The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-09
THE IoWA sTRADDLE.

1t would be hard to determine Which
plank of the Iowa Republican platform
represents the more artistic and sue
cessfully constructed straddle = that
which refers to the tariff and reciproc-
ity, or that on the subject of trusts.
AS these planks have not been and are
not likely to be reprinted to any great
extent. the G o b e reproduces them here
in succession. giving the preference in
priority of quotation 70 the tariff plank.
1t is as follows:
THAT we standby the historic policy of
the Republican party in giving protection
to home industries, and point for its am
pie vindication to- the extraordinary ra-
pidity with which our national resources
have been developed. and our industrial
and financial independence secured. We
favor such changes in the tariff from
time to time as become advisable .Ide
and their changing relations to the COM
merce of the world. We indorse the pol
icy of reciprocity as the natural com
plement of protection and urge Its deVeI-
opment as necessary to the realization OF
our highest commercial possibilities.
And here is the trust plank of the same
skIfuIIy wrought document
THAT we assert the sovereignty of the
people over all corporations and aggre-
cations of capital, and the right residing
in the people to enforce such regulations,
restrictions or prohibitions upon corpor-
ate management as VIII protect the mol
vidual and society from abuse Of the
power which great combinations Of capt.
tai WELD.
The first of these planks may be para
phrased in simple terms, as follows:
Resolved that we are still in favor of
a virtually prohibHive tariff and we
point with pride to the steady growth
OF trust organizations, notably the steel
trust, in vindication of the wisdom Of
the protective policy; policy which we
propose shall be continued until cur IN
FAINT industries reach such proportions
that the people may not be safely de-
pended on longer to rob themselves for the
enrichment of those engaged in them
Meanwhile we regard the policy of reel
prccity as a good thing as long as it does
not interfere with our prehibitive tariff. ="
The other plank is more easily UNDER
stood and quite as correctly stated in
the following language: Resolved that
we believe that the people still have
power over their own corporate creations
and the right to exercise that power for
tho public protection"
If there is any other or greater signif-
icance to be attached to the two declara-
tions of the Iowa platform. quoted above.
it will be difficult for any ordinary reader
to discover it.
The Republican state machine has won
hands down in the Cedar Rapids conven-
ton. The platform is a high type Of
the machine platform Both candidates
and platform are Vulnerable. They are
makeshifts, and they are splendidly adapt
ed to being soundly walloped on the
stump and in the press by a capable OPP
position.
No one not a resident of the state Of
Iowa can be regarded as qualified to pass
intelligently on the question of the in
dividual popularity of candidates. But
able to pick out as strong a body of men
as their candidates. and ought to be able
to place them on platform which would
appeal successfully against the patent
dishonesty of the opposition declaration,
as well as against the machine character
of the operations of the body which put
those candidates in nomination.
The question whether the Iowa Demo-
Gratis remain welded to their shattered
idols takes on added interest from the
report of the proceedings of the conven-
ton which has just adjourned at Cedar
Rapids.