Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-04
special to Times es-Republican.

Special to imes-Republican.
Des Moines, June "A political SEN
sation which will reach far beyond the
confines of this state and have very
material effect upon the deliberations
Of the coming national convention of
republicans has been sprung by Ora
Williams, the veteran correspondent in
the Des AIoines field. Williams. who
represents the Times Republican,. Sioux
/ City Journal. Omaha Bee and many
smaller papers, has secured from John
4 A. Kasson. letter giving his views on
the recent Iowa standpat platform; Il
4 letter which scores the language of that
platform with q vehemence which no
so-called fool friend" of Cummins
could ever arouse.
For forty years Hon. ]. A. Kasson
Rcter. He and Horace Greeley wrote
the famous republican platform of 1860
upon which President Lincoln WAS
elected. Lincoln then made Kasscn his
postmaster general. Later he served as
minister TO Austria Hungary and to
Germany and was chosen by President
Mckinney u negotiate the reciprocal
trade treaties proyided for in the
Dingiey law. After q lifetime spent In
negotiation with foreign countries for
the advantage Of American commerce
this veteran diplomat writes:
Washington, u. c.. May 27, 1904.
MIR. Ora Williams, Des Moincs-
My Dear Sir: In reply to yours OF
the 22nd Instant l have not the
health or yigor to enter into the
discussion to which you invite me.
] thank you for the copy of the
platform which you sent me, ani
regret that meaningless platitud-
es have been substituted in it about
the tariff for the usual plain talk
TO which Iowa farmers were treated
In former times. Not one politl-
clan in thousand studies the ac-
tuaI conditions of our exports to
foreign countries, or OF our ini-
ports from them, and the relations
OF each to our home industries.
They do not understand that in
those articles-particuiarly of ag-
riculture-whereof we produce a
large surplus for export, II the for
eign market were lost to us the eff
feet upon the home industries con-
cerned would be just as disasterous
to our industries as II an equal
amount of foreign product We're
Imported. 1t is surpluses on cur
market--no matter where they
come from-that make prices sag.
Hence it is of prime Importance
TO us to secure always foreign mar
kets for our surplus.
Again, the platform favors "reci-
procity in nnon-competitive products
only Will the author of that plank
try his hand at making a treaty
with any nation of Europe on that
basis? wish he would. He would
not find enough business covered
by his treaty to maintain q store
at Kentucky cross roads village.
Reciprocity does not mean free
trade. AS interpreted by the treat
les made under the Dingley tariff
act and by direction of President
Mckinley, it means concession on
our side of percentage of duties
OF our tariff not needed for the ;ade-
.quate protection of our industries.
1tl GASIldiiSCs Sk IGdQSl1Oii VI uut-
les on the other side which is of
more Importance to our production
for the export trade. 1t was SO in
terpreted by Dingley himself In the
offers he made to the Canadians
in the British American commits
sion when a reciprocity convention
was under consideration. On some
things he offered a larger or small
er reduction of duty. in some cases
entire freedom from duty. in ex-
change for satisfactory concessions
on the other side.
This platform indorses the Ding
ley act and in the next sentence re-
pudiates the reciprocity for which
1t provided
Further the platform has express
sfons of a mysterious significance
as when 1t declares it "unWise to
legislate in nanner to provoke
American Industries to making war
upon each other" Does this mean
that competition should be discour-
aged and monopolistlc agreements
stimulated? j cannot believe this:
and yet to what legislation does ie
refer?
/ should have desired platform
which declares with old Iowa
frankness. that we adhere firmly to
the doctrine of protection to home
production and home industry. ade-
quate to the maintenance of the
home market with fair profits to
the labor and capital employed. At
the same time we recognize the
necessity Of securing foveigin mar
kets for our rapidly increasing sur
plus production beyond the de-
mands Of the home market We
also recognize the fact that in a
country OF rapidly charging devel-
opment and ever changing interna-