The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-09
SHAW ON PARTY LINES
Says Republicans Stand for Producers
and Democrats for Consumers.

Roanoke. Va, Aug. 9.-One of the
largest Republican conventions, in the
history of Virginia met here to nomi-
nate a full state ticket Between
1900 and 1900 delegates were pres
ent. 1t is almost exclusively a white
mans meeting, there being few ne
groes in the hall
]. Lucian Cleaves, the temporary
chairman, pleaded for harmony and
asked for a square deal at the polls.
Every mention of President Roose-
velts name was wildly cheered. Com
mittees were appointed and a recess
taken until evening.
Congressman Campbell Slemp, the
only Republican congressman from
vention and he, in turn, introduced
Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M.
Shaw, who had been invited to come
to Roanoke to address the convention.
Mr.. Shaw was greeted with a storm of
cheers.
Speaking along general lines, the
secretary said:
1.-The spirit of the last half century
was Republican. 1t was progressive
The spirit of the twentieth century will
be Republican. It WIN be progressive.
Judging the future by the past, there
is no reason to doubt that the COM
munities most in harmony with the
spirit of the century will gather most
from the rich harvest of progress. I
come to preach the gospel of Amer
lean progress, and to teach these
principles and policies which have
made US what we are and which will
carry US to yet higher planes and to
grander achievements whenever, under
God, the brain of the south and the
brain of the north, the brain of the
east and the brain of the west, shall
be allied for affirmative action, and
when no portion of our common
country shall be longer held welded
to negative traditions which tend only
to retard.
these principles that divide parties :?
The parties separate primarily on
questions of political economy. Every
industrious citizen is both a producer
and consumer. The domi-
nant party appeals to the producer. 1t
tells him that the question of greatest
importance to him is the price at
which he disposes of his products.
whether those products be labor or
the results of labor. The opposition
party promises the American con-
sumner the best market in the world in
which to buy. The Republican party
promises the producer the best market
in the world in which to sell.
Gentlemen, we cannot have both.
Our political opponents may promise
high-priced wheat and cheap bread,
high-priced cattle and cheap meat, but
they make these promises without pos
OF 1uluilLQoHl. w neuGNGI lHey
have put their policies in operation we
have had the cheap products of labor
for the products of cheaper foreign Ia
Dor have found our markets in superb
bundance. But cheap products of labor
mean cheap labor. Cheap factory prod
uct carries as a concomitant curse low
wages for the artisan, and low wages
for the artisan means curtailed con-
sumption of farm products. Curtailed
consumption of farm products results
in n cd in f170 Ri xxf7i 10
a reduction in prices means loss to the
producer of clothes, of furniture, of car
pets, of farm machinery, of building
materials and every other article of ru-
other name for stagnation and panic
which has marked every experiment
with tariff for revenue only from the
beginning of our history until now.
THE disastrous results of free trade
have not followed each and every ex-
pertinent with free trade because they
were desired by the men who advocated
the measures that produced them, but
because the measures We're unwise, how
ever learned, however patriotic and
however honest the men who enacted
them. A few years ago some
diamond merchants in New York sug-
geSted that if uncut diamonds were put
on the free list and the duty retained on
cut diamonds, they would employ dia-
mond cutters to cut them in this coun-
try. Uncut diamonds were therefore
placed on the free list, and 10 per cent
ad valorem duty was placed on cut
diamonds unset and so per cent placed
on set stones. What was the result?
There are now 1000 diamond cutters in
this country getting big wages (for it
is delicate thing to cut diamonds) and
they earn in the aggregate several mill
lion dollars. What becomes of this? 1t
is all spent-most of it wisely.
I'VE are co-dependent people. When
prosperity blesses our shores, the labor
er and the employer of labor, the farm
er and the consumer of farm products,
the merchant and the banker all pros
per-
At the conclusion of Mr. Shaw's adj
dress. the convention adjourned until
tomorrow, when the committee on reso-
lutions will report
Itching piles? Never mind if everything