Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-07

was paid to the army and not enough
to the navy. The other republics of
America distrusted us, because they
found that we thought first of the
profits of American investors and only
as an afterthought Of impartial justice
and helpful friendship. Its policy was
provincial In all things; Its purposes
were out Of harmony with the temper
and purposes of the people and the
timely development of the nations In
terests.
Party Has Redeemed Promise
So things stood when the Democratic
party came into power. How do they
stand now? Alike In the domestic field
and in the wide field of the commerce
of the world, American business and
life and industry have been set free
to move as they never moved before.
The tariff has been revised, not on
the principle OF repeling foreign trade,
but upon the principle OF encouraging
it, upon something like a footing of
equality with our own In respect of
the terms Of competition, and a tariff
1t will be to keep the relations of
American with foreign business and
industry under constant observation,
for the guidance alike Of our business
men and Of our congress. American
| energies are now directed toward the
markets Of the world.
Tho laws against trusts have been
clarified by definition. with view TO
making 1t plain that they were not
directed against big business. but ONLY
against unfair business and the pre-
tense Of competition where there was
none. and trade commission has been
created with powers of guidance and
accommodation which have relieved
business men Of unfounded fears and
set them upon the road of hopeful and
confident enterprise.
by the federal reserve act the sup
ply of currency at the disposal Of ac-
tive business has been rendered elias
tic, taking its volume not from a fix
ed body of investment securities, but
from the liquid assets of daily trade,
and these assets are assessed and nc.
| cepted not by distant groups of bank
ers in control Of unavailable reserves.
out by bankers at the many centers
of local exchange who are in touch
with local conditions everywhere.
Effective measures have been taken
for the recreation of an American mer-
| chant marine and the revival of the
American carrying trade Indispensable
to our emancipation from the control
which foreigners have SO long exer-
ciscd over the opportunities, the routes
and the methods of our commerce with
! other countries.
Inc interstate commerce commission
mas been reorganzed to enable it to
perform its great and important func-
| tons more promptly and more efficient
| ". We have created, extended and i'm
proved the service Of the parcels post.
So much we have done for business.
WHAT other party has understood the
task so well or executed it so inteli-
gently and enercetically; What other
party has attempted it at all? The Re.
publican leaders, apparently, know of
10 means Of assisting business but
'piotectlon.' How to stimulate it and
! put 1t upon Il new footing of energy
and enterprise they have not suggested.
Farmers Have Been Benefited.
FOR the farmers of the country we
have virtually created commercial
credit by means Of the federal reserve
act and the rural credits act. They
now have the standing of other bust
ness men in the money market We
have successfully regulated speculation
IN FUTURES and established standards
III the marketing Of grains. BY an in
telllgcllt warehouse act we have assist
ed TO make the standard crops availa.
be rs never before both for systematic
marketing ana as Il security for loans
from the banks. We have greatly
added to the work of neighborhood
demonstration on the farm itself OF
improved methods of cultivation and.
through the intelligent extension of the
functions Of the department of agricul-
ture, have made 1t possible for the
farmer TO learn Systematically where
his best markets are and how to get at
them.
The workingmcn of America have
been given veritable emancipation
by the legal recognition of mans Ia
Dor rs part Of his life and not a mere
marketable commodity. by cXemptng
labor organizations from processes of
the courts which treated their mem
bcrs like fractional parts of mobs and
not like accessible and responsible In
dyiduals by releasing our seamen
from involuntary servtude, by making
adequate provision for compensation
for industrial accidents, by providing
suitable machinery for mediation and
Cancellation in industrial disputes and
by putting the federal department OF
labor at the disposal of the working
man when in search of work
We have effected the emancipation
, or the children of the country by re
r leasing them from hurtful labor. We
have instituted system OF nationa
aid in the building Of highroads such
, as the country has been feeling after
for century. We have sought tC
] equalize taxation by means Of an equi
table income tax. We have taken the
steps that ought to have been taken al
the outset to open up the resources OF
I Alaska. We have provided for ma
! tional defense upon scale never be
: fore seriously proposed upon the re-