Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-30

help create democratic majority
which would be utterly at war with
the protective principle, and therefore
would have no use for the findings OF
the tariff commission, as we may GER
tainly infer from the solid democratic
vote In the present, congress against
the necessary appropriation for the
commissions work.
One great virtue in the new tariff
law, including the corporation tax, is
that taken with the current effort OF
the administration to keep down or re-
lduce governmental expenditures and to
reform the methods of collecting the
customs revenue. 1t has, by it's rev
enue producing capacity. turned de-
ficit in the ordinary operations of the
government of s5s,00o.coo for the. year
ending June 30, 1909, to surplus in the
first full year OF the law, ending Aug.
b, 1910, of $26.000,000. From revenue
standpoint, then, there can be no con-
troversy over the effectiveness of the
new law. Generally speaking. full
measure of industrial activity in pro-
duction. transportation, and distribu-
ton has accompanied the operation Of
the new law.
| Again. the present law in it's cor
poration tax imposes new kind of tax
which has many Of the merits of an
income tax. 1t is one of the most USE
full and important changes in our reve-
nue. laws. as the future will show. In
spite of the criticisms heaped upon it
at its passage. no party responsible for
revenue or anxious to retain every
means of legitimate supervision of
corporations will repeal it,
Amendment to Commerce Bill.
The next most important work Of
the present. congress was the passage
commerce bill. The bill as at present
in force is an excellent bill. 1t is not
enacted in spirit of hostility to rail-
roads. but it submits them to a closer
and more effective supervision by the
interstate commerce commission to
avoid injustice in their management
and control.
THE important part that railways
play as the arterial circulation in the
business of the county the million and
| a half of their employees. and the mill
lion of their stockholders, the import
ance of their purchasing power as af-
fecting the prosperity Of general BUSH
ness-all require in the public interest
that no unfair treatment should be ac
corded them. But 1 am glad to note
that the railway managers have ac-
guessed in the fairness of the present
bill, and propose Loyalty to comply
with it's useful provisions. 1t was sup
ported by the whole republican party
| in congress, and that party is entitled
" circuit IOI us pdSSdSe. LIE WHOLE
democratic strength was exhibited
against it In both houses. 1t was per-
Torrance of a pledge of the platform,
and only needs time to ,vindicate the
wisdom of it's enactment
"The postal savings bank bill has
similar history. It is one of the great
congressional enactments. 1t creates an
epoch. Like the tariff bill and the rail-
road bill. this was put through each
house of congress by republican ma
jority. and was signed by republican
president.
| The president. reviewing other legis-
lation mentions the establishment Of
the bureau of mines, ampler laws CIV
ing powers to the interstate COM
merce commission for the prevention
of accidents to employees and passen-
gers perfecting of the employers LA
bility act. and the creation of con-
gresSional commission to report
practical bill for the fixing of work.
mems compensation for injuries re-
carriers.
Takes Up Conservation.
Zone of the great questions the
letter continues, which has been made
national issue and aroused public in
terest through the insistence of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. Is that of conservation
Of our national resources.
There remains to be considered and
settled the question of the method of
disposing Of public lands so that the
government may retain sufficient con-
troll to prevent monopoly in their
use and to secure the public against
eXtortion for coal, Oil, gas, phosphate,
or water power on the one hand. and
yet may give to private capital suf-
ficient inducement to bring about
normal development of the wealth con-
tanned in these lands to aid in the
building up of the country. Neither
the democrats of the house nor the
democrats of the senate, as body, al
though their platform formally de-
clared in favor of conservation, have
| taken any active part or can be
counted upon to assist materially in
the solution of these complicated ques-
tons"
Improvement of waterways is de-
portance. the president giving his
plans, already known, for dealing with
the question.
Statehood for New Mexico and Ari-
zona and publicity of campaign funds
also are mentioned as pledges re-
deemed.
The president refers to the appro-
priation made to investigate methods
to reduce government expense, and
says: Il am confident that if full OPP
portunity is given and a republican
congress is elected to assist. the cut
ting down of the national expenditures
by the adoption Of modern economic
methods in doing the business OF the
government will reach point of saw
ing many millions.
AS to future legislation. the presi
dent says number of promises re-
main to be kept. He alludes to the pro-
visions to regulate the issue of stocks
and bonds by interstate railways, to
which, he says, the democratic minor
ity in the senate gave it's solid opposi-
ton on the ground that the central
government has no constitutional
power to make and enforce such regu-
lation
I'm addition" he continues, there is
the promised procedure to determine
how preliminary injunction shall issue
without notice. and when. In substitu-
ton for this the democratic platform
proposes an amendment to the exist
ing law which would create privil-
eyed class of lawless workmen and
would seriously impair the power of
the courts Of equity to do justice. Then
there is the measure to promote the
1 u