Ottumwa semi-weekly courier., 1903-09-29
3. cUMMINs OPENS
THE IOWA CAMPAIGN.
Continued from Page ~


YOU believe that the system needs re-
adjustment. If you are free trader,
If you are a follower of the democratic
platform, if you are supporter of the
democratic candidate, you cannot be-
/. lieye in revision or readjustment of the
tariff, you must believe in revolution
of the tariff and the substitution of
system that has no protective features
in it, and which opens every market in
your country, not only to the uncheck-
ed, but the invited, invasion of every
nation in the world. l have done with
definitions, and proceed with happy
give republicanism all the strength of
your voice and your vote. even though
confidence to the examination of these
opposing policies.
Protection is Sound.
have heard it said, sometimes by
republicans, that protection is practi-
cally y.sound but theoretically unsound..
4 / make no such concession. | deny
and repudiate the sentiment whether
isit comes from friend or foe. Protec-
tion is as sound theoretically as it is
efficient practically. The chief pur-
pose of government is to prevent nat
ural consequences and to restrain the
operation of natural law. Free COM
merce is no more sacred than free
/ booting or free killing. Tariff laws
are the weapons with which nations
fight for commercial supremacy. The
government is under as high obliga-
tion to prevent the capture of our mar
kets by foreign goods, if thereby the
general welfare will be promoted, as it
is to prevent the capture of our flag
by a foreign army. 1t has the same
duty to protect its people against un-
limited importations, it thereby we are
enabled to produce for ourselves, as
it has to prevent the general issue of
bank notes in order that the integrity
of our currency may be preserved. To
say that we cannot divert the natural
channels Of trade to our advantage, is
TO impeach our intelligence. cannot
dwell, however, upon this interesting,
although abstract, phase of the propo-
sition. | reiterate that tariff laws,
founded upon the policy of protecting
home markets, are not only of the
highest efficiency, but of the strictest
national morality, and / have little
patience with the theorist who bases
his objection to such laws upon the
proposition that they contravene ma
stural right.
With what proof does our experience
supply the debate? Examine with me,
If you will a moment, the general con-
dition of the republic when protection
was first proposed. The country was
young in years, small in population
and almost wholly undeyeloped. Ma
ture had bestowed her gifts with
prodigality not equalled in any like
territory in the world. To utilize
these treasures and prepare them for
the use of man, required infinite labor
and vast capital, a large population
and a complete diyersification of in
dustry. Most of the countries of Eu-
rope were well advanced in produc-
ton, labor was cheap, and capital al
ready centralized Under such Cir
cumstances free commerce meant that
whatever we needed save in agricul-
tllre, which Europe could produce,
would be sent to us from across the
sea. It. must be conceded that with
out the aid of protective laws, capital
would have been slow to embark upon
industrial enterprises, and our natur-
al resources would have lain undiscoy-
cred, much less touched, by the. magic
hand which has wrought the wonder
full information which we now wit
ness. Every honest man must ac-
knowledge the truth of what have
Just said. l have referred to it in the
merest outline. leave it largely with
you to supply the details which make
the annals of our growth and develop,
ment the most wonderful record ever
inscribed upon the pages of time.
Points to History.
If, however the reason for adjusting
our tariffs upon protective lines does
not appeal to you, / have evidence in
the life and growth of the republic so
clear and SO convincing that it must
overcome the doubt of the democrat
and the sneer of the skeptic. will
drown the noisy utterances of the free
trader in the mighty hum of an energy
which fills not only our land, but that
is now heard in every market place up
on the earth. / will overcome the
campaign sob of the hysterical orator,
In the laugh of content and prosperity
which is heard high above everything
else from ocean to ocean. Twill drive
away the gloomy countenance which
my distinguished opponent wears upon
the sad occasions of his political meet
ings, by permitting his eyes to fall up
on the happy faces of the multitudes
who meet in these autumn days to
taste and enjoy the pleasures of the
harvest home. If, after all these things
are heard and seen, there are still mis-
anthropes, ask them to look back ov-
. er the history of the country which
Z they love and catch a glimpse of the
path over which we have come.
Prior to 1861 the United States for
more than one-half it's life had mild,
very mild, protective tariff. Since 1861,
barring a few years of well remember
ed disaster, we have been under the in
fuence of strong and efficient protec-
tive system. 1t would seem that il the
republican policy is as fatal to the well
fare Of the people as the democratic
Z platform and democratic orators would
have us believe, the republic must be
feeble and emaciated body, death
stricken with the poison of continu..
GUS wrong and paralyzed by the rigor-
GUS repression of natural energy The
fires of ambition must be dull in the
hearts OF the people, and patriotism
must be a lost sentiment. We must be