Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-07-01

not VIOLATIONS. OF SOuHu poiiSy'
Much of our effort is to help men
and women workers. Just as we be-
lieve in cooperation among the farm
ers and the business meE so we be-
lieve in cooperation among the wage
workers And we further believe that
the wage workers and the business
men must cooperate together and
work closer together for their mutual
advantage. 1t has been the cut-throat
competition of the past-the compeu-
ton that Mr.. Wilson is determined to
preserve by law-which has not only
hurt business and prevented the ousl-
ness man from working most effec-
lively for the common good but when
has forced the working man to work
for ruinously small wages. We pro-
pose to substitute the era of co-opera-
ton for the era of competition among
the business men and farmers and
wage workers.; and as necessary
corollary we believe that the go fern-
ment must in thorough going fashion
supervise and regulate this movement
toward continuation.
But this effort will come to naught
if honest business men support sim
lister politicians whose interested en-
deavor is chiefly TO help the crooked
business man whose success Is achiev-
ed by swindling his fellows. In their
resentment at the national admins
tration because of its part in bringing
them to sore need. many business and
working men and farmers threaten to
vote even for such politicians as Mr..
Penrose in hope of securing relief.
u+h In
aster than that from which they now
suffer 1t was the politicians like Mr..
Penrose who are responsible for the
existence of the present national adj
ministration. To put them in power
would merely ensure in a short time
another violent swing of the pendulum
against them. and a continuation of
government by CONFUSION. of a gov
ernmental see-saw between two sets
of policies. both inimical to the gen.
eral welfare, and two sets of polite
ians neither of them responsive to the
public needs
To meet such a situation Colonel
Roosevelt argued that the voters of
Pennsylvania should repudiate PN-
rose and his nominees and followers
and further should oppose the sup
porters of the present administration.
Concluding his indictment of "the
bosses" he outlined what he styled
the specific performances of the Pro-
gressive party, in the matter of state
and national legislation, and again
took up the tariff question.
we Progressives advocate the i'm
mediate creation of non-partisan
commission" he said, with power to
propose revision of the tariff rates,
schedule by schedule, treating each
case on an intelligent consideration of
its merits, divorced from favoritism
| and the fostering of special interests.
The program would not be attended by
the reckless haste, the improper infiu-
enccs, the sectional party politics
which characterize our present meth
DDS of tariff legislation by general law
and remember that exactly the same
! methods were pursued in making the
present tariff law as in making the
| Payne Aldrich law which it suppressed
ed. Our proposed method would never
disorganize business by a complete
| change in all the tariff schedules at
one time. This is the Progressive tar
if program.
1T ask all honest believers in a pro-
tective tariff, and especially all work
ing men to consider the fact that this
is the only program offering hope of
permanent well-being: whereas the al
tentative program is one of violent os-
cillation between such tariffs as the
Payne Aldrich bill made by Senator
Penrose and his associates, and the
present tariff BILL made by President
Wilson and his followers such as the
gentleman now running for the Sen
ate in Pennsylvania on the Democrat
ic ticket"
"Of the Progressive antitrust pro-
gram he said, I'VE believe in coop
Grafton among business men, among
farmers and among wage workers.
1T is evident that the problem OF
all antitrust legislation is effectively
to determine, on the one hand, what
trade practices are unfair, and on the
other, to prevent the exclusive control
| of any factor essential to production
by any person or corporation or group
operated as a unit. 1t is primarily at
administrative problem. To meet 1t we
must have adequite administrative ma
chinory.
"Fhe Progressives, therefore, advo-
| cate the creation of a strong inter
| state trade commission and would give
such commission, primarily, three
powers:
First, the power of investigation
! The commission should be able to as
certain on complaint or on it's own mo-
ton, whether a monopoly in fact ex-
lists, and if it does exist, the basis OF
| its monopolistic pawer.
Second, the power directly to pro-
! hibit all unfair trade practices within
| it's jurisdiction. This power would en-
! able the commission to stop all monop-
| oles based on unfair and oppressive
trade practices. Whenever monopoly
| is based on such practices, what is
needed is not the right to recommend
that suits be brought by the attorney
general, or by anyone else. What is
needed is the direct power in the com
mission itself to stop the wrong.
Third. the power to end the exclus-
! i've control of a factor necessary tt
production by an order adapted to the