Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-24
MESSAGE TO IOWA REPUBLICANS

Lieutenant-Governor John Herriott
in his address before the Grant club in
Des Moines, on the subject, Measures,
or the Mam?" said in part:
when a vessel is entering upon a
cruise that may be attended with more
or less danger, it is of vital conse-
quence to the successful issue of the
venture that those IN charge, the cap
tain and his mates, shall be assured of
the hearty and effective co-opera ton
OF the crew. No vessel can hope to
avoid rocks and ship wreck no shin
can win against a rival in a race if
boisterous dissension so distracts dis
cipline that the captain and helmsman
cannot completely, command the COM
bined energies of the crew and secure
their immediate concentration upon
the attainment of the goal when con-
trary winds interfere, or sudden dam
gers threaten mishap. More serious it
is if the dissension breeds discomfort
and recrimination among the sailors;
for then the captain is almost sure to
11nd himself hopeless if they encounter
adverse currents or crisis comes on
"A figure of speech is not, of course
rule for determining action in the
perpleNing matters of politics; still
there Is suggestion here that we as
republicans may well consider, as we
enter upon the preliminaries of the
great quadrennial contest that is to de-
eide the fate of our national party and
the presidency of the United States.
For nearly three years the republi-
can party of Iowa has been disturbed
by discussion within it's ranks re-
garding the desirability of materially
alternating tariff schedules. Just what
brought on the dispute it would be pre-.
sumptuous to assert positively. Some
lfind the origin or our controversy il
the tariff plank of our state platform
adopted in 1901. But the document
aroused little or no curiosity at the
time. and for weeks, if not months
after the election, neither the public
nor the rank and file of the party re.
garded it with special interest. Mos
certainly did not then arouse disagree.
able ,animosities antagonistic to hor.
many in our party's councils. Never.
theless that tariff plank became the oc.
casion, or at any rate the excuse, fol
a diversion that then and even since
to all appearances at least has effec.
tually distracted the attention of. the
party from the issue before the people
when the platform was adopted al
Cedar Rapids. If, as our military mer
would say, the agitation was entered
upon as a maneuver by flank march, o.
rather, as reconnaissance in force,
with a view to developing the situa'
ton and the disposition of the oppos
ing forces, the event has assuredly me
the most sanguine anticipations. Thu
contest has been unusually interesting
and instructive. 1t has demonstrated
beyond all cavil the vigorous vitalit.
of our party's strength and leader
ship.
Factionalism and Our Party Respon
sibility.
Were this any other than a presi
Dental year we might contemplate tn
present clash of opinion with not spe
cial concern. But unfortunately sucl
is not the case. The Indifference tina
first characterized the party's attitude
in the matter was soon changed to on
of deep interest and sharply divergen
opinion. Factionalisrn with all it's dis
ruptive evils has made matters worse
permeating our city, county and con
gressional politics. There is some rea
son to fear that it will seriously dis
turb our coming state convention
Herein. lies, it seems to me, a DANCE
that may issue in disastrous results t,
our national party III the approaching
campaign.
Through the representatives Of on
party Iowa has achieved prominence a
the seat of government at washington
in the cabinet and in council hall
Now, while this distinction is a caus