Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-08
SECRETARY SHAW ON THE
TARIFF.

st. Louis Globe-Democrat:- The adj
dress delivered by Secretary Shaw last
night to an intelligent and attentive
audience that filled Music hall, de-
serves a close and thoughtful reading
by all who are interested in the BUSH
are few citizens not concerned with
this subject. One of the political par
ties of the United States is opposed TO
the policy of protection, and the ques-
ton will be leading issue in the next
national campaign. Another contest
is near IN which this matter of the
greatest business moment will go to
the people for fresh verdict at theirs
hands. The present protective tariffa
which has been in operation since
1897, has been identified with an un-i
paralleled prosperity and with a
domestic and foreign trade never
equaled before. Nevertheless, pro-
tective principles are attacked with tho
same old bitter animosity. and de-
nounced as an imposition upon the
people, with a recklessness Of state
ment in which experience and tina
plainest proofs are defled or ignored.
1t Is good subject to talk about, for
practical mistake in dealing with II
will plunge the country into disas-
ter.
Secretary Shaw last night presented
calm. analytical argument, fortified
with facts, that is valuable in It's in-
formation and convincing in It's rea-
soning. He pointed out the incoher-
ency OF the democratic course on the
tariff. That party. though practically
proclaiming free trade in its plat
form. passed tariff law when in con-
| troll OF all departments Of the govern
ment, that was neither one thing nor
the other, but a sort of conglomerate.
Yet 1t ruined a number Of Industries
and caused general distress. with
| nothing whatever Of a compensatory
nature. A party that is incoherent
and violates its platforms is political
failure. Affirmative plans, policies and
aims are necessary to a party Re-
publican protection has created
scale of wages and a standard Of liv-
Ing unknown in any other part of the
world, and, as Secretary Shaw pro-
ceeds to show, protection must be
maintained, or that standard Of wages
and living must be abandoned. The
republican party, as the secretary
| said, has never debased men, nor
cheapened their labor, nor thrown
American products into open competi-
| ton with the sproducts of the less paid
| labor of other countries.
In the opinion Of Secretary Shaw
| the leaders of all parties as a rl,l2,ssare
honest and lpanibtSsy BY II rs lsa,- 20
out belief or principle is wort
He is not an adn1irer of indepen,
who substitute the instinct of an
for the principles of a lifetime.
great immigration to this cou@sry
was referred to, and the fact mentions
| ed that democratic control would
quickly stop it, Our annual produce
ton, valued at $4,000, 100000, is
equal to that OF England, France and
Germany combined, but our own peo-
pie consume "a per cent of the
amount while the three countries
named consume only so per cent Of
their products. The business of this
| country, under protection, as set forth
by Secretary Shaw, Is a solid demon
stration of the worth OF the policy, and
leads straight to his conclusion, that,
| though democratic success may come
now and then, that party can, never
successfully manage the affairs Of the
! nation.