Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-30
Taft Declares This Congress
Holds Record; Asks For Unity
Continued From Page H.

| ing of rates
Enactment of a postal savings bank
law
| Important labor legislation.
Action tending toward proper con
servation Of natural resources.
| Fulfillment of New Mexico and Ari
IONA statehood pledges.
| Passage of law requiring the pub
LEGATION of detailed statements Of ex
penditures by congressional campaign
committees.
Appropriation of 500 900 for investi
cation of methods Of reducing govern
mental expenditures.
Reduction of $20,0OO,00O in appro-
priations for the year
Text Of Presidents Letter
The text Of the Presidents letter is
as follows:
| Beverly. Mass. Aug Pony Dear
Mr. Mckinley: AS the chairman OF the
national congressional republican COM
mittee you have asked me to give the
reasons which should lead voters in
the coming November election to cast
their ballots for republican candidates
for congress.
Il assume that when this letter is
given publicity the lines will be drawn,
| the party candidates will have been
| selected. and the question for decision
will be whether we shall nave in the
house Of representatives republican
| or a democratic majority. The ques-
ton, then. will be not what complexion
| of republicanism one prefers, but
whether it is better for the country to
have the republican party control the
Legislation for the next two years and
| further redeem its promises or to en-
able a democratic majority In the
house either to interpose veto to re-
publican measures or to formulate and
pass bills and to carry out democratic
principles.
Prominence has been given during
the preliminary canvasses just ended
to the differences between republicans:
but in the election such differences
should be forgotten. Differences within
the party were manifested in the two
sessions of the present congress and
yet never in it's history has the repub-
llican party passed and become respon-
sible for as much useful and progress
sive legislation.
Urges Support for Republicans.
$50 while issues will doubtless arise
between members Of republican ma
jority as to the details of further legis-
lation, the party as a whole will show
itself in the future, as in the past
practical and patriotic in subordinat-
ing individual opinions in order to
secure real progress Hence 1t is I'M
portant that after republican congress
sional candidates have been duly and
fairly chosen, all republicans who be-
|lieve In the party principles as de-
clared in it's national platform of 1908
should give the candidates loyal and
effective support. If this is done there
will be no doubt a return of repub-
lican majority.
"The only alternative Is dem
ocratic majority. We may reasonably
assume. however, that a democratic
majority in the house would reject the
republican doctrine Of protection as
announced in 1908.
What, therefore. has a republican
who believes in protection but objects
to some rates or schedules in the pres
ent tariff act to hope for from a DEM
way would attack the protective sys-
tenn and halt business by threatened
revision Of the whole tariff on rev.
|enue basis. or If prevented by the SEN
ate or the executive would merely do
nothing?
Some Tariff Criticisms Just.
THE tariff bill has been criticised for
certain of it's rates and schedules.
Some of the criticisms are just, and
some are wide of the wark and most
unjust.
THE truth is that under the old pro-
tective idea the only purpose was to
make the tariff high enough to pro-
tect the home industry. The excess of
the tariff over the difference in the
cost Of production here and abroad
was not regarded as Objectionable be-
cause it was supposed that competition
between those who enjoyed the high
protection would keep the price for
the consumer down to what was rea-
sonable for the manufacturer. The evil
of excessive tariff rates, however,
showed itself in the temptation of
manufacturers to combine and sup
press competition and then to maintain
the prices so as to take advantage of
the excess of the tariff rate over the
difference between the cost of produce
ton abroad and here.
THE Payne tariff bill is the first bill
passed by the republican party in
which the necessity for reducing rates
to avoid this evil has been recognized,
and it Is therefore a decided step In
the right direction and it ought to be
accepted as. such. On the whole. 1T
was downward revision. particularly
on articles of necessity and on raw
materials. The actual figures on the
first years operation Of the law dem
sbered that the tariff rates in the new
law on imported liquors. wines. and
silks We're increased substantially over
the Dingley rates. because these were
Injuries and it was intended to in
crease the revenue.
Denies 1t Boosted Living Cost.
The charge that the present tariff
is responsible for the increase in the,
prices of necessities is demonstrably
false. because the high prices, with few
exceptions, affect articles in the tariff
upon which there was no increase in
rates or in respect to which there was
substantial reduction.
Perhaps more important than any
once feature of the operative part Of
the tariff law Is that section which en-
ables the executive to appoint a tariff
commission or board to secure the
needed information for the proper
amendment and perfection Of the law
When the commission completes it's
work, either on the entire tariff or on
any part Of the schedules in respect to
which issue has arisen, and the work
Of the commission shows that the pres
ent tariff is wrong and should be
changed, I expect to bring the matter
to the attention Of congress with a
view to it's amendment of the tariff in
that particular. OF course, this will be