Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-20

years. At all events it seemed desira-
bic to maintain friendly relations with
Cuba if for political considerations
only. At the present time great
deal of Cuba's trade goes across the
water. Every dollar of this trade
should come to the United States. In
the course of few years, when Cuba
has come to her own, this trade will
be an item worth taking into account.
A lenient and generous policy at this
time will be bread cast upon the wat
ers. This great nation can afford to
be generous to people just striving
to pull themselves together after years
of constant warfare. Under these pre-
sent and prospective conditions the
United States will constitute the first
really independent and self-contained
government since the Roman empire
was at its height. 1t will be absolute
ly independent of every other nation
in every detail. We may be shut off
from al countries for an indefinite pc
riod, but with our colonies we can sup
ply every possible need of our people
and the people of the colonies
President Unnecessarily Worried.
1t is stated by senator whose long
public service places him in a position
to correctly judge the situation, that
the President is unnecessarily agitat-
ed and worried over the sugar ques,
ton. At a matter of fact there is no
special occasion for agitation at this
time. The President has given his
views touching the question of what
this government should do in the mat.
ter of sugar concessions to Cuba. His
obligation ends there. If congress
does not seem disposed to give heed
to the expressed views and desires of
the President that should cause the
President no particular concern. The
responsibility for non-action falls upon
congress, not upon the President.
Did Not Worry Mckinley.
The senator called attention to the
fact that President Mckinley gave no
great heed to these matters. 1t was
his practice to send to congress his
annual message, in which he sought TIC
embody his views touching various
matters upon which legislation might
arise, making certain recommends
tons. AS a general thing four-fifths
of the recommendations made and
suggestions offered were entirely ig-
nored by congress. They were not
heard of after the message had been
read. This did not worry President
Mckinley. 1t looked upon it as mat
ter of judgment and in no way re-
Election upon himself.
Roosevelt Takes 1t Too Seriously.
President Roosevelt appears to take
ho al 10 ,,,J
himself under moral and political obli-
cations to secure the passage of bill
incorporating his views, to wit: that
the Dingley tariff schedules. so far as
they concern Cuba, on sugar, shall be
reduced twenty per cent.
The President should relax and per-
nit congress to do the walking If
the ways and means bill does not pre-
vail in the house the people will not
hold the President responsible if sub.
sequent events prove the house to
have been wrong.
Sets Henderson Right.
| 1t appears exceedingly strange. ii
not suspicious. that many Iowa papers
should go so far astray in the endeav
or to give expression to the views OF
Speaker Henderson touching this su
gar question. From various sources ii
appears that the speaker is represent
ed as being violently opposed to the
granting of any concessions to Cuba
or the rendering of any assistance to
the people of the island striving to get
upon their feet They represent the
speaker as opposed to the ways and
means committee report against the
| President. To one breathing the
highly-charged sugar" air of Wash
| ington it appears inconceivable that
such stories should gain circulation in
Iowa where information of reliable
and truthful character may easily be
/ obtained. 1t would be impossible fol
statements to be further from the truth
than these. AS a matter of fact the
contrary is true. Speaker Henderson
has labored necessarily and indefatig
ably with the President and the ways
and means committee to bring the
membership of the house to see TIL
matter in the light of humanity ant
honorable dealing and the implied
pledge of this government at the time
of the acceptance of the Plat amend
ment by the Cubans. The speaker has
done all that could possibly be done
within the limits of propriety and the
maintenance of the dignity of the high
office he is filling with great credit t.
himself and The state of Iowa. Their,
can be no further justification for mis-
representing the speaker. These
statements ought to serve to set RICH
such papers and individuals as ma,
innocently have been laboring unde
a misrepresentation upon this point, ant
common fairness would seem to re
quire that corrections be made. T,
one in Washington there does not ap
pear to be any more ground for the
claims that the speaker is against con
cessions to Cuba than there woult
be ground for the claim that h
was against the northern states in tn,
war of the rebellion.
Iowa at Washington.
Ex-Governor and Mrs. Larabee ant
daughter of Iowa, who are guests il
Washington, were very handsomely en-
tertained at dinner at the home o
Senator and Mrs. Dolliver, last even
ing. Tuesday evening the Iowa friend
were entertained at the home of Sc
licitor of the Treasury and Mrs. M. Q
O'Connell.