The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-04-13

err in protecting our basic food in.
dustry than paralyze our farm
activities in the world struggle for
restored exchanges.
The maturcr revision uf our tar
lit laws should be based on the pol
icy OF protection, resisting that sell
fishncss which turns to greed but
ever concerned with that productiv-
ity at home which is the source OF
aH-abiding good fortune. There Is
httlc sentiment IN the trade OF the
world. Trade can and ought to be
honorable, but IL knows no sympa-
my while the delegates OF the ma -
tons a war were debating peace
terms at Paris and while we later
debated our part in completing the
peace. com mmcrCial agents OF other
nations were opening their lines and
establishing their outposts. with a
forward look to the morrow's trade.
Government must bc Chcnpcncsi.
~ very important matter Is the
establishment Of the governments 4
business on a business basis. There
was tOlCrauon of the casy-goine,
systematic method Of handling our
fiscal affairs, when Indirect taxation
held the public unmindful Of the
federal burden. But there Is knowl-
edge Of the high cost Of government
today and high cost of living is in
scparably linked with high cost OF
government. There can be no com
pletc correction OF the high living
cost until government cost Is nota-
bly, reduced.
Let me heartily commend the
enactment of Legislation providing
FOR the national budget system.
II have said TO the people we
meant to have less of government
In business as well as more business
In government. II is well to have #
understood that business has a right
to pursue its normal legitimate and
righteous way unimpedcd. and 1t
ought to have no call to meet gov
ornment competition whore all risk
Is borne by the public treasury
There Is no challenge to honest and
lawful business success. But govern
ment approval or fortunate, un-
trammeled business does not mean
tOleration Of restraint of trade or OF
maintained prices by unnatural
methods.
To Probe Price Associations.
"One condition In the business
world may well receive your in
quiry. Deflation has been in prog
ress but has failed TO reach the
mark where IL can be proclaimed to
the great mass OF consumers. Re
duced cost of basic production has
been recorded, but high cost of liv-
ing has not yielded in like proper
ton.
II have asked the federal trade
commission for a report Of It's oh
scryauons and its attributes. In
the main. the failure TO adjust
consumers cost Ia b'.Aic produc-
tion costs. to- the exchange Of In
formation by open price assoCia-
tiOTE which operate, evidently
within the law, 10 the very great
advantage Of their members and
equal disadvantage To the Consum-
ing public. without tho spirit oS
hostility or haste In accusation OF
profitecring. some suitable In
guiry by congress might speed the
price rcadiustmcnt to normal re-
lationship with bclpfulncSs To
both producer and consumer. A
measuring rod of fair prices will
satisfy tho country and give us IA
business revival TO end all dcprCss-
sion and unemployment
Tho Railroad Problem, Too.
1T is little to be wondered that
considered legislation, the war
strain, government operation in
heedlcssness of cost, and the con-
flictinG programs or the lack Of
them, for restoration have brought
about a most difficult situation.
made doubly difficult by the low
tide Of business. All are so init
mately related that no Improvement
will be permanent until the railways
are operated efficiently at cost
within that which the traffic can
bear.
III we can have it underst ood
that congress has no sanction for
government ownership, that con
gress does not levy taxes upon the