Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-15

platform of 1908 when we said
substantially that it should be meas
Iured by the difference in the cost OF
production here and abroad? Are we
mot of one mind that the nOn-partisan
tariff board recommended by Pres
ident Taft is the proper way to
ascertain fairly this difference in cost
of production? Is there any difference
among republicans as to the wisdom Of
the maximum and minimum tariff? ?
4 Where is the difference?
"It Is time to take calm survey of
the situation to close our ears to the
noisy strife of factions. and give the
broadcast and most patriotic considera-
lions to the principles which are at
stake in this campaign.
"TO make such an examination OF
the subject one great and overshadow-
ing fact should be kept constantly in
view The history of this republic for
the past fifty years has demonstrated
that the supremacy Of republican prin-
ciples and policies means the greatest
prosperity and glory for our country.
and the largest measure of happiness
and general welfare for the ninety
millions of people. This is fact which
no reasonable man can dispute
The Party's Accomplishments.
"The party had noble birth. It came
into being to prevent the aggression of
slavery. 1t was right when it elected
Lincoln as it's first president. 1T was
right in taking its stand on the side
of the union In the civil war. 1t was
right in enacting the homestead laws,
into the garden spot and the granary
of the world. It was right when it. re
deemed our paper currency and re-
sumed specie payments. 1t was right
when it stood for honest money and
the gold standard. 1t was right in con-
trolling the corporations 1t was right
in maintaining the policy Of protection
| to American labor and industry.
! .'The republican party was restored
! to complete power in 1897 by the
! election Of VIM. Mckinley at the close
i Of four OF the leanest and hungriest
years in our country's history. The
fyears from that time till now form the
| brightest period in all the splendid his
/ tory of our nation. Under republican
| policies our country has gone forward
by leaps and bounds until now it occu-
! pies its rightful position as the great
est nation on the face of the earth.
| "The results of this period have
stamped the republican party as the
great party Of progress. If the trnest
and best test of party principles and
policies is the happiness and general
welfare of the people, then republican
policies have stood the highest test.
for we find ourselves today in the
midst of the most splendid era of pos
perity and happiness ever enjoyed by
any people since the dawn of history.
"But the republican party is not liy-
ing in the past it has it's face set to-
ward the future. The future can best |
be judged by the past and we point to
the record as a guarantee OF future
performance. Just as it has mastered
the great questions of the past, so 1t
is working ont the needed reforms of
the present, and will settle the prob
lens Of the future in the interest OF
the great body Of the people.
The Past Six Years.
The past six years mark the begin
ming of new era in the history Of the
republic; they mark the rise Of great
moral issues in the politics OF our
country. The ceaseless activity of Pres
ident Roosevelt against law breakers.
against greed and chicanery, aroused
the public conscience and resulted III
a higher standard of morals in public
and private life. He pointed out the
evils and abuses that had grown up
in the tremendous expansion of BUSH {
ness and commerce, and emphasized {
the necessity of establishing national
over private interests. The result was
the Inauguration of comprehensive /,
plan for the Improvement of our social
and Industrial conditions and the dom- /;
inant note of this plan is the individ- ,
ual rights of the citizen. /.
During the last administration a
splendid start was made in writing this II
program into law. We gave the inter {
state commerce commission the power
to regulate railroad rates, abolished ,
the free pass. required the railroads 10
furnish equal facilities to all shippers
and put an end to rebates
1--WE passed the national pure food
law. the meat inspection law. the en-
ployers liability law and several 9th
ers which might enumerate-all to
the purpose Of correcting abuses i'll
trade and commerce. of stopping dis
honest accumulation Of wealth and Of
insuring fair treatment and equal priv
ileges to every citizen.
People Approved Work.
"At the end Of that nericd the Ameri-
can people put the stamp Of APP
proval on, the republican performances
of that administration by electing VIII
liam Fl. Taft and a republican congress
to carry forward the uncompleted pro-
gram Of legislation. The first eighteen
months of President Taft's admins
tration has recorded the enactment of
more important legislation than any
similar period for generation, and
the 61st congress will go down in his
tory as the Congress of Achieve
ment'
1.-The railroad rate law was strength
ened by giving the commission power
over freight cassifcations as well as
rates to pass on the reasonableness OF
rates without complaints by shippers,
and to suspend any increase of rates
until they can pass upon their reason
ableness. Shippers were given the right
to designate through rates. and court
Of commerce was created to put an end