Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-09-22

what it should be. The only defense
offered was that 1t should have been
changed; that everybody in congress
wanted to change 1t. but had 1t been
attempted, "the wooden Interest," would
have beaten the bill reported from
either committee" What spectacle is
here presented! The chief executive
of the greatest republic on earth
publicly proclaiming to all the world
that in free America, with its ninety
millions of people, its boasted intel
ligence and it's civic virtues that one
single interest of man SO controlled
and influenced our greatest lawmak-
ing body that 1t could defeat all leg
islation on an important subject un-
less written to suit It's pleasure.
I have not called to your attention
the statement of single democrat,
but have endeavored to prove my
position by republicans high in the
councils of the other party and ex-
allied in official position. If Pinchot,
Dolliver, Roosevelt and Taft have
spoken truthfully, what party Is
thereby indicted? Four fourteen years
the republicans have held undisputed
sway in the nations councils.
Republicans In Power.
If, as Mr.. Dolliver says, private in.
terests are seeking to control the
government; and If as Mr.. Roosevelt
says, they are controlling and cor
rupting the men and methods Of gov
! - ho< Avfv
they been and are they operating?
The republican party is the dominant
party and the vested wealth is work
ing in through 1t. Not that all repub-
licans are so controlled, nor that no
democrats are thus tainted. be-
lieve the rank and file Of all parties
are sincere and honestly desire what
they believe would be for the coun-
try's good. do maintain that 1t has
been the small minority of the demo-
Gratis in congress that has been in
anywise influenced by the interests.
while I insist that the great majority
OF the leaders of the republican party
are so controlled and 1t is only the
small minority who are fighting for
the interests Of the people at large.
Did not President Taft name Sen
ator Aldrich as the leader of the
United States senate and place upon
him the seal of his approval? Did
not Governor Shaw in discussing the
central bank call attention to the
senator and his Affiliations? In q
celebrated meeting held in Des Moines
early in the present year, the junior
senator from Iowa eloquently de-
scribed the republican leaders of the
present time by saying, Most of the
republican leaders in congress are un-
der these (the trusts) influence.
Their first inquiry is not Will the
measure bring help to the people, but
is it recommended by the masters OF
high finance. $50 They Cannon, Aid
rich, Payne and others) are always
fearful that any step in the better
regulations of these forces will take
away some Of the profits with which
the multi-millionaires have been en-
riching themselves"
/ II the present administration has
done anything, it surely has removed
all uncertainty, ,and clearly demon
strated that the republican party, as
now controlled, us the ready executor
81 the behests Of Wall street.
! With the record before us explained
and .corroborated by republicans OF
such note as have named, why
should we expect to be benefited, and
our right preserved by the Aldriches,
Cannons and Paynes?
Our only hope Is in the democratic
party, whose leaders have for years
been warning the people Of the very
dangers whose existence are now
openly confessed by portion OF the
republican party. What right or
claim have the leaders Of any party
to the confidence of the people when
they openly and confessedly violate
and repudiate the pledges OF their
party AS written by. their national con-
ventiOn?
For several years prior to the ma
tional convention OF two years ago.
there had been constant, steady, in
gcreasing demand for revision OF the
tariff. This demand was not confined
to any particular section Of our
country. All over the land the exhorta-
tions Of the trusts manifested In the
high prices Of all the necessities Of
life was fast creating q universal de-
mand for some relief from the exac-
lions which we're being practiced. The
robberies that were being practiced
on the consumers of the land were
fast becoming patent to all. The repub-
lican leaders appreciated the fact that
something must be done. Then was
written in the republican national plat
form the solemn pledge that Inn
Imediately after the election they would
revise the tariff, and with the promise
that in making the changes, they
shall have but one rule, the difference
in the costs OF production at home
and abroad. Is there a republican
voter in Iowa that did not construe
that pledge as promise to revise the
tariff downward and not upward?
Were we not so informed by the then
presidential candidate and all who
.,oy~o for him IN the middle west