Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-03
D. 3. HENoERsoN's FORECAST.
His Opinion of What Congress viii Do
on Matters Of Moment,

I
on Matters Of Moment.
Washington, Dec. 2-David B. Hen
derson, speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives, will not undertake to inf1u-
ence the action OF congress in matters,
of legislation that may be brought for
ward at the approaching session. He
has, however. decided views touching
most of these matters, which he does
not hesitate to express both in public
and private. He speaks freely regard
ing the probable action upon a few of
the more prominent questions, notably
the tariff, the trusts. the ship subsidy
bill and legislation affecting our lately
acquired insular possessions.
Il have never discussed specifically
the question of building up the mer-
chant marine and the great shipping
interests of the United States" he
said, but this question can no longer
be neglected by those looking to the
best interests of our country. Our
surplus, our increased domain, all ap-
peal for attention to this great uues-
ton. Competing nations have been
and are giving millions annually to
strengthen their oceancarrying inter-
ests. The ships of England, Holland,
Germany and other nations dot the
seas. The American ship looks like Il
stranger in all foreign ports and our
flag can scarcely be seen anywhere in
these ports. We now depend almost
wholly on foreign ships in the Atlantic
to carry our surplus products to Eur.
ope. Consider how we would be af-
fected II we were at war with Eng
land. 1t is a new problem to us to
give financial aid to the shipping in
terests, and | confess that | am not
satisfied with any legislation thus far
proposed by congress, but if wise
plan can be devised looking to the in
terests of our commerce and the coun-
try and not purely individual interests,
then it should command careful. patri.
ot!c and fearless attention"
Touching the tariff, the speaker
said:
Il never was a f1rmer believer in
the doctrine of protection than | am
today. After some three months
this summer in several of the coun.
tries of Europe | am only strengthen
ed in my convictions. No one policy
has done so much for the development
of our country, for the elevation of la
Dor on the farm and in the shop than
thlS great Dollcy. One has but to
study the statistics of the country to
find incontestable evidence of the val
ne of the protective policy.
Some are urging a revision of the
tariff. am not now prepared to say
whether the situation warrants revis-
ion or not at this time, but if revision
is entered upon feel as did our la
mented President, when he gave out
his splendid utterance at Buffalo, that
any action taken must not interrupt
our home production Not a word in
that splenulu Grafton voices an aban-
donment of the protective policy. In
MS speech he favorS reciprocal treat
les, but only in accordance with wis
dom and patriotic regard for the pro-
ducing interests of our own country.
Relative to trusts and combinations
in restraint of trade Mr.. Henderson
remarked:
This troubling question l discussed
at great length in the last national
campaign. In the fifty-siXth congress
the republicans did all in their power
to provide a remedy, but by almost
solid democratic opposition they We're
defeated. 1t was the defeat of legis-
lation whereby we sought to clothe
the congress with a constitutional
power over trusts not now possessed.
1t is proposed to put everything made
by combinations on the free list, a
proposition, in my opinion. that will
not prove to be a remedy. for almost
all the products of combinations enter
into nearly everything used by the
people,