The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-07-20

In commercial contest between this no
ton and other countries Of the world the
tariff should, to my mind, be potent
weapon of offence and defence Reciproc
ity, as the idea was being developed by
President Mckinley at the time of his
DEATH meets my own view of the situa-
ton. / need not add that / do not ap-
prove that reciprocity which sacrifices the
farmer to the steel trust. Manifestly a
subject like the tariff cannot adequately
be dealt with by Congress. We should
have a non-partisan tariff board with such
powers and of such quality that its rec
concentrations viii ordinarily be accepted
Oh Railroad Regulation" The regu-
lation of our railroads should be effective
for the public protection and it should
also be fair to the railroad itself At the
present time the federal government has
complete authority in some particulars,
while in others it has no authority what
ever. | have for the last fifteen years
been an advocate of legislation which
would have absolutely prevented the hap
penings of the last ten years IN New Eng
land, but that provision has not yet been
adopted although many other things for
which | have been contending have be-
| come the law.
In my opinion, the act to regulate com
merce should be so revised as to make it
complete and comprehensive scheme of
regulation, but it should be so written and
so administered as to leave the railroad
the greatest freedom of action consistent
with adequate protection to the public.
| Taking the state and nation together,
there is danger of too much rather than
too little railroad legislation.
/ ~ G.rTbn Darl1latiop of
There is no more delicate question before
the country today than the proper treat
lment of business. The method by which
railroad monopoly can be effectually regu-
lated is plain The government can lay its
hand upon the thing itself; it can say
lwhen the train shall he run and what rate
shall be charged With business exactly
the reverse, is true Competition must be
relied upon to fix the quality and the
Iprice.
In the past there have been two main
TROUBLES in the business situation.
First: The great concern, typlhed by
the Standard Oil company, has driven its
small competitor to the wall by certain
unfair practices.
Second Uncertainty has nterfereC
with legitimate business investment. NJ
man could know whether his enterprs,
We're legal or illegal until the money haC
been invested and a protracted period o
litigation had ensued
Some three or four years ago ! suggested
i'm a public address that a trade commits
!! sion be created for the regulation of bust
i ness, having authority to prohibit thes
& unfair practices, and that it should b.
Il possible to apply to this body in advance
II and ascertain whether a given undeTtak
III ing was in violation of law. The idea o
the commission seems to have been gen
orally accepted; the authority which thi
body should possess Is in dispute | fec
that this subject will finally be worke
out along these lines.
In the second paragraph of your lette
you ask for my thought touching ''tha
political mechanism known az party er
rollment for primaries" have neve
given sufficient consideration to the d,
tails Of a primary law so that care t
i express an opinion upon that subject
I does seem clear to me that the right t
, vote in the primary for the nominee Of
particular party should not carry with
a pledge to support whomever that part
may finally nominate. The voter, in a
tempting to nominate a fit man, shonl
not run the hazard Of promising to vot
finally for an official whom he beIiey,
, to be- utterly unfit for the place
, Very truly yours,
q c. A PROUTY.