Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-03-11

eniS in, IL 10 puotsct the n me market
fTosn foreign competition. The protection
which American manufacturers now en-
Joy was based on that implied condition.
Opposition to the amendment of our
drawback laws and bonded warehouse
system on the part of certain large manu-
featuring interests has proved effective
up to the present time.
After we have attained all that is prac-
ticable under reciprocity there still re-
mains an enormous field for the expan-
Sion of our foreign trade by charging and
extending the scope of our drawback
laws, by amending the administrative act
of the tariff, and this may be done with
out disturbing single schedule or talk
ing a single step in the direction of the
revision CT the tariff.
Whatever it may sooner or later be
thought best to do In this direction, there
Is no reason why these wholesome pro-
Visions for rebate of the duties on for
eign materials entering into domestic
manufactures for export should not at
once be made
1t is well known that our manufacturers
have lost millions and millions of dollars
of trade and that thousands and thou
sands of our worlirnen have been depriv-
ed of employment since the passage of the
Dingley bill that might easily have been
saved to the people of our country ex-
cepting for the neglect of congress to
administrative act of the Dingley bill. \
We may ignore. it If we please. Mem
bers of either party may shut their ears
to the cry for relief. They may despise
and belittle the honest efforts of those
who are laboring to accomplish needful
legisla ticn. ~
A languid leadership may not care to be
Weakened from its indolent slumbers nor
be stirred to an active regard for the pub
lie welfare, but the fact remains that
while all this inert and "stand pat" policy
prevails the great ship of business is
drifting on to the rocks and our boasted
prosperity is fast coming to an end.
Encouragement For American Shipping.
The Republicans are always bowling
for ship subsidy to build UP our mer-
chant marine. Senator Thomas NJ.
Patterson of Colorado proposes plan
much. more sensible than subsidy.
He has introduced bill providing that
q rebate of 5 per cent of the tariff
shall be made on all goods coming to
American shores in American vessels
where the ad valorem duty is % per
cent or less. 1t provides rebate Of 10
per cent where the ;ad valorem duty is
Is per cent or greater. The bill also
provides that for three years foreign
vessels may be admitted to United
States register by payment of grad
uated tonnage tax ranging from 81 to
81 per gross ton.
There are persistent rumors that the
Hon. William H. Moody, secretary Of
the navy, is about to resign. What the
trouble is is not stated, but the news
paper correspondents are busy select.
ing his successor Whether President
Roosevelt is engaged on the same task
is not known. Wonder if Moody does
not regret that he left the house?
New York papers give it out fiat not
only that Governor Odell has complete
~ overtllrown Hon Thomas Collier
Platt and obtained absolute control
over the Republican machine but that
he has treated the easy boss" with
contumely and contempt. which must
be taken cum grano sails.
Representative Babcock, having rout-
ed the La Toilette forces in Wisconsin
horse, foot and Dragons, is now spO-
ken of favorably as chairman of the
Republican national committee; also
for the Republican, nomination for vice
president. Truly, Bah is feeding in
tall clover.
Captain Richmond Pearson Hobson
is running against Hon. John II. Bank
head for congress on platform that
nobody is likely to try to steal from
him-tos appropriate $500, 100000 for
the navy in five years and to do this by
going into the districts of all members
who oppose his scheme and beat them
for nomination. Captain Hobson has
tackled much larger and more haz-
ardous job than that Of sinking the
| Merrimac.