Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-05-26

what seemed to be a popular demand
for some such measure, following 9
financial Stringency which has now
long since passed. 1t is not for me tc
decide whether it was wise to propose
this measure; but of one thing I an
certain that if there is to be established
in this country the principle of the
postal saving system, the measure
should be so framed that the interests
of every section of the country viii
be guarded and protected.
In the form in which it was sought
by those in charge of this bill to force
it thru congress practically without
discussion and without the right OF
legislators to offer amendments, it
| would have been the means of drawing
| out of the state a large part of the
| funds of the people used in the every
day transactions of life. These funds
are barely sufficient for the business
| which is all about US, and if depleted
as has been proposed in this measure,
In any great degree, the tendency
would be to depreciate the value of the
| property Of the state. The evil conse-
! quences of withdrawal of even the
small savings of people who would be
attracted to the postal savings deposit
NO-AS~ 'O0i0 SS 81 tNldSul LQdL no ar
gument need be made against this
scheme.
Yet that was what was seriously
proposed in the bill as it was offered
TO congress and the demand was made
in committee and on the floor of the
senate that the bill be passed without
any real consideration of its merits or
weaknesses
But happily there was in the senate
and in the house a small body of re-
puolcan congressman who have the
oId-fashioned idea that they were
erected and commissioned to engage in
law making and that they owe it to
lhelr constituents to look closely into
every feature of every bill
iowa Wants Amendments,
In the senate and in the house men
VINO represent Iowa constituencies did
TOOK into this postal savings bank bill
ana they set out to amend it in the way
WAlch they believed would make II
least objectionable and most likely TO
pe 1alr and just to every community
iAeS sought to put into the bill pro-
VISIONS which would have the effect of
keeping the postal savings in the com
'nunltles from whence they are drawn
and would prevent their accumulat ton
IN the large money centers 10 form the
basis of speculative transactions.
Ih1s was proposal SO simple and
so fair that surely not one person
should have made objection; but the
mere tact of questioning the perfection
OF the bill was hailed as an act of
unfriendliness TO the administration.
and those who wanted the bill amended
to make it conform TO the principles Of
justice to which our party is commit
ted have been branded as opponents
of their party. This is a narrow view.
and 1 have no doubt you will concede
that upon such an important propo-
s1tion as this, United States senator |
representing a constituency like that
of Iowa, ought to have the greatest |
latitude in trying to protect the inter-
ests of his constituency and those of
every other similarly situated 1t seems |
10 me that il was the heighth of i'm
propriety for anyone. of high or low !
station, to suggest reading out Of the |
party men who had the temerity to
stand for what they conceived to be |
the best interests OF the people.
As to the Tariff.
Now as to the tariff 1t is my belief |
that we ought to have tariff schedules |
framed according to the principle laid
down in the last republican national
platform. That is good republican doc
trine and it is good business sense. We
can not too often state that principle |
1t is that the tariff should measure the
difference in cost Of production at
home and abroad with a reasonable |
allowance for the large profits 10 the
American manufacturer. 1t may be
that we will never have such a tariff
law, but the republican party is SOL
EMMY pledged TO an honest effort to
frame up such a law and We ought to
give our aid.
There is just one phase of the tariff .
issue pending now. 1t is incidental to
the appropriation bill and it conten-
plates giving funds to the board which
was organized to inquire into foreign
tariffs and to somewhat enlarge its !
powers. That body is today a tariff |
commission in name only as it has no
power to inquire into the question of
most of production or any other ele-
ment of tariff making. But it is asked
that the commission be given money
and greater authority of law so that
it will be real tariff commission
The mere suggestion of the need ST
a commission with authority to inquire !
into the cost of production at home and |
abroad is a confession of the fact that (
the tariff law passed last year was not I
made up in accordance with the solemn
pledge of the party.
The progressive republicans of Iowa /
have long been in favor of an effective
tariff commission. l believe one should |
be created with full authority to make
inquiry and TO report direct to congress
as the basis for business revision of
the tariff
Iowa Must lndorse.
Not only should we have this tariff
commission, clothed with authority of
law. provided with ample funds and
with a personnel which would inspire
confidence in the fairness and COM
pleteness of its findings but we should
have men in congress who, when the
time comes for consideration of any
report to be made, would see that the
interests of the American consumers
is considered first and above all else.
This can be done by supporting men
sympathy with the principles stated
in the last Iowa state platform and the
last national republican platform, and
who have the courage and the dispo-
sition to make thorough and open and
fair fight for the fulfillment of party
pledges.
Now while these three measures on