Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-11
cumMlns LEADS PUBLIC OPINION.

So far as Governor Cummins is con-
cerned, there need no longer be any dis
pute as to his position on the tariff and
reciprocity. He has spoken at Detroit,
and evidently chose his words so that
there could be no mistaking his mean
ing. For twenty years Mr.. Cummins
has championed protection on the
stump and in party council. He was the
one member from Iowa on the national
republican committee and worked long
and hard to insure the election of Will
liam Mckinley, the apostle of protec-
ton, but he believes that today many
protective tariff schedules are indefen-
sible upon the true principles of pro-
lection, and boldly asserts that the time
to change them is now.
Governor Cummins has always been
a leader in thought and fearless In
making issues. Knowing that he has st
heart the welfare of the common pee'-
ple. he comes boldly forward with what
he believes is for the public good. Tie
rank and file of citizens are inclined 70
believe with Cummins that many tariff
schedules are today too high for the
general good, that many of them could
be reduced and the beneficent princi-
pies of protection still preserved, but
few are bold enough to brave the call
amity warnings of the "let-well-
| enough alone" fellows, and 1t has re-
NAMED for Cummins, with the Iowa re-
publican platform at his back, to blaze
| the way.
AS matter of fact, Cummins has
| considerably the best of the argument,
| from an academic standpoint. He says
that republicans have been resolving in
| favor of reciprocity as the hand maid
en- of protection since the days of
Blaine, but that whenever an attempt
was made to apply it in treaty the eff
fort was defeated If it meant the sacri-
! flee of any tariff advantage then en-
loved by protected interest. With
| McKinley's text that we can not go on
selling in foreign markets ali of the
time without buying some of the time,
and Dingley's admission that many
schedules in his bill We're purposely
placed higher than necessary for mere
protection, in order to have something
to trade, he proceeds with the assertion
that reciprocity inevitably means the
giving away of some protective adyan-
tages in return for other advantages,
1 and that If an unwillingness to yield
anything is to be a bar to reciprocity
| we might as we'll abandon the princi-
! pie
He rather puts Roosevelt in an In
| consistent attitude on the tariff ques-
ton by commencing the presidents
| readiness to reduce the tariff on an
thracite coal and his vigor in forcing
4 reciprocity with Cuba, and by following
with the observation that Il have been
unable to suppress the inquiry whether
the duty on anthracite coal is more bur-
densome than some other duties which
have excited public comment, and
whether the treaty with France is not
| as meritorious as the treaty with Gu
| oa.'' The mes-Republican has OBJ
| served that the president was inclined
| to be extremely conservative in regard
10 tariff changes, which is not out of
place In the remarks of the executive
| IN responsibility, but Roosevelt is no
ess vigorous than Cummins in his adj
focacy of reciprocity.
The Iowa governor is engaged in the