Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-06-02
POLITICAL SPEECH
BY WALTER |. SMITH
In Which He Makes An Effective
Defense of His Record Against
Certain False Attacks.

Hon. WalterI. Smith who has for ten
years ably represented the ninth district
in the American Congress held series
of meetings in this county last week be-
ginning at Kimhallton ON Friday night
and ending at Extra on Saturday night
He spent the forenoon of Saturday call
ing ON friends here in town and he has
the happy faculty of being at home in a
social way with people who are on the
other side politically. His genial man
ner and social qualities have been to
him large asset in a business and poll
teal way.
Saturday afternoon he addressed big
meeting at the Court House upon the
issues involved in the present campaign
for nomination. Chairman Farquhar
called the meeting to order and an
nounced DR.. Brooks Us chairman of the
meeting. He responded with one of his
entertaining speeches about the time
when he was in politics for himself in
this county some twenty years ago. He
then introduced w. B. Emerson of At
lantic who spoke for thirty minutes on
politics in a general way and spent some
time in a eulogyof our present member.
When Judge Smith was introduced he
launched at once into his discourse, and
as every sentence contained thought,
which was put in the speakers peculiar
and telling way, it would be impossible
| to give a review in brief report. He
declared that he had not come back
from Washington to apologize for a
single act or vote but to defend his po-
sition. He maintained that the rule of
the house are largely the same that
were adopted in the first Congress in
| 1889, two amendments having been
adopted when Thomas B. Reed was the
speaker. He does not consider them
perfect and had, therefore, offered an
amendment himself, yet they represent
the wisdom OF century and more of
evolution.
| He next took up the charges made
against him in La Follette's Magazine
and shattered them in way that was
pleasing to his audience. He also dis
cussed the Payne tariff bill saying that
it had reduced the tariff on articles
which the American people consume to
the extent of five billion dollars per year
| while the increases made on such arti-
Giles amount to only eight hundred mil
lion dollars per annum or less than one
sixth as much; and these increases are
| largely confined to luxuries Mr.. Smith
set forth the strong features of the bill,
such as the maximum and minimum
provisions, free petroleum, and the cor
poration tax; and he declared that the
man who voted against the bill attempt
ed to rob us of the means by which we
could secure fair treatment with foreign
nations in matters of trade; voted to
protect the STANDARD Oil" and its pro-
ducts and voted to give the corporation
two and half millions per annum. He
said that while the bill was far from
being perfect one, it was one of the
best ever enacted by any Congress of
the United Stated and he did not hest
tate to support it, that when he got his
way on 1900 out of 1000 schedules i'm the
bill he was faring quite well and refused
to pout because he could not have his
own way in everything.
Judge Smith declared that he had no
bosses except his two hundred thousand
constituents and that was enough; and
that no one save the Almighty could
stand between him and them He also
said that he could see no reason why the
Republican party of Iowa should be
divorced from the Republican party OF
the nation. There are about 800 regu.
lar republicans and 40 insurgents in
Congress, and he believes that 90 pei
of a party is as likely to be right as 1C
per cent; and that in party circles o
majority of the party should govern and
rule.
In closing Mr.. Smith said that he was
deeply grateful for the past favors and
he would greatly appreciate our support
at the present time; but if the republi
cans of this district want a man fol-
Congress who is not in harmony will
the past, and acting with men who ar,
: scarcely on speaking terms with tn,
president, he will retire in sorrow
though not in anger.