The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-09-10
Washington Letter.

familiar within all the various phases
If his original and many-sIded attitudes
IN public questions. will give them
a few more gems from his fecund pen
Here's what he thinks of the average
VCter and citizen of foreign birth;
In American Ideals (Vol. /. p. ny, |
be gives this tip to the man of foreign |
birth who has been elevated to public |
life by his fellow-men:
ait is from these same great cities
that the worst Legislators come. 1t is
true that there are always among them
a few cultivated and scholarly men
VINO are we'll educated ana who stand
on higher aud broader intellectual
and moral plane than the country
members, but the bulk are very low
indeed. They are usually foreigners,
Of little or no education, with exceed
ingly misty ideas as to morality, and
possessed of an ignorance so profound
that he could only be called comic we're
it not for the fact that it has at times
such serious effects upon our laws.
In American Ideals (Vol. II, p. 2S),
he tavors the Populists with this COM
pliment:
"Retlnement and comfort they are
apt to consider quite as Objectionable
as immortality A taste for
learning and cultivated friends, and
tendency to bathe frequently cause
them the deepest suspicion.
Though they often make war on vice,
they rather perfer makipg war on
prosperity and refinement.
And again, in his pamphlet on the
Campaign of 1896;
"Thrift, industry, and business
energy are qualities which are quite in
compatible with true Populistlc feel
ing. Payment of debts, like the sup
poesslon of riots, is abhorrent to the
Populislic mind Such conduct
strikes the Populist as immoral"
Aud the ''pops" are just now en-
gsged IN an attempt to play into
ROOSEVELT g hands by stealing Demo-
cratic votes.
Theodore Roosevelt started out in
politics as an outspoken and ardent
free trader.
This means as we all know, not a
reformation OF the tariff, but a complete
abolishment of all duties and therefore
of all customs revenues. He joined a
iree-trade club in New York aud con-
tinued his membership during all the
time he was a member Of the assembly
and until the nomination of James q.
Blaine in 1884.
In the Life Of Thomas H. Benton,
Author Roosevelt writes, among other
things 10 regard to the tariff as fol-
lows:
"Political economists have pretty
generally agreed that protection il
vicious 10 theory and harmful in
practice; but # the majority of the
J people in interest wish it, and it effects
, only themselves, there is no earthly
reason why they should not be allowed
: to try the experiment to their heart
/ content. The trouble Is that it realll
: does effect only themselves and In 1921
] the evil was peculiarly aggravated OF
5 account of the unequal way IN whicI
7 the proposed law would affect dlfferen
D sections. 1t purported to benefit th
= rest Of the country, but it undoubted
: ly worked real injury to the plante
5 States, and there is small ground 70
e wonder that the irritation over it il
q the region affected should have beel
4 so intense. "
!. Again, in speaking Of the tariff, h
e says:
e "Iu 1928 the tariff, whether
y benefited the country as whole o
g not, unQuestionably harmed the SoutI
and 10 federal union 1t is most IN
wise to pass laws which shall hene6
one part Of the community to th
. hurt of another part, when the late
: receives no compensation.
In commenting npon the speech O
q Clay in defense Of protective tariff
0 Author Roosevelt says:
Q "Clays assertions as to what th
y tariff has done for the West wer
y equally III founded, as Benton Shove
in good speech wherein he describe
plcturesquely enough the industrt
q and general condition OF his poltio
q % kRo oo,,,kr, I'D occo.tol IL