Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-19

on various articles, but this does not
change the attitude of the party to.
wards the whole question of protec--
ton. The governor believes that the
iron and steel schedules are too
nigh and the majority of republican
voters will agree with him when he
says that this matter should be look.
ed into for the purpose of determine
ing whether the duties are so high
that they are being used not for the
purpose of protection alone, but for
the purpose of unduly enhancing the
prices OF the various commodities
manufactured from from This senti-
ment is directly in accord with the
expression Of Senator Cullom who, in
an Interview published this week,
says:
Ne one denies that some of the
tariff rates are too high, for instance
those relating to iron, steel and lllm.
Der. If we could devise some plan by
which the duties on such articles as
these could be lowered, | do not be-.
iieve we would hear anything more
about tariff revision for some years.
as the country is extremely prosper
Gus and it has no desire to change
present conditions"
Senator Cullom thereupon advocates
the appointment of commission to
inquire into the tariff question, find
out exactly what is wanted and make
report to congress. Senator Cullom
concludes that the people. will want
the tariff revised by the republican
party because they do not want the
business situation to go to smash,
which will be the result if the tariff
is assailed under democratic auspices
and the country is given another taste
Of the so-called democratic free trade"
Careful reading of Governor Cum
minis speech indicates that he and
Senator Cullom are talking along the
same lines, Notwithstanding the fact
that it has been heralded in the demo
cratic press far and wide, that the
Iowa governor is in favor OF immediate
and radical revision OF the tariff.
Even the widely celebrated shelter
plank, takes on a revised and broad
ened meaning as explained by the gov
ernor in his latest utterance. The gov
ernor draws a clear distinction be-
tween the big corporations which are
improperly called trusts" and monop-
olies. He declares that monopolies are
abhorrent to proper business condi-
tons, and that where monopolies are
created or developed in this country,
they should have no encouragement
or protection by means of the tariff.
In other words, as a deterring influ-
ence against the creation of monopo-
lies, it should be fully understood that
Industrial enterprises cannot have tar
iff protection in the United States and
enjoy a monopoly at one and the same
time. This doctrine will meet with the
approval of the people generally. AT
i
the same time it will be noted that this
does not mean what has been claimed
heretofore, viz, the use of the tariff
club to punish large corporations to
the ruin or extinction of the small cor
poration or the individual operator.
1t certainly looks as if Governor
Cummins had not visited Washington
in vain and that he has returned home
with determination to clear the at
mosphere as to his heretofore alleged
utterances on the tariff question, and
that his purpose is to stand in full
accord with the republican party upon
this great question. If SO, well and
good, and all the people will say,
Amen"