Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-04

the tariff barrier along 5000 miles Of
our frontier. More than that, the
measure which SO rent the party Of pro-
lection originated with afsrepublican
president. The standpatters may well
be dismayed. If this does not mean the
end OF their party, which has so fat
tened and prospered during half a cent
ury Of high tariffs, 1t at least means
the. end of private taxation through
duties levied for the benefit OF those
interests between which and the re-
publican party there has so long ex-
listed an offensive and defensive alli-
ance.
Fifty-two OF the republican repre-
sentatives who voted against reciproc.
ity come from states on or near the
Canadian border. They are farming
states. Mr.. Mccall we'll said that
'the farmers Of the United States have
bene pushed forward to hide the real
interests opposed to the agreement"
The real interests" whom these re-
pubiicans represented are the interests
that have so long made great campaign
contributions out Of their unholy gains
to keep Metropolitan party in power.
For these states are not only farming
states, they are republican states.
Many Of these flfty-two republicans
coming from states on or near the bor-
der are insurgents. Never did men pro-
Tossing devotion to principle fail more
miserably under test of their SINGER.
ity. Insurgents who made great
show Of anger over President Taft's
Winona speech fought tooth and nail
to defeat the reciprocity bill by trans
parently hypocritical tactics of amend
ment They were SO careless Of even
the appearance OF good faith that they
offered amendment after amendment
adding to the reciprocity agreement ar
ticles from which the duty Is wholly
removed by Mr.. Underwood's farmers
free list bill. The insurgent repub-
Leans made pitful show OF them
selves. Henceforth nobody will accept
at face value their professions Of prin-
ciple.
The dire portent OF this republican
division was made more significant and
startling by the union of the democrats
marshaled by Chairman Underwood In
solid mass in support Of the agree
ment. There were 1876 democrats vot-
ing for the bill and only 10 against It.
Such singleness of mind, OF purpose,
and OF action in the democratic party
has not been seen for twenty years.
The democrats of the house are not
only united they are very ably led.
Mr.. Underwood has exhibited first
rate capacity in his management of the
measure and his control Of the demo-
cratic forces augurs well for the party
in the work 1t has yet to do during the
extra session and In the regular session
to come. Mr.. Underwood's introduce
ton Of the farmers free list was not
only an honest performance of party
pledges, it was an exceedingly good
piece of tactics. 1t took all the heart
and substances out Of the republican
pretense that reciprocity will injure the
farmer and left them only the empty
shell Of that argument. To the pro-
tests and the cries of warning and OF
rage of the old guard republicans APP
palled at the irresistible tide Of tariff
revision sentiment, Mr.. Underwood
fearlessly replied: "The free list will
become a law, or the republican senate
/ that kills it or the republican presi-
dent that vetoes 1t will never be heard
from again." 1t Is long time since
any democrat has spoken in the house
Of representatives such words as those
and with so much justification.
The republican senate must pass the
reciprocity bill, because to defeat it
would be the ruin of the party's hopes
in next years presidential campaign.
A measure affecting not only the reve.
nues, but deeply affecting the people
in their lives and private concerns,
which passes the house of representa-
tives by a vote of 264 to &c. and for
which republican representatives sup
piled more than one-fourth of the af-
4 firmatiye vote, cannot be safely re.
! iected by republican senate.