Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-01
6RIeADlER GENERAL STORY
SAYS NEGLECT OF F5THis WORK
WOULD BE CRIME. :
REVISION is OPPOSED
At Present It Does Not Appear That
the President VIII see Fit to Call
Extra Session of Congress for Tar.
lit chanees-Many Conferences.

Wasliii5loH. y. VI, NOV. oU. - brlSs
Gen Story, chief of the artillery corps
in his annual report dwells upon what
he regards as the most urgent de-
mands of coast defenses. He says the
best and most economical use of the
entire armament for the coast requires
one complete relief to man for each
and every element of defense.
Criminal to Neglect II.
ITO secure at the present time," he
continues, the greatest measure of ma.
tional safety. at least on the coast, the
entire torpedo defense Of our harbors
should at once be made complete. It
would be criminal to neglect 1t. did
not urge as earnestly as can the im-
mediate completion of the torpedo de-
Tense OF all our fortified ports. Today
this defense is lamentably q
both In materir- and in personnel"
Oppose Tariff Revision. s
All other subjects, even the annual
reports, are forgotten in Washington
official circles at this time In the con-
slderation OF the tariff revision sub
oct.
AS the opening of the short session
2f congress approaches and the mem
ers hegln to arrive 1t becomes more
md more evident that the path toward
tariff revision will be an exceedingly
thorny one.
Just at the present time 1t does not
appear to be at all certain the Presi-
dent will feel inclined to call a spe-
cial session of congress in the spring.
President Roosevelt has inJ'sted to
his callers that the only proper thing
to do was to consult with the republf
can leaders from the different parts
OF the country and then take only
such action as would command the
support of a large majority OF the
party In both houses of congress.
Many Conferences Held.
Ever since the election informal
conferences have been held at the
White . House between the President
on one side and distinguished mem.
] bers of the house and senate. In al
most every casH the talk has been
largely as to the advisability OF call
Ing special session of congress In
the spring for the purpose of entering
i upon the work of revising the Dingley
tariff law.
President Listens Silently. .
From all that can be learned these
conferences have been marked by dis
Greet silence on the part of the Pres
1dent. He may not have concealed his
personal belief in the wisdom of cut
ting down the rates of duty on certain
articles so as to prevent the tariff be-
ing made in any way shelter for
trusts and monopolies. The purpose
of these conferences. however, seems
to have been more to determine the
extent of the demand for tariff revi-
] sion throughout the country than to
discuss revision itself as matter OF
theory. For this reason as it appears
from reports from these conferences
made by those who have called upon
the President he has asked for advice
and opinion, but has not yet ventured
anything like a decision on his own
part
Anti-Revisionists In Evidence.
If one can judge by these members
of the house and senate who have
been here since election and who have
visited the White House. the Presi-
dent must have received a much
greater amount Of advice against
touching the tariff than in favor of 1t.
In point of fact, the tariff revision
sentiment as exhibited at the White
| House seems to have been devoid Of
tenacity of purpose.
/ 1t is a fact which the friends OF re-
vision would do well to understand
now, before it is too late, that some
of the oldest and strongest leaders OF
the republican party in and out Of
congress are opposed to any attack
upon the tariff and insist that the last
election should be interpreted as de.
cision by the country in favor of leav-
ing things exactly as they are at the
present time in regard to the tariff,
the currency, the Philippines, and the
| Panama canal.