Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-07
SMITH ON THEISSUES
Congressman From Council Bluffs
Talks.
DELIVERS An ADDRESS AT Abba
Large Audience Greets Speaker Who
Opens the Campaign in Monroe
County With Brilliant Speech on
h Things Political.

Il Things Political.
=
Abba, Oct. 2.-(Special)-A large
and enthusiastic audience greeted !
Hon. Walter l. Smith, of Council Bluffs, |
congressman from the ninth district,
at Perry's opera house last night. The
meeting was called to order by George
B. Harris, chairman of the Monroe
county republican central committee.
j. w. Johnson, in a brief address, in
Produced the speaker of the evening,
who stepped up on the platform amid
rounds of applause. Although an off
year." and the campaign seems to be
somewhat quiet Mr.. Smiths speech
received the closest attention, and was
interjected by applause many times
between proem and peroration. He
proved himself one of the most force
full speakers that ever appeared before
an Abba audience.
Mr.. Smith said;
Ten Years of Prosperity.
"The ten years last past have been
years of political, commercial and In
dustrial evolution and revolution. In
1892 the distinguished democrat, Hor-
ace Boies, then governor of Iowa, IN
obedience to the mandate of the con-
stitution, that the governor shall con-
yey to the general assembly informa-
tion concerning the condition OF the
state in his biennial message to the
legislature said: Tt is my pleasant
privilege to say that at no time in the
history of Iowa have. her people been
blessed with more general prosperity
than they now enjoy *** Every form
of industry, every branch of business
has felt the influence of conditions SC
favorable to us. With increased prices
or the products of our farms has come
il substantial advance in the market
value OF the agricultural lands of ou1
state. A marked impetus has beer
given to the upbuilding of our cities
and towns; an era of prosperity has
come to our manufacturing and min
ing industries. Our lines of railways
have felt the influence of better price!
Tor the great staples we are able tt
send abroad, and wherever we turn IL
Avery branch of industry, trade or pro
ession in which our people are engag
I'd, are to be seen unmlstakable evil
lences of the general prosperity will
which we are blessed
arm REFORM STeePS III.
'sSurely under the conditions thus
portrayed by the then democratic gov
ernor and the present democratic can
didate for congress in the third dis
trict, political contentment might we
have been looked for, but in that sam
year of unparalleled prosperity tn
democratic party assured the people
the country that they We're in grea
need of tariff reform. The McKinle
bill was the parent of imagined ILL
Ind all that was needful to make on
condition faultless was the repeal {
The Mckinley bill and the adoption {
a tariff for revenue only. At the ensu
Ing election the democratic party wa
everywhere triumphant and secure
control of the executive and bot
branches of the legislative depart
ment Of the government, fl
the first time since March
1859. In three months after the il
auguration of the new democratic a.
ministration the country was in tn
throes of an appalling financial PAM
Many milionaires found themselvt
paupers, countless thousands of was
earners were thrown out of emplo!
ment and were compelled largely
reduce their consumption of the pr
ducts of the farm and the factory, al
the producers of the necessaries of Ii
found their markets gone and ruinol
prices established thereby for the
goods. 1t is not necessary to go in
details of the conditions during tho
four years from '93 to 81, as they a
within the memory of all. 1t is amp
sufficient to say that the Americ;
people had never suffered such di
tress as they endured during tho
four years since the years immediate
following that other tariff for reven
only panic in 1857. In 1896 the Anne
lean peple demanded for the CHI
executive of the nation, the author
the denounced. despised and repudis
ed Mckinley bill, and he was owe
whelmingly elected to the president
He had scarcely taken his seat VIII
the revival of business commenc,
for hope and courage had revived wi
the mere news of his election. He q
vened congress in extraordinary sc
sion and before the close of July I
democratic tariff law had been repe
ed and tariff for protection esta
|ished in it's place. Five years and
Jew weeks have elapsed since a pl
tective tariff was thus re-establish
Almost Immediately the conditions
1892 We're restored and each year
been marked by increased gene
prosperity. Nor has this prosper
been confined to any one class or {
one industry; every class and ev
Industry have partaken of its benef
Under such conditions one would j
turally assume that the argument of
well enough alone would be more
suasive than any argument TO
change, but strange to say our den
cratic friends are not only insist
upon a change of public policy,
upon the identical change deman
by them in 1892, and the last der
cratic state platform declares anew
tariff for revenue only. The hist
Of the last ten years demonstrates
Of two things-either that republi
administration and republican no