Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-05-22
Especial Washington letter.

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Their Of them, who turned a complete
Sir Robert Peel, the high
protective tariff premier who became
the father of free trade in England.
Henry Clay's first speech in the sem
lite was against national banks, yet he
stands forth in. history as their most
doughty champion. He wrecked the
Did line Wing party because he could
not induce President John Tyler to
accept his views on that subject.
Daniel Webster from being rank
free trader became rank advocate Of
a stske and rider tariff, and his titanic
rival, John Caldwell Calhoun of South
Carolina, from being moderate friend
of protective tariffs came to regard
them as unmitigated nuisances.
Presidents Change Of Base.
Harper's Weekly charges President
Roosevelt with having been at. one
time an out and out free trader and
that he has somersaulted, cite the
above cases not to excuse Colonel
Roosevelt, but to show that, even II
lie has somersaulted, he has illustrious
company. Harper's says:
Mr.. Roosevelt Is q young man still, but
when he was much younger than he 10
now he was free trader of such vigorous
hue that, on one occasion, he announced
that he would "Gie for free trade" Prac-
tically he has since learned nothing con-
corning the tariff, but he has accepted
the post hog propter hoe sort of philoso-
ply to which protectiontsts have resorted
In these days Of the degeReracY OF their
doctrine and he is, therefore, ready to
say. with home market clubs and other
like disinterested authorities. that be-
cause we are now prosperous we are SO
because OF the tarif law. This is utter
folly, of course, but the president does
not know 1t because since the days when
he was crusading knight Of free trade
treme protection is essential to the life of
his party Mr.. Roosevelt. besides being
very young, younger perhaps than David
Copperfieid seemed to be to Steerforth's
valet. is an ardent party politician. He
has indeed the disposition to reform.
within the party" but this dispesition
does not carry him very far once 1t has
brought him in conflict with the party
leaders who write the platforms and
make the nominations. 30, after trying
for a time to be that impossible thing, 4
free trade Republican, he has gradually
most advanced type. He Is of the school
which says: "Stand patti mo revision at
AMI" revision only by its friends" which.
being Interpreted, means revision only by
those who inslst Np9n maintaining the
existing exerbitaHt rates Of duty which
living in this country and which are ALSO
incidentally giving to some of the trusts,
those which are most fragrant from the
presidents own point Of view. that mo-
nopoiy OF the h9me market that sub
stantially kills tbs eempetitio4 which the
president believes to be ths life ct hsalth-
full trade.
By the way, has not Harpers Week
ly itself gomersaulted on several Inn
portant questions within the memory
Of men now living7
First and last certain ribald and bia-
taRt Republican organ grinders have
had maRh to say about Democrats be-
ing read out Of the party, and they
have had lots of fun. It will not be
impairment, therefore, to remind these
hilarious incense burners that they
would do well to set their own house
hold in order before they venture on
the doubtful and hazardous experiment
OF strengthening up the affairs OF other
folks.
A Question Of Laughing.
Everybody conyersant with the facts
will admit that the American Econo-
mist is not only Republican paper, but
that it is also the organ of the "stand
patters" or whole hoggers" among
the Republicans on the tariff question.
1t has been for months reading out Of
the Republican party MI those who
sNppprt "the Iowa idea" or who in any
way advocate tariff revision. It incon-
tinently fred fiat FACILITATING and per-
spring patriot from Wisconsin, Repre-
sentative Rabcock, because he made
signs of turning reformer, or course
Bab's ideas of reform were decidedly
hazy and were only intended to scare
the tariff barons into coming down
with the dust for the Republican cam
paign committee. The Economist has
ALSO Ess, add out of the party that eminent
Republican statesman. Hon. George 3.
Roberts, director Of the mint and also
editor Of the Des Moines Register aud
Leader. Divers and sundry of the
smaller and more obscure Republicans
have been placed outside the braaM-
works by the Economist, all Of which
goes to show that the Republican or
gan grinders laughed prematurely
abopf Democrats being read out of the
party, which illustrates the old saying
that "he laughs hest who laughs last
A Certainty.
Evidence acoumplates that the are-
formers" among Republicans have
been lashed into line. The American
Protective Tariff league is distributing
p pamphlet known as No. 40, entitled
"Let the Tariff Alone" containing
fres1dent HQoseveit's Minneapolis
speech, Secretary Shaw's PEORIA speech
md Secretary Roots Boston speech,
all three of them rantankerous stake
and rider tariff arguments. Even that
iilustrious tariff reyisionist, Mr.. Taw-
ney OF Minnesota, falls into line with
the stand patters' war cry of STAND by
the president" They will all come to
It before long. Tawney is quicker In
motion than the others-that's all. If
the people hope for any relief from the
Dingley rates they had better be yot-
lng the Democratic ticket. They win
never set any relief from the Repuh.
t ssl -that's one Of the ceftaintiss Of