Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1906-08-09
The IOWA IDEA.

disappointed. Their last affilctlOn IN
this line has been occasioned by the
tariff plank in the platform adopted by
the Iowa Republicans last week. 1t is
complete overthrow of the Democratic
Interpretation of what has been called
the 'Iowa idea" Governor Cummins,
the Republican Governor of that State,
was the parent of the idea" and the
Democrats have been constituting it to
mean hostility to the Republican prin-
ciple of protection, and support of the
Democratic doctrine of tariff for reve-
nue. only. Upon this theory the Demo
Gratis were hopeful that the Iowa Re-
publicans would, at their convention,
which met last week, wrangle and split
upon the tariff. Contrary to these ex-
pectations Mr. Cummins was renomi-
mated for Goevrnor, and the following
tariff plank was unanimously adopted:
"We are uncompromisingly in favor
of the American system of protection.
Duties on foreign imports should not be
levied for revenue only, but should be
so adjusted as to promote our domestic
interests, enlarge our foreign markets,
secure remunerative prices for the pro-
ducts of our factories and farms, and
maintain superior scale of wages and
standard of living for American labor.
"Wise and unselfsh tariff laws main
tanned for our general welfare, equally
opposed to foreign control and domestic
monopoly, are essential to our CONNER
cial and industrial prosperity. We be-
lieve that all inequalities in the tariff
schedules which inevitably arise from
changing industrial and commercial con-
ditions should be adjusted from time to
time; and condemning without reserve
all assaults upon the protection system
we favor such reasonable and timely
changes as will keep the tariff in har-
mony with our industrial and CONNER
cial progress.
"We favor the reciprocity inaugurated
by Mr.. Blaine, advocated by Mckinley
and Roosevelt, and as recognized in
Republican platforms and legislation. "
Immediately after Governor Cummins
was renominated he was escorted to
the platform and made a short speech
to the convention, in which he said:
1.-THE thing nearest my heart is the Re-
publican party"
For several years Governor Cummins
has been impressed with the belief that
certain schedules of the Dingley tariff
needed revision. This encouraged the
Democrats to hope that he would be-
come convert to their idea of tariff re-
form or free trade, and that he could
be used as means for creating a split
in the Republican party, and which
might result in the destruction of pro-
tective tariff.
1t will be remembered that last year
the Democrats INDUCED in similar fond
decisions as to the attitude of President
Roosevelt on the tariff question. He
was claimed as a tariff reformer, and
upon that rock it was confidently pre-
dicted that he would split with major
ity of the Republicans in Congress.
The trouble with the Democrats has
been that they have allowed their de-
sires to kindle their expectations. They
have failed to comprehend that Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Governor Cummins
are essentially Republicans, and that
protection is one of the basic principles
of the Republican party, To abandon
that principle would be to abandon the
party. 1t was folly for the advocates
of free trade to imagine that Theodore
Roosevelt and Governor Cummins would
become SO infatuated with their per-
sonal views on the tariff as to cause
them to abandon their party and herd
with Democrats and Populists.
The tariff plank in the Iowa platform
expresses the views of Governor Cum
minis, of President Roosevelt and of all
true Republicans. When man ceases
to subscribe to the principles ennnuci-
ated by that plank he will be apt to
quit the Republican party.
There is no very material difference
between the so-called iowa idea and
the 'stand pat'' doctrine. They both
mean a continuance of a protective
tariff.