Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-05

house, was driven into declaring that
he violated no confidence IN stating
that the Republicans would revise the
tariff. His statement was equlvocal,
as he did not say whether the revision
was to be down or up, but, considering
all the circumstances under which his
utterance was made, he intended 1t to
be understood as a promise OF revision
downward; and to do him perfect
Justice he claims that his bill Is re-
vision downward.
CLEARLY he has been imposed upon
by his arithmetricians, for his bill re-
vises it UP about LII per cent on the
average. His declaration, however,
did not allay the clamor among Re-
publicans. 1t swelled into such roar
that when the Republicans held their
national convention in 1908 they were
forced to promise tariff revision IN
their platform. Again the promise
was equivocal, as it did not state
whether the revision was to be up or
down. But the demand for tariff re-
vision downward was SO strong and
so insistent that a majority OF Repup-
lican orators and editors declared that
the revision was to be downward. On
that promise they won. Having got
in, they proceeded to revise 1t up
ward. So that in the impending cam
paign the overshadoWing issue is
whether men in conducting cam
paign are under any obligation to tell
the truth or whether they are licensed
to palter in a double sense-to Keep
the word Of promise to the ear and
break it to the hope.
Query: Is 1t any less dishonest 10
secure Offices under false pretenses
than to obtain money in that felon-
ious manner?
The wooden goods schedule Is too
high and ought to be reduced. agree
with him on that; so do you all. why,
then, have they not reduced 1t? II is
eleven months, lacking one day. since
he signed. the -Smoot
tariff bill He is Republican Both
houses of congress are Republican by
overwhelming majorities. AS the Dem.
ocratic floor leader in the house !
guaranteed that if the President would
send in message urging that the
wooden goods schedule be cut to rea-
sonable basis, so that the people would
have cheaper clothing and cheaper
blankets, and Mr. Chairman Payne
would report such a bill and put 1t
upon it's passage, every Democrat
would vote for it, and every Democrat
in the house applauded my offer, there
by proving that spoke their sentt-
ments. That was on May 81, but the
President has never sent in any sucn
message and Mr.. Chairman Payne
has never reported any such bill.
"Eyery newspaper in the land that
commented on my offer to the Presl-
dent said that it was fair PROPOSE
ton and should be accepted. BY rea-
son of Republican refusal to cure that
great outrage hundreds of thousands
of people must shiver and freeze
the ensuing winter. Doctors
and philanthropists are waging war
against the great white plague, which
the wooden goods schedule OF the
Payne Aldrich-Smoo tariff bill does
so much to foster. Shame upon men
who will not remedy such gross out
rage, an outrage whose existence they
admit, an outrage which causes meal
culable sickness, suffering and death.
an outrage which they have abundant
power to stop.
IF we have the next house, as
believe we will have, we will honest
ly and courageously report bill to
revise the tariff down to a revenue
basis, pass it through the house and
send it over to the senate. Perhaps
Ly that time the senate, yielding to the
public demand, will also pass it. If 1t
does not, we will go to the people on
that isue in 1912.
"a Democrat is man who believes
In Democratic principles and who votes
the Democratic ticket. In recent
years there has been much struggling
from the ranks cordially invite all
backsliders to come back home.
also heartily invite all others who are
with Republican misrule
and Republican extravaganza to join
with us in the crusade for the over
throw of the Republican machine. We
will give them warm welcome not
lnuuiring too closely into their poll
tial pedigres or political antece
dents The doors stand wide open.
There is no mourners' bench in the
Church Democrats. Even life long
will be welcome on the
good old principle that,
while the lamp holds out to burn,
"The vilest sinner may return"
"a - a a a Rn~ n an