Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-28
How Congressman Lacey Criticises The
Scheme For Canadian Reciprocity.
Major Lacey, in Speech Made Few Days ago
In Congress, Reviews the History of Am
erican Trade and Shows Possible Effects of
Free Trade With Neighboring Country.


gresham John F. Lacey in the nation
al house of representatives last Thurs
day upon reciprocity with Canada, has
been the subject Of much comment
throughout the country, and the fact
that President Roosevelt thoroughly
agrees with it's sentiments is evidenced
by the telegraphic dispatches of today
which state that Mr. Lacey, after q
conversation with the President yes
terday, asked that Mr.. Roosevelt's
speech at Minneapolis on April 4, 1908
be Incorporated in his own address
The Minneapolis speech, which Pres
ident Roosevelt has only recently stat
ed still expresses his views upon the
tariff question to a nicely was pub.
nshed almost in full in the Courier
last Saturday.
Major Lacey's speech has been call.
ed the Canada Idea" by his colleagues
at Washington, and it Is of so much
import to the farmers of Iowa that the
Courier reproduces it in full herewith.
It may be said to be the keynote to the
tariff plank Of national republicanism
as exemplifed by the leading men of
the party. The address as delivered
in the house of representatives fol
lows:
The "canada Idea".
At the beginning of our government
the question Of protection Of Ameri-
can industries arose, and has been
more or less in controversy ever since.
The civil war sidetracked this issue
, from 1861 to 1888, during which time
the question of protection or free trade
was but little discussed, though in the
interval the tariff was revised. The
revisions, however, proceeded along
most pronounced protective lines, but
in 1888 the national campaign was
fought upon the tariff issue.
Mckinley's Tariff Plank.
Mr.. Cleveland stood for reversal of
our protective policy, whilst General
Harrison was candidate Of the party
of protection. Mr. Cleveland demanded
I, revision on democratic lines. The
Anlatform of the republican party was
prescribed to the national convention
by Major fcFlinley, then rising
man, but only in the beginning of his
national fame When Mckinley read
the tariff plank to the national conven-
ton at Chicago, the rafters shook with
applause. 1t said:
Protection to American Industries.
We are uncompromisingly in favor
OF the American system of protection;
we must protest against its destruc-
tion as proposed by the president and
his party. They serve the interests
of Europe; we will support the inter-
ests of America. We accept the is
sue and confidently appeal to the peo-
pie for their judgment. The protec-
tive system must be maintained. Its
abandonment has always been follow
ed by general disaster to all interests
except those Of the usurer and the
sheriff. We denounce the Mills bill as
> destructive to the general business,
labor and the farming interests of the
country, and we heartily indorse the
consistent and patriotic action Of the
republican representatives in congress
In opposing its passage.
On the issue thus clearly presented
the party Of protection won.
The whole subject Of free trade was
discussed upon elementary principles
and, old as the arguments were, they
were new to the generation that had
grown up under republican rule.
Mckinley Revised Tariff.
The tariff was revised along pro
tective lines by Mckinley himself, but
IN 1899 the battle was renewed. Mr.
Cleveland again was free trade lead