The Twin City star., 1916-05-06
THE TARIFF,


The tariff will undoubtedly be one
OF the issues in the next campaign.
Time does not permit me to discuss
the subject at length, but only to state
some general principles, for it 10 al.
most inexhaustible in it's ramifications.
We should have an efficient nonparti.
san tariff commission. The tariff, OF
necessity, affects all Of the business
interests Of the country, and its enact.
ment with reference to those interests
and the stability of the law is neces.
sary to real prosperity. So many
questions are involved in framing Q
tariff law, that 1t is impossible. to have
an accurate, just and efficient law
which shall meet the demand of the
public revenue and protect labor, in.
dustry and agriculture in proper way,
and treat such law as the football OF
partisan politics, to be changed when.
ever political parties change.
l am not an advocate of extreme
protection. AS member of the Sub.
Committee on Resolutions which drew
the tariff plank in the Republican
Platform Of 1908, l vigorously advo.
Gated an honest and reasonable reduc.
tion of the tariff on the necessaries
Of life. I stated then, in letters and
speeches, that unless the Republican
Party should keep It's pledges, the
agitation would not cease and it would
be disastrous to the country. Such
proved to be the case.
At the close of the war much
of Europe will be unable to pur
chase our goods, because they will
not be able TO pay for them in gold,
and we shall not need their manufac,
tured articles. We must be prepared
to adopt a new policy to meet this ~
newed competition, to prevent the
dumping of foreign goods in our coun,
try to the destruction Of our produo.
ers and manufacturers; to protect our
farmers and laborers-where protec-
ton is necessary-andt to raise a rea-
sonable revenue to support the gov
ernment.
AGRICULTURE.
There are, of course, many problems
of importance to the people engaged
in agriculture. The stability, indepen-
dence and prosperity of the farmers
is of vital Importance not only to them
but to the dwellers in the cities and
the people as a whole. AS agriculture
constitutes the principal basis of the
wealth and prosperity Of the country,
everything which it Is legitimate for
the Congress or the States to do to
increase the prosperity of the farmer
should be done. Farming occupations
and farm life should be made profit.
able and attractive as an inducement
to keep the young men upon the farm.
The tendency in this country during
the last fifty years has been towards
the undue increase of city population.
The Government should aid in every
way it legitimately can to increase the
productiveness Of the soil, improve
the system of agriculture and make
farm life attractive, for unless the
farm Is both attractive and profitable
it will not hold the ambitious rising
generation.
TRUSTS AND COMBINATIONS.
I cannot in this speech more than
very briefly state my position upon
this subject,-one to which have de-
voted a great many years Of study. I
was counsel for the Government in the
cases against the Paper Trust, the
Standard OIL Trust and the Union
Pacific merger. In
the Standard Oil case the power of
the Government to regulate large in,
dustrial corporations or combinations
engaged in interstate commerce was
definitely established. The abuses
then practiced, including unfair and
oppressive methods of competition,
the driving out and crushing of com.
petitors, and like abuses, were de-
clared illegal; and agreements fixing
prices, limiting output and sitting
competition were declared unlawful
and were enjoined. Not only this, but
all the defendant Standard Oil Com.
panies, their officers, agents and indi.
vidual defendants (being the directors
and principal stockholders) were en-
Joined from in future agreeing on
prices of petroleum and it's products,
from agreeing on the terms of pur.
chase or sale or rates Of Transports
ton or the quantity to be sold, trans
ported or manufactured, or agreeing
not to compete; and they were en-.
Joined from entering into or perform.
Ing any like combination or conspir.
acy which would be to restrain COM
merce among states in petroleum and
Its products. I quote the language of
the decree wherein the defendants
named were enjoined, not only from
the combination proved in
that case. but from performing any
like combination or conspiracy the of.
feet of which Is, or will be, to restrain
commerce in petroleum or it's prod.
ucts," and from making any express
or implied agreement or arrangement
or one with another, like
that adjudged illegal hereby, relative
to the control or management of any
Of said cOrporations Or the nrfca op