Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-04
If HE ONLY WOULD.

Flow happy some people would be II
Presiden Roosevelt would only declare
himself as favoring an immediate re-
vision of the tariff But he has not and
will not until he concludes that "the
benefits to be derived outweigh the
evils That is what he has said. But
what difference does that make to the
revisioniets? They keep right on say
ing that the President is about to make
the recommendation that the tariff be
revised. They have been saying that
for four years and each time he has
been compelled to make a denial, he
has made 1t equally strong as the pre-
ceding one, wavering not in the least.
Disregarding absolutely the latest
public paper by President Roosevelt on
the subject the Chicago Tribune, tariff
ripper. says:
''Tney 1.-THE Foss Massachusetts re-
vionists) merely believe with President
Roosevelt and Secretary Taft and 9TH
er well known party leaders that the
tariff adopted in some haste in 1897
(the Dingley law now has become
antiquated and unjust through the op-
GRAFTON Of ordinary commercial laws"
The Tribune goes on to say, through
W. WI SoPSAuCHt, tlldL OllG may ulu
the republicans seriously considering
the necessity of revision of the tariff
which will wipe out monopoly and re-
duce prices, etc.
1t is only necessary to quote Presi-
dent Roosevelt on this subject in his
last utterance that has been given to
the public. He answers it all for him
self in his letter TO Congressman
James b. Watson of Indiana, who spoke
in Ottumwa last week:
Eve stand unequivocally for a pro-
tective tariff, and we feel that the
phenomenal industrial prosperity
which We are now enjoying is not like
ly to be jeopardized; for it would be
in the last degree foolish to secure
here and there small benefit at the
cost Of general business depression"
In other words the prosperity of the
country is not likely to be jeopardised
for there is only small benefit here
and there to secure by tampering with
the protective tariff, and it would be
to the last degree foolish to undertake
1T. Has the President changed his
mind since that utterance of August
10? II SO, when and where did he
give expression to 1T?
AS to the wiping out of monopoly
by the revision of the tariff, which the
Tribune refers to after having linked
the name of Roosevelt with the prop
osition, let Roosevelt answer for him
self. In the same letter to Congress
man Watson he says:
LET me add one word Of caution,
however. The question of revising the
tariff stands wholly apart from the
question Of dealing with the so-called
trusts--that is, with the control of
monopolies and with the supervision
Of great wealth in business, especially
in corporate form. The cry that the
problem can be met hy any changes In
the tariff represents, whether con-
sciously or unconscious1y, an effort to
divert the public attention from the
only method Of taking effective action"
In those few words the President
places the Tribune, which refers to the
necessity of revision of the tariff
which will wipe out monopoly" in the
class that represents, whether con-
sciously or unconsciously, an effort to
divert the public attention from the
My methd of taking effective action"
However, it may be expected that
that paper and others of those which
are not in sympathy with the protec-
tive principle will continue to misrep-
resent his attitude as they have been
doing during the last four years. His
ntterances to the contrary have no
effect upon them.
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