Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-04-09


from the standpoint of our business
needs Thus spoke President Roose-
Welt in summing up his discussion of
the tariff problem here Saturday even
p ing, before an audience which filled
& the Arinory to its capacity The
President met the question of the tar
: lift sqaarely and spoke on conditions as
they exist, taking into consideration
the ever changing and growing BUSH
ness conditions of the country.
The Cuban Reciprocity Treaty.
My Fellow Citizens: At special
session Of the senate held in March the
Cuban reciprocity treaty was ratified.
When this treaty goes into effect, it
will confer substantial economic bene-
fits alike upon Cuba, because of the
widening of her market in the United
States, and upon the United States,
because of the equal widening and the
progressive control it will give to our
people in the Cuban market.
Is Mutually Beneficial.
This treaty is beneficial to both par
ties and justifies itself on several
grounds. In the first place we offer
to Cuba her natural market. We can
confer upon her benefit which no
other nation can confer; and for the
very reason that we have started her
as an independent republic and that
We arc rich. prosperous and powerful,
1t behooves us to stretch ont helping
hand to our feebler younger sister. In
the next place it widens the market
for cur products, both the products of
Z the farm and certain of our manufac-
lures: and it is therefore in the inter-
ests of cur farmers, manufacturers,
4 merchants and wage workers. Finally,
) the treaty was not merely warranted
s but demanded, apart from all other
considerations. by the enlightened con-
sidera.icn of cnr foreign policy. More
and more in the future we must oc-
cupy preoonderant position in the
waters a'ong the coasts in the region
south CT us: not a position of control
over tho ~errhlics Of the south. but OF
control Of &c military situation SO as
8 & to avoia en- passible complications in
the future.
Marked Step in Nations Growth,
Under the Platt amendment Cuba
agreed to give us certain naval sta
lions on her coast. The navy de
partment decided that we needed but
I two, and we have specified where
these two are to be. President Palma
has concluded an agreement giving
them to us-an agreement which the
Cuban legislative body will doubtless
soon ratify In other words, the Re
public of Cuba has assumed specia
relation to our international politica
system under which she gives us out
\ posts of defense. and we are moral,
4 bound to extend to her in degree thu
Is benefit of our own economic system
From every standpoint of wise and en-
Heightened home and foreign policy, tn
ratification of the Cuban treaty mark
ed step of substantial progress in tn
sIowtn of our nation toward greatnes
gat home and abroad
The Philippine Tariff.
4 Equally important was the action Q
d the tariff upon products OF the PHILLIP
pines We gave them reduction c
n twenty-five per cent. and would hav
d given them reduction of twenty-fiv
per cent more had it not been for tn
n opposition. in the hurried closing day
II Of the last session, oil certain gentle
Il men, who by the way, have been rel
resenting themselves both as peculiar
ly solicitous for the interests OF tn
Philippine people and as special chan
pions of the lowering of tariff duties
The Humorous Side.
There is distinctly humorous sid
3 to the fact that the reduction of the dl
ties which would benefit Cuba and tn
Philippines as well as ourselves wa
antagonized chiefly by those who j
theory have been fond OF proclaimin
themselves the advanced guardians
4 the oppressed nationalities In IN
r. islands affected and the ardent adyt
Gates of the reduction of duties gene
ally, but who instantly took violer
ground against the practical steps I
accomplish either purpose.
Coal on the Free List.
Moreover, law was enacted pu
M ting anthracite on the free list con
pletely removing the duties on a
kinds of coal for one year.
Prosperity Unparalleled.
We are now in a condition of pro
perity Unparalleled not merely in oil
own history but in the history of al
other nation. This prosperity is dee
rooted and stands on a firm basis b
cause it is due to the fact that the a
erage American has in him the stu
out OF which yictors are made in Il
great industrial contests of the pre-
ent day, just as in the great militia
contests of the past; and because
rs is now able to use and develop h
Qualities to best advantage under o
well established economic system.V
are winning headship among the i
lions of the world because our peor
are able to keep their high average
individual citizenship and to she
their mastery in the hard, compile
pushing life of the age. There will
fluctuations from time to time, in o
prosperity. but it will continue to gre
inst SO long as we keep up this hi
average of individual of citizensh
and permit it to work out its own S
vation under proper economic legis
tion
Prosperity Won Under This Tariff
The present phenomenal prospect