Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-09-16
CuMM|NS TALKS
ON The ISSUES
CONTINUED from page II

CONTINUED from page IL
"All of us believe said he, "that up
on the products Of American energy
that come into competition with the
products Of other lands there should be
a duty that will in some way defend
the American producer from the unfair
competition of the foreigner. That has
not only become the doctrine of the
United States but the doctrine of the
world as well. Last year the Republi-
can party declared a standard for this
principle. 1t declared that upon all
competitive articles there should be
laid a duty equal to the difference in
the cost of production at home and
abroad with a reasonable profit for the
manufacturer added. But when we
came to apply that principle to the in
tricate affairs of our own country there
arose that controversy about which go
much comment has been made. But
substantially agreed. That was that
we do not know what it costs to pro-
duce given article at home and
abroad.
Tariff Not Again an Issue.
There we encountered for the first
time in the history of our party an in
superable difficulty. We passed into
this revision without the information
to which we were entitled in order to
carry out the duties we were to per-
form.
"All / ask is that the government
shall provide it's people, as well as con-
gress, information necessary to bring
ing the proper test on any schedule in
dispute. / doubt whether any political
organization will ever make the aues-
ton of protection an issue again. Our
last attempt at revision has ushered in
a day when we shall treat it in a sci
entific way just as other nations treat
1T. commission of the most capable
men in Germany spent five years
studying the tariff problem and fixing
duties. In France a commission work
ed on the question three years and
then reported to parliament, where it
was referred to forty-two committees,
which have been working on 1t for nine
months. Yet we tried to revise every
schedule in three months without a
single definite reason for changing any
duties whatsoever.
Congress will never abdicate the
power of enacting the tariff laws. But
like all other bodies, legislative, admin
istrative and judicial. it must be advis-
ed. 1t is utterly impossible for con-
gress, individually or through its com
mittees to ascertain that simple fact.
I'VE have demonstrated that there
ought never to be another general re-
vision of the tariff. When the commits
sion gives congress that information,
with no disturbance of business. it can
take up one schedule at time and fix
it without it being necessary to unite
different interests in order to serve a
majority.
Il am more convinced than ever that
the next step is to organize an efficient
tariff commission. which shall do for
you what you as intelligent men should
u ,,,a1,,
from political rancor, fix just duties
which will protect the consumer from
the avarice and greed of corporations
Tariff revision ought to be agitated
until 1t can be carried on, not only to
successful issue. but to a, just one"
from where he left over the Wabash
this morning for Mexico, Mo-. to enter
the Missouri military academy.
Fred Allender has returned to AL
bia after visiting his parents, Mr..
and Mrs. S. G. Allender, Leo street
and West Park avenue.
Everyth in the best rubber goods
at Sargent's.
Mrs. John Gavigan and Mrs. ]. P.
Nolan, both of Williamsburg, We're be-
tween train visitors in Ottumwa this
morning en- route to make an extend
ed visit with relatives in st. Louis.
S. S. S. b,ood purifier, 6 for $500, at
Sargent's.
Rev. Fred B. Tucker of Bloomfield
was a visitor in the city for a short
time this morning en- route home from
the Methodist conference held in Win
field last week.
Mr.. and Mrs. F. A. Hamilton of
Alton, who have 3een visiting MI
and Mrs. c. B. Charter, 119 Richard
street, have returned home.
Mrs. F. A. Nelson of Douds-Leando
has returned home.
Mr.. and Mrs. D. F. Thomas and
daughter Miss Ethel, of Eldon, tran
sacted business in the city yesterday.
Mr.. and Mrs. w. A. Downing of
Selma, were business visitors in the
city yesterday.
Mr.. and Mrs. q. w. Hibbard of
Bloomfield, were between train WIS.,
itors in the city yesterday, being en-
route for Pallisade, Colo.
Mrs. Frank Emery and daughter
Miss Ruth Of Highland Center. left
last evening for an extended trip to
Denver, Colo.