Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-03-27
DISCUSSES PRIMARY LAW IN
SPEECH BEFORE POLK couN-
TY REPUBLICAN CLUB
SCORES TARIFF ENEMIES
Says Primary Could Be Applied to
Counties But Would Be Failure for
State officiaIs-secretary Of Treas
ury Refuses to Discuss Presidential
Nomination.

| Des Moines, March 24.-Leslie M.
Shaw, secretary Of the treasury, spoks
under the auspices Of the Polk county
republican club here last night.
| During his talk Secretary Shaw Sc
verely scored the attitude taken by
Governor Cummins and others of the
republican party on the tariff ques-
ton, and criticised the statements
made by them.
| He also gave his views on the ques.
ton Of primary election, saying that,
although he thought it could be made
good thing when applied to counties
and not made compulsory, he thought
it would be failure ii applied to state
vide nomination for state officials.
Secretary Shaw arrived early and
spent the day in meeting old friends
and the leading republicans. He de-
clared himself as glad to be in Iowa
again, and added that he should re-
turn to the state before many months
and make Iowa his home.
~ have promised the President"
said he, "that I will remain In the
cabinet until the close Of next con-
gress, which will be on March 4. 1907.
Then / am coming back to Iowa to
live"
Can't Talk Of Presidency.
When the runaor of his candidacy to
succeed President Roosevelt was sug-
gested he laughed and replied:
"I can't say a word about that"
| In opening his address he said the
fact that he was citizen of Iowa and
expected to remain one permitted him
to take the same interest in state leg
islation that any other citizen Of the
state should take.
while governor Of Iowa, gave
some study to the question Of primary
election" he said, "and at one time
thought seriously of submitting spe'
cific recommendation on the subject
never have believed, however, in a
state wide primary for the nomination
for state officials, and my subsequent
observations have confirmed my pre-
vious convictions"
He said he believed primary law
might be enacted that would be 9
great help to the state. but it ought
not be compulsory. He thought such
a law should apply only when adopted
by county and that, after adoption
it should be revocable by vote Of the
people at any election after limited
period. This will give each county an
opportunity to experiment and select
which plan is deemed best.
Talks on Tariff Question.
Mr.. Shaw next turned his attention
to the tariff question and said that the
position repeatedly urged, that the
tariff ought to measure the exact diff
ference in the cost of production In
the United States and foreign coun
tries, was untenable.
i Taking up the question Of cheaper
prices for goods. for export than fol
! consumption at home, the speaker
said that there was scarcely manu-
featured article in all Europe that can
not be purchased from 10 to rs pei
cent cheaper for export to the United
States than for domestic consumption
Americans alone complain that goods
sometimes are sold abroad cheaper
than at home.
"The only time" he said, that the
republican party ever promised tina
tariff duties would only equal the diff
ference between wages abroad and a
home was in 1892, and that platform
declaration failed Of majority, even II
Iowa."
The speaker then rapidly sketchet
the political history Of the party ant
Its experiences up to the time of tn.
enactment of the Dingley tariff "Wt
now have lived nine years under thu
Dingley tariff" said he, "and we stant
today at the highest point Of CONNER
cial prosperity which any people OF
the round earth ever have attained
Our exports, as, we'll as our imports
have touched unprecedented figures
both in the aggregate and per capita
while the average price Of live stool
sold in Chicago has increased, sine,
! 1896, over SIS for every horse, steer
! COW, calf, sheep and pig"
r Scores cummins' Statements.
Nov, again. he said, ,"the protect
, i've tariff is being assailed. The met
: ropolitan press is attacking both tn,
! principle and its application, and re
= publican orators again are teaching
: discomfort" He then referred to tn
attitude of Governor Cummins.
Several times during the presen
session of congress-" declared tn
: speaker, prominent members of TIL
!, opposition party have quoted distin
: guished republican Of this state a
: saying, in effect, that all the robberie
s, and thefts committed by all the in
il o.