Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-04-26
victory. Sectionalism is buried, let
us hope never to be resurrected.

victory. Sectionalism is buried, let
us hope never to be resurrected.
"Watchmen: You are charged with
being a creature of trusts, and your
party controlled by corporation.
"Watchman, what of the night?
And we hear him say: The republic
can party was born as an organiza-
ton OF universal liberty. 1t abolished
slavery under Lincoln, gave land to
the landless under Grant, and thru
Blaine, reciprocity to the nation. For
forty years it has stood as the
champion OF labor and the defender
|of home markets and in a spirit worthy
of the noblest traditions OF the party,
its best and brainiest statesmen are
today wrestling with this new prob
lem, and before the close of this adj
ministration congress will pass a law
that will be alike just to the producer
land consumer, and the interests Of the
people, sacredly guarded, from the
greed Of combinations and trusts.
''Watchman: Whv was a tariff,
small tho it be, placed upon imports
from Porto Rico? Watchman, what
|of the night?
And the guard upon the wall ans
wers: Because, practically every dol
lars worth of goods in Porto Rico
awaiting shipment to this country is
in the hands OF capitalists; because
revenue must be derived from some
source and the people are too poor
to admit of direct taxation; because it
was deemed but just that these capt.
n ch hSs, toS, dol
lar of which is to be paid back into
fit OF the people.
81 have been charged with being in
consistent because last December
recommended free trade with Porto
Rico, and expected to raise the reve-
nues, by direct tax; but at that time,
it was not known that the war, the
changed conditions of the markets and
the great storm which swept over the
island had left the inhabitants SO des-
titute that they could not pay a di-
rect tax. When these facts became
known but two courses could be pur-
|sued-either to appropriate the mon
ley from the United States treasury or
pass the tariff law. believe the last
to be right and I would rather be
right than be consistent.
In the coming fight we are to meet
the same old foe. One that in ideas is
three parts popuhst and one part
democrat, but which in numbers is
three-fourths democratic and one part
pop. An unholw alliance of political me-
cations and long whiskered yagaries.
They will renominate w. j. Bryan,
who whether he is being appointed
colonel Of a silver regiment in Omaha,
suffering from a military lockjaw in
Florida, resigning his commission in
the army before the close of the war,
lassooing panther in Texas or talking
politics to a Chautauqua Assembly at
SO much per talk, is wrong in every
great question, and is consistent with
conditions only in his consistencies.
IA President McKinlev will be renom-
mated, and as in 1896, these men will
oppose each other in the great con-
test, of 1900. If republicans do their
duty as they did in 1896, there can be
but one result: The triumphant re-
election of President Mckinley.
Gentlemen, there stands our leader,
and there, speaking for themselves, are
his official acts. President Mckinley
has not only kept faith with the peo-
pie by fulfilling ante-election pledges,
but has gradually risen to meet new
conditions and unlocked for RESPONSE
bilities. He has been weighed in the
balance of public opinion and found
not wanting. His administration will
live in history as one of the brightest
and best in the annals OF the coun-
try; and future historians will paint
it's beauties and greatness in halos. of
glory, brighter than the MONDAY
sun, while generations yet unborn
will point to it as land mark Tor hui
man liberty, higher aspirations and
loftier purposes for the race; will
point to it as an administration that
saw it's duty and dared to do it; will
point to it as q beacon light, increas-
ing and growing in brilliancy with
coming centuries, that guided the
ship Of state away from the shoals
and reefs of free trade back into the
harbor of protection, saved the people
from the quicksands OF :fiatism and led
them into the shady groves OF pros
perity, carpeted with the verdure of
confidence, watered by the rivers of
industry and glorified by the laws of
thrift, will point to it as an admins
UfatiOn tnhC Tore the tongue OF re-
pudiation from the throat Of dishonor
and rebuilt the foundations OF the
nation with FURNISHED gold; will
point to it as the era when the gov
eminent first assumed its true place
among the nations of the earth; when
the country was prosperous, the peo-
pie happy and contented and univer-
sal libertv was, beneath the folds of
the stars and stripes, marching up
ward and onward toward the goal of
her final destination, the brotherhood
of man."
THE CAMPAIGN OPENED.