Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-27
THE nsrANpPArrER.u

pllatlon OF new political dictionary
the word "standpatter" should be prop
erly defined
1t is said by some that he is. an anti
revisionist. In other words that he is
opposed to any changes in the tariff
II by that Is meant that he is opposed
to setting aside the principle of pro
lection to the home industries of our
country-the principle by which this
nation has grown and prospered until
it occupies one of the proudest posi-
tons ever attained by any nation of
the earth-then the "standpatter"
unanimously pleads guilty to the
charge; but if the impression which is
sought to be conveyed is that he is OPP
posed to the change Of any of the
schedules, that he believes the sched-
ules of the present tariff law are sa-
cred and are never to be re-arranged,
then the definition does not by any
means fit the case of the "standpatter."
The "standpatter" is one who en-
dorses the tariff utterances of the st.
Louis platform. He believes that the
schedules are or should be, subject to
change, when that change is demanded
by the best interests of the whole coun-
try, and when the making of such
changes would not, by disarranging
business affairs, work more harm to
the people at large than is sustained
by reason of the inequalities which are
sought to be relnedied.
He believes, with President Roose-
welt, that the party should approach
the tariff from the standpoint of our
business needs" And he believes
with the President, that "still less can
we afford to fail to recognize the furth-
er fact that these changes Gin tariff
schedules) must not be made until the
need for them outweighs the disadvan-
tages which may result, and when it
becomes necessary to make them, they
should be made with full recognition
of the need of stability in our economic
system and of keeping unchanged the
principle of that system which has
now become settled policy in our ma
tional life"
And he further agrees completely
with the President when he said: "We
have prospered marvelously at home.
AS nation we stand in the very fore
front in the giant international indus
trial competition of the day. We can.
not afford by any freak of folly to for
felt the position to which we have thus
triumphantly attained"
That is pretty good doctrine and af-
fords a pretty good platform upon
which to stand. The "standpatter"
endorses every word Of it. What
more can be asked of him?
Again, the :"standpatter" believes in
that reciprocity which reciprocates. He
believes in the Blaine brand of reci-
.procity which makes concessions to
Brazil for her coffee. which we do not
produce, in return for concessions on
her part for our, machinery which she
does not produce.
He does not believe in that reciproci-
ty which will admit flood of the
natural products" of Canada into our
markets free, thus destroying the home
market for our farmers. He knows
Blaine was right when he said Of the
former reciprocal treaty with Canada,
that it was "one-sided, vexatious and
improbable" and as he knows of no
way to forecast the future, but by the
past, so he is willing to follow Blaine.
The "standpatter" does not believe
in going to the enemy for endorse
lment of his political acts, and when he
finds that the democrats are unani-
mously expressing their admiration
for the weed of Canadian reciprocity
which it is sought to plant among the
broad fields of Iowa prosperity, he
feels it is about time to prepare to do
a little '.grubbing" before the weed at
tains to too rank growth.