Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-11-26
WHAT ABOUT TARIFF REVISION?

The telegram from the Couriers spe-
cial Washington correspondent, pub
hshed yesterday, stating that it has
been given out unofficiaily at Washing
ton that President Roosevelt will not
call special session of congress for
the purpose of taking up the ques-
ton Of tariff revision, will meet with
general public approval. Existing con
dltlons with reference to the tariff do
not require such immediate action as TO
demand special session of congress.
1t is recognized that the short session
OF congress, meeting next month can
not undertake new legislation and of
course will not attempt to take up the
tariff. 1t will be time enough for the
new. congress, which meets one year
hence, to accomplish tariff revision
and we believe that it should do this
because we believe the republican
party is pledged to such action.
That the recent republican land
slide meant an overwhelming verdict
by the people in favor of the principal
and policy of protection goes without
saying. So much is settled beyond
question Of doubt, but as to tariff
revision under republican auspices.
that is entirely a different matter.
The republican platform after say
ing that this work of tariff revision
cannot safely be; committed to any
other hands than those of the repub-
lican party and after declaring fur
Their that ga democratic tariff has al
ways been followed by business ad-
versity, republican tariff by business
prosperity" distinctly and directly
says,
ITO republican congress and re-
publican president this great question
can be safely entrusted"
President Roosevelt, in his great
Minneapolis speech on April 4, 1903,
said:
Our aim should be to preserve the
policy of the protective tariff, in which
the nation as whole has acquiesced,
and yet wherever and whenever neces-
sary, to change the duties in particular
paragraphs or schedules as matters of
legislative detail, If such a change is
demanded by the nation as whole"
What then is the meaning of this
double declaration on the part of the
republican platform and of President
Roosevelt? What did the great mass
of the people who voted for MI. Roose-
welt construe it to mean? It meant
that the protective principle which
has made the United States the great
est nation industrially in the world is
to- be preserved inviolate 1t meant
that there Is to be no tariff ripping
that will destroy American industries,
reduce the scale of American wages or
close a single American factory where
a protective tariff is needed to pre-
vent ruin by foreign competition. 1t
meant that the tariff should be re-
vised by its friends, not by Its enemies.
It also meant that so long as the pro-
tective principle is preserved there is
nothing sacred about any tariff sched-
ule per Sc and that the republican
party if given the opportunity would
readjust the rate Of duty on every
item on the entire list if necessary to
meet the change in changing condi-
lions Of business.
This, we believe, is what the people
understood President Roosevelt, and
the republican platform to say. It is
absurd to say that tariff law made
seven years ago covering thousands
Of different articles, needs no chang
ing, no readjusting. The republican
party must meet the responsibility of
revising the tariff in accordance with
the changed business conditions,
responsibility that has come to it by
reason of overwhelming victory.
The people have said that they
could not and would not entrust tariff
revision to the democrats, but they are
very much in earnest in expecting
republican congress to take up the
question and after careful investiga-
ton to make such changes as should
be made in accordance with the de.
hands of existing conditions