Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-10-19
Head Of Agricultural De-
partment Braves Wrath
Of Prohibitionists by Adj
dressing Congress.
SAYS HE DID WHAT
HE THOUGHT RIGHT
Secretary Says His Critics
Mean Well, but American
Government Can't be Run
on Theories They Hold.

Chicago, Oct. 1S-Secretary Of Agri
culture James Wilson braved the acs
cumulated wrath of some thousands Of
prohibition workers throughout the
country today and delivered his speech
at the International Brewers congress-
here In spite Of hundreds Of pro-
tests that had been sent to President
Taft and to the secretary himself,
calling on him to refuse to preside at
the congress, Mr.. Wilson duly appear
ed, welcomed the members Of the Or
ganization and made his speech.
It was q short speech. To the non.
expert auditor 1t consisted merely in
assuring the international visitors the
same courtesy the United States has
received from the European countries
from which some of them come.
''The United States government
sends tourist pleasure seekers. scient'
lists and students to your countries to
learn what they may that interests
them" he said. "The department OF
agriculture sends explorers to all ma
tions Of the eastern hemisphere to find
plants that may add to our cropping
systems, that our agriculture may be
improved and that the prosperity OF
our people may be- enhanced. They
fnd courtesy everywhere, We ret
much that Is valuable from the great
nations OF western Europe and east
ward to Mongolia, Manchuria and
Siberia"
The secretary explained how the
crop yields have been increased BY
importations from Europe and de-.
scribed the enforcement Of the United
States pure food law.
Government Fair to All Industries. I
He then turned to the brewers. A
II called our American brewers to.
gether q few months ago" he said,
''to learn from them what elements
might enter into the manufacture OF
their product, so that its purity might
be considered and told them that the
government officials were about to-
center upon the consideration OF theii
product and that we were disposed tu
deal fairly with all industries recog.
nized by law that enter interstate and
international commerce. We made
progress toward an understanding that
they must not misbrand nor adulter.
ate.
"You come amongst us to discuss
your business interests, and the same
welcome is extended to you that the
people of your countries have tender.
ed invariably to Americans who so
journ in your lands for business. edu.
cational and scientific purposes
Says He Did What He Thought Right.
Secretary Wilson on his arrival here
today to address the International
Brewers congress-, expressed himself
in regard to the criticism that had
been made against him participating
in the affair.
"They are honest, conscientious.
well meaning people, probably with
the best of motives, but this great
American government cannot be run
upon the theories they hold" This
was the reply Of Secretary Wilson to
the protests made and objections that
had been made by scores of prohibit
ton societies and church organiza-
tions.
II do not want to talk about the
campaign that has been waged against
me since the announcement that was
going to speak before the brewers.
do not want to be in the light Of crit
icising them. am simply going ahead
and doing what think is right.
"The majority Of the people who
have attacked me are church people.
! consider that am good church
man myself. Our points Of view diff
fer, that is ALL
Secretary Wilson seemed more in.
terested in the recent progressive re.
publican conference here. He asked
several questions about the meeting.
Asked IL he thought 1t q certainty that
PresidentsTaft would be renominated,
he said: III. would appear to be so.
The republican party never has re.
fused. to re-nominate president, who
has made as credi,-ble record as he
has. There really is no interest In
politics yet. Whatever talk there is,t
Is forced. and the interest manifest IL
largely manufactured"
Brewers President Scores Drys.
President Percy Andreae of tha
brewers, whose speech followed that
OF Secretary Wilson. was severe in
his criticism Of most of the temper
ance reformers.
TN this country, the so-called tenn
perance movement has fallen into the
hands of the most intempeIlte peo-