Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-15

Spanish war and those which have
come from the rapid accumulation of
wealth, and the greed for power of its
accumulators, it has fallen to the party
Ito meet and while they have not yet
all had a perfect solution. the record is
one of which we have no reason to be
ashamed.
Roosevelt Sounded Alarm.
! MIR. Roosevelt aroused the country
and the people to the danger we We're
in of having our politics and all our
places of governmental authority con-
troled in corporate interests and to
Iserve the greed of selfish but power
full men. During his two terms of Of
fee, by what almost may be compared
to a religious crusade, he aroused the
people to the point of protecting them
selves and the public interest against
the aggressons of corporate greed, and
has left public opinion in an apt condi-
ton to bring about the reforms needed
to clinch his policies and to make them
permanent in the form of enacted law.
But as an evitable aftermath of
such agitation we find condition of
hysteria on the part of certain indiyid-
uals and on the part of others con-
dition of hypocrisy manifestlng itself
in the blind denunciation of all wealth
and in the Impeachment of the mo-
.
and by demagogic appeals to the i'm
agination of a people greatly aroused
upon the subject of purity and hon
esty in the administration of govern
ment.
Tendency Toward Factionalism.
"The tendency is to resent attach
ment to party or party organization
and to an assertion of individual opin-
ion, and purpose, at the expense of
party discipline. The movement is to-
ward factionalism and small groups,
rather than toward large party organi-
cations, and the leaders of the party
organization are subjected to the
|severest attacks and to the questioning
of their motives without any adequate
evidence to justify it.
81 am far from saying that the Re
publican party is perfect. No party
which has exercised such mower as it
has exercised for the last seventeen
Years, could be expected to maintain,
either in it's rank and file or in its
management men of the purest and
highest motives, and l am the last one
to advocate any halt in the prosecution
and condemnation of Republicans
however prominent and powerful,
whose conduct requires criminal or
other prosecution and condemnation. 1t
should be well understood that with
the Republican party in it's present
condition, with it's various divisions
subjected to the crossfire of it's own
newspapers and its own factions, any
halt or failure on the part of those in
authority to punish and condemn cor
ruption or corrupt methods will be
properly visited upon the party itself,
however many good men it contains.
Tariff Not Cause of Increases.
1--WE shall be called upon to respond
to the charge in the next campaign
that the tariff. for which we are re-
sponsible, has raised prices. If the peo-
pie listen to reasonable arguments 1t
will be easy to demonstrate that high
prices proceed from an entirely diff
ferent cause, and that the present tar
if, being largely o revision downward
except with respect to silks and liquors
which are Injuries, cannot be charged
with having increased any prices. But
this will not prevent our Democratic
friends from arguing on the principle
of post hoe propter hoe that because
, high prices followed the tariff there
fore they are the result of it. And we
, must not be blind to the weight of such
an argument in an ELECTORAL cam
paign.
. Traced to Measure of Values.
"The reason for the rise i'll the cost
of necessities can easily be traced to
the increase in our measure of values,
the precious metal gold, and POSSIBLY
in some cases to the combinations IN
restraint of trade. The question Of the
tariff must be argued out. The prei'-
dice created by the early attacks upon
the bill and the gross misrepresenta-
tions of it's character must be met by
a careful presentation Of the facts as
! to the contents of the bill, and also as
to it's actual operation and statistics
| shown thereby. I believe we have
strong case if we can only get 1t into
the minds of the people. Should dis
aster follow us and the Republican
majority in the house become q min
GRITTY in the next house. it may be pos
sible that in the Democratic exercise
? of it's power the people Of this country
/ will see which is the party Of accom-
plishment, which is the partv Of ar
duous deeds done, and which Is the
. party of words and irresponsible oppo-
| sition.
: 81 only want one more word From
: time to time attacks are made upon
: the administration on the ground that
= it's policy tends to create a panic In
Wall street and to disturb business
All have to say upon that subject Is
:. this, that certainly no one responsible
for a government like ours would fool
ishly run amuck in business and de-
stroy values and confidence just Tor
the pleasure of doing so.
;, Must Conform to Law.
, mo one has a motive as strong as
\ the administration in power to cult
$ waite and strengthen business conf
dence and business prosperity. But II
6 does rest with the national govern
: |ment to enforce the law and If the en-
o forcement of the law Is not consistent
\ with the present method Of carrying on
business then it does not speak wei
; for the present methods Of conducting
: business, and they must be changed tc
v conform to the law. There was ne
: promise on the part of the Republican
s party to change the antitrust law ex-
@ cept to strengthen 1t. or to authorize
monopoly and a suppression OF COM
9 petition and the control Of prices, and
= those who lock forward to such 9