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

of justif1able pride, it brings with it
grave responsibilities that it especially
removes us to consider at this juno
ture. The action of our state conVen-
ton will not be matter of purely To-
cal interest but of large national con-
Germ. What we do will be taken by
the country as significant of the presi-
dents wishes. That such is the case
has been clearly Indicated during the
past few months in the perplexity and
wonderment of the eastern press and
Washington correspondents at the pc
culiarities and varying developments
here in Iowa.
There is no need for us to enlarge
upon the moral obligation that we, as
republicans are under to consider care
fully the influence which our conVen-
tons declarations will have upon the
course of events in other states. Every
consideration of wisdom and political
sagacity urge that we do nothing that
will endanger our ticket, but on the
contrary, everything that will insure
triumph. This means that the larger
interests of the national party should
prevail over what may appear to be
urgent local interests. Above all does
it mean the subsection of personal and
faction interests and rivalries the ag-
gressive promotion of which will adj
versely affect public opinion in doubt
full states"
Helps Roosevelt's Enemies.
Mr.. Herriott then discussed the pc
culiar conditions surrounding President
Roosevelt, especially industrial, and
the Importance of his reelection, con-
Guiding this, he said:
What better weapon do these enc
mics Of President Roosevelt want
than a tariff agitation such as we have
been INDUCING in here in Iowa fol-
two years or so? Suppose the pro.
tected interests of the country became
convinced that the attacks on the tar.
iff urged by some of us were to be urg.
ed my our national convention? Dc
you not know that these enemie.
would fan their fears into a panic ant
| ALARM and our party would suffer dis
aster? No man who knows the shifts
and turns of politics can seriously
doubt this.
Nov it seems to me candid con.
| sideration of the tariff discussions
this year in Iowa must convince us
| first that it is, to use a lawyers phrase
| immaterial and irrelevant and second
that if it is furthered by our nationa
convention it insures panic and de
preston to the country and the defea
of our ticket to boot.
| "In view of the platform of 1896
1t seems clear that the agitation il
Iowa by republicans for tariff reform
is not timely. Hence it is not materia
to the election, now near
Mr.. Herriott showed that Presiden
Roosevelt has at no time been in sym
pathy with Iowa's radicalism on tn
| tariff.
Iowa Lone Star State.
"In still another respect is it's ir
relevance indicated. Our contention
seems to be confined almost who'll.
to Iowa. So much so that it has beel
promiscuously called the Iowa idea.
We are sort of lone. star state.
"Candidly, gentlemen, can the repub
licans of Iowa afford to incur the risk
| involved in our present strife?
"One or two results are in store TO
us. We shall either be charged wit
almost all the baneful difficulties O
the campaign and the chief RESPONSE
bility for defeat should it come, or on
delegation to Chicago will find itsel
urging an unpopular change in on
party policy.
1.-THE present debate in Iowa ha
had two stages, in both, tariff radio
alism has been the main thing sought
| In the first, the demand was based OF
the expansions of our foreign com
merce and the growth of so-calle
trusts. In the second stage, in whicl
we are now, the arguments rest on tn
l demand for reciprocity.