Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-08
Chairman Davis at Cedar Rapids Wednes
day Afternoon.
Them With More Courage

y Uc1OOSllc1uSulD.
the United States; and that the inhab-
itants of such territory do not become
American citizens in the sense that
they are entitled to all the rights and
privileges accorded to the citizens of
the several states.
Has Pushed to the Front.
But not in the arena of war alone
have the last four years witnessed
memorable triumphs. The United
States of America, loosened from her
ancient mornings, has pushed out into
the stream of commerce of the world
an important and controlling factor in
international markets. Peace hath
her victories no less renowned than
war and America has now started on
a peaceful conquest of the world. Prior
to March 4, 1897 we had four lean
years of democratic rule. Since then
we have had the fat and full years of
republican progress and, prosperity.
The marvellous growth of American
trade is shown by the great balances
in our favor, amounts SO prodigious as
to be almost beyond computation. In
| 1898 (and up to this time that was
the banner year in our history the
balance of trade in our favor was in
excess of $614,000, 900 In 1899 it was
in excess of $529.OOO,O00 In 1900 it
was in excess of ,000,000; and in
this year of grace, and William Nc
Kinley's administration. the balance
was in excess of 1854 100000, surpass-
ing by $50,000000 the great year of
1898. The finances of the country
were never upon so sound and pros
porous a basis The amount of money
in circulation exceeds $2,177 100000, a
gain of more than $114.000,0 900 over a
year ago. The per capita circulation is
% 1900 dollars, the largest amount
in the history of the country The cash
in the treasury is in excess of 1896
S33,000 an amount larger than that
i possessed by any other nation of the
world. Labor is in demand at more
than living wages. The products OF
the farm and shop find ready market
at prices that are profitable, and this
age will be known to history and pos
terity as The Golden or Mckinley
Age and stand as high water mark
of prosperity throughout the future.
| Must Not Forget Our Party.
But in the pride of achievement we
must not forget that our party and the
nation are beset with many great and
perpleXing problems, upon the correct
solution of which depends our future
progress and the successful determin
alton of which calls for courage, wis
dom and craftsmanship of high or
lder.
There is one proposition upor
which the republican party and the
American people seem to be practical
ly unanimous, and that is that there
should be speedily constructed an 18th
milan canal, a great artery for ocear
commerce which will bring San Fran
cisco into close relation with Liver
pool, and the harbors of the Atlantic
into close connection with the ports o
the far east, and make short ant
safe waterway for the interchange o
. commerce between the Atlantic ant
Pacific coasts. But this canal Whel
, constructed must be upon soil owned
or absolutely controlled by the Ameri
can government, a canal built will
American money, in time of peac'
open, on equal and liberal terms, t.
the commerce of the world; in time o
war fortified at both entrances b,
American guns, manned by American
gunners.
This, New Era.
"This is an age of consolidation
The commercial and financial world il
in stage of evolution. Labor ant
: capital, the two factors which STAN
for so much in the growth OF nation
: and of communities, are organizin'
themselves into compact and powerful
| organizations. Labor in many of tn
departments of manufacturing an
P. skilled work is organized so that a.
: workers in certain branches through
7 out the entire country are members Q
! a single organization. Capital, 10
t lowing the example of labor. has Ell
? tered into similar combinations. 1t
t the belief of many and the hope of a.
: that this spirit of organization will Ell
: able these two controlling factors i
1 the business of the world to trea
: more literally with each other; wi
| bring about union in action and con
. mon interest in results; will caus
5 more generous and considerate trea
S ment of each other, and that frictio
V VIII cease ana DeILef unuefSldHulu
! as to relative rights and interests wi
Y be established. The questions whic
y confront us today concerning the RICH
i to combine capital by legitimate organ
! ization for production and commerc'
4 are most important and controllin
ones, which should receive fair, jud
cial consideration, and should be tn
subject of dispassionate argumer
d rather than partisan or prejudiced cri
: icism. The right of labor to organic
l., for all legitimate purposes is unque
e toned, and laws upon the subject {
e combinations should be phrastd tha
e while unlawful and illegal unions az
d strictly prohibited and severely punisl
h ed, yet legitimate commerce and maj
It ufacturing may not he interfered will
d In our manner of living and in GU
g homes, We are continually progressing
# the average wages growing higher an