The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-12-02
STRONG man
FROM iowa
Editor Payne Writes Appreci-
atively of Secretary Shaw.

atively OF Secretary Shaw.
Nevada Representatives. Interesting
Character Sketch Of the Man From
DenisOn.
Leslie M. Shaw of Iowa, Secretary
OF the Treasury, closed the Republican
campaign in Central Iowa with u
speech Monday night at Des Moines.
TO most of those who heard him this
speech was the event of the campai on
and the strongest dissertation upon
general political Issues with the tariff
emphasized to which they ever listen
ed. OF all the arguments to which the
writer has been permitted to listen we
believe this one ranks first, save per-
haps that which MIR. Shaw made at
Nevada on the money question in the
never to-be- forgotten campaign of 1896
The earlier speech was made by man
not widely known: but it won him the
early and determined supper. of Story
county in the Cedar Rapids convention
OF 1897 and SO made possible his nomi-
nation for governor. That speech was
his political start. Whether this later
speech will or can have any cores
ponding effect upon his political for,
tunes is doubtful: but With those who
heard him it established, we believe.
his primary among the public men of
Iowa.
Secretary Shaw is man of extraor-
binary ability His keenness of per.
ception, power of analysis clearness OF
statement, tenacity of purpose and apt
less OF illustration, are ali of them
highly exceptional: and the com bina-
tion is incomparsb BILE He speaks with
out effort, with entire dlstinctness,
with evident fairness, with pleasure to
his hearers and with the result of con.
vlncing them whenever convincing is
possible. His oratory is more than in
structive, entertaining or explanatory:
it is effective: and effectiveness is the
final test P.rhaps the most remark
able thing about his oratory is that il
has not materially changed with wild
ening opportunity and experience
His held of activity has vastly widened
in the past half a dozen years, and he
has grown in public recognition from Il
country lawyer to the spokesman OF
the Cabinet: but we do not see that
the man has changed save in his influ-
cree and position. He has risen to
his opportunities, and the Nation
knows him now as once not even his
home people knew him: bu. we never
expect TO hear him or any other man
present better argument than he pre-
sented in his speech at Nevada in 1896.
i Perhaps he roseto the same level on
Monday night; but he did not rise
higher.
His last spesch would be called a
tariff and expansion speech: but NOR.
properly it was business speech from
the present national and commercial
u standpoint: and it was Republican
speech. He covered much ground:
but he advanced no policy that the
Republican party is not and will not b.
for. He did not throw in persona'
notions but he stuck to his text He
was for protection without apology
He had faith in the ultimate effective,
ness Of competition as cure for com
bination. He believed That's protection
is the basis of national prosperity and
that uncertainty as to the tariff would
impair or destroy its value and from
this position he was not to be diverted.
He believed also in the future of his
country; both as to its prospects and to
! its justice. He sustained what has
been done in Cuba and. the Phillip.
pines. watercure included:I and while
ne refrained from predicting wha
would ultimately be the insofar policy
of the United States he did predict
with confidence that in fifty years an(
more the Stars and Stripeswouid still
stand for freedom ard opportunity.
Aside from his gifts of statement AM
OF oratory, Secretary shaw's most roi
able characteristic is that he neve
loses the main point; and this qualit ),
1t is that marks the greatness of the
man and explains his unprecedented
rise. Better than any other man il
the public eye he typifes, in our judp
ment, present day republicanism. The
political issues Of the present day are
largely business issues, and he has the
commercial instinct combined with his
analysis and his oratory. his appreci
alton of q good thing in one direction
or his distrust of bad thing in anothe,
direction, neither OF them blinds him
nor induces him to blind others to the
everlasting Importance of looking after
those matters which are fundamental
in our commercial system. His instinct
and his caution make him safe men,
tor to the President and man to be
trusted and sustained by business in
terests; while his courage of convic.
tion and facility OF expression make
him an incompatible advocate of the
cause he represents. Such are the
good and just, reasons why Secretary
Shaw is regarded now in the nation
much as he was regarded in Nevada
after his speech here six years ago,
and why with health and vigor his
public career is only we'll begun.
A notice of the Shaw rally in Des
Moines would be neither complete nor
4 just without SON e reference to an
episode at the close. 1t had been ar
ranged that the secretary should be
followed with short speeches by Judge
Prouty and Editor Young. Judge
Prouty seemingly undertook to break
the force of the secretary's argument
by himself Offering a'dissertation upon
/ the sinwa idea . Il ia don htfll lie an =.