
master anything they set their minds
to and we have been greatly stimu-
lated under their leadership and
command. Their laurels are masy
and very green. We must accord
them the great honors that are their
due and We must preserve what they
have built up for us. But what of
the other side of the picture? Is it
not as easy for us to live a. it used
to be? Our money will not buy as
much. High wages, even when we
fort. We used to be better off with
less, because a dollar could buy SO
much more. The majority of us have
been disturbed to find ourselves
growing poorer, ever though our
earnings were slowly increasing.
Prices climb faster than we can push
our earnings up. We know that they
are not fixed by the competitors of
the market, or by the ancient law of
supply and demand which is to be
found stated in all the primers OF
economics, but by private arrange
ments with regard to what the sup
ply should be and agreements among
the producers themselves. Those
who buy are not even represented by
counsel. The high cost of living is
arranged by private understanding.
1--WE naturally ask ourselves, how
did these gentlemen get control of
these things? Who handed our eco
nomic laws over to them for legis.
lative and contractual alteration? We
have in these disclosures still another
view of the tariff, still another proof
that not the people of the United
States but only a very small number
Of them have been partners in thai
legislation.
The Labor Question.
1.-The so-called labor question is 8
question only because we have not
yet found the rule of right in adjust
ing the interests of labor and capital
Here, again, the sense of universe
partnership must come into play il
we are to act like statesmen, as those
who serve, not a class, but a nation
"The working people Of America
il they must be distinguished from
the minority that constitutes the res
OF it-are, of course, the backbone
of the nation. The law that safe
guards their life, that improves tn,
physical and moral conditions unde,
which they live, that makes their
nours of labor rational and tolerable
that gives them freedom to act il
their wi interest, and that protect
them where they cannot protec
themselves cannot properly be re
garded as class legislation or as any
thing but as a measure taken in tn,
interest of the whole people, who's,
partnership in right action we ar
trying to establish and make real an
practical. It is in this spirit that W
shall act If we are genuine spokes
men of the whole country.
"In dealing with the complicate
and difficult question of the reforr
of u banking and currency laws
it is plain that we ought to consul