Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-07-29

conservatism of prosperity, and pre-,
sented some views which aroused TIT
greatest enthusiasm. He referred to I'll,
4 fact that all are agreed that every.
thing possible should be done to protec
and preserve that prosperity, and con.
| tinuing he said:
| II have long been convinced that We
| instinctiyely attribute greater po-
tency to the expressed laws of society
| than they justly merit; that it, we
1 impute many results to them which are
easily traceabl, to other causes, bu,
nevertheless it is true that within the
| field in which they operate. it is as
necessary that there shall be wise laws
as it is that there shall be clear brains
and strong arms to carry them forward
| We make fundamental mistake in as
Stunning that the same laws under
which a period of adversely will be
| transformed into period OF prosperity
Will perpetuata that prosperity. In
this era of the worlds progress we do
not simply repeat the experience of a
former time. but we move forward, de-
veloping new and wonderful phases of
Industrial and commercial life; and 1T is
almost uniformly true that the prosper
Gus years and not the years of adver-
sity. usher into existence the new prob
lens which the government must meet.
II therefore seems illogical to shut our
eyes to these problems and wait with
fear and trembling until paralysis over
takes us, and so, when least fitted for
the work we undertake reforms which
il introduced in time, might have pre-
vented the calamity from which we
seek to escape.
This is the thought involved In my
subject. 1t is the conservatism of pros
perity. 1t is the doctrine of stand pat.
and is exemplified in the maxim which
has become somewhat famous. Let
we'll enough alone / am not in par
tisan frame of mind and do not use
these expressions wholly in reference
to the subject to which they are ordi-
narily applied. I criticize no one for
instinctively yielding to the conserva-
tism I have attempted to describe, be-
cause very cursory review of the past
makes 1t clear that 1t is an Unborn ten
dency. 1t springs from two motives:
First. 1t is impossible to predict with
absolute certainty the effect OF q
change in the law relating to the busl-
ness world, ard. as the divine poet has
said, we prefer to suffer the Ills we
have than to fly to those we know not
off, and second. there are always many
influential persons who are reaping
more than their fair share of the har-
vest, and they reason that they would
rather have all OF few harvests than
Just a portion of many harvests.
when the Arkansas loafer, in reply
to a reproach about his roof, said that
when it was dry it did not need mend
ing, and that when 1t was raining he
could not mend 1t, he was taking deep
draugnt from the philosophy of life.
The only difference between him and
men in the ordinary course of affairs
is that we do. sometimes, mend oui
roofs while it is raining. 1t goes with
out saying that 1t would be better to
mend them in dry weather: and the
whole purpose of my visit here is to
impress upon you the necessity OF get
ting upon the top of the building and
going to work, because some of these
days it will rain and 1t will rain a
great deal harder IL the roof leaks than
it will If the roof is sound"
'.Do not misunderstood me. do not
believe that the high point of prosper
ity can be perpetually maintained I'M
der any laws, even tho they are con-
ceived in omniscience and adopted in
But / do believe that
prosperity under judicious legislation,
VIII be more enduring and the days of
adversely less turbulent and less dis
astrous. than If we allow manifest
abuses TO go unrebuked and manifest
defects to pass without removal. l
stand for public sentiment which will
demand repairs when it is clear that
they are needed, and for the annihila-
ton of the sentiment that we must
wait until the edifice falls and then
build it up again"
Referring specifically to the scheme
Of currency reform advocated by Con-
Fowler he said lie did not in
tend to either approve or disapprove
any one plan, but he said.
That the present system for furnish
ng a currency with which to do bust
ness already vast and constantly grow
ng is inadequate, is beyond contro-
yersv. That q system can be devised |
NnlCn VIII ne adequate pe dd-
nitted. else man is no longer master of |
he conditions which he has created. |
You know and / know that a reform
n the laws touching currency is one of
he things so necessary that the tor
.ured body of business attests 1t in
n the agony OF its movements. Why |
s not reform effected? You may tell |
ne that 1t is because the members of
congress can not agree upon n plan.
But this will be n superficial answer
There are differences OF opinion,
Know. Men have always differed and |
llways will differ upon such questions.
f you wilt examine profoundly your
,wn hearts you will agree with me that |
he reason the Fowler bill or some
,ther bill Of like scope and having !