Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-24
NEWS AND GOSSIP
| AT WASHINGTON
/, (Ry the CourIer's Washington Cor.
/ respondent.)
[By e. H. Hanson.l

[By E. II. Hanson.]
Washington, D. c., Aug. 22.-In con-
nection with his duties as member
of the literary bureau OF the demo
cratic congressional campaign COM
mittee, Representative I. s. Pepper Of
Iowa has made an analysis Of the
Roosevelt platform which proves to
his satisfaction that the third term
candidate Is trying to regain the pres
idency on the accomplishments OF the
present democratic house of represen-
tatives, by filching material from the
Baltimore platform, and carefully
avoiding the three great issues OF the
campaign-the tariff, the control OF
trusts and the regulation Of railroads
Mr.. Pepper holds the distinction Of
being the only democrat In congress
from Iowa. He won his seat In 1910
against the personal opposition OF Col.
Roosevelt, for the former president
made a speaking tour in his district
in support of his opponent. Yet, not.
withstanding the fact that tn esecond
Iowa is republican by nearly three
thousand, Mr.. Pepper won by that
much.
According to the young Iowan, the
third term and the third party candi-
date is a remarkable and interesting
man, but the least original of all ma
tional leaders and thinkers. His art
lies in the selection of the good things
which others have advanced and &C
complished and In his ability to phrase
his advocacy Of those things IN a man-
ner at once satisfying and beWilderlng
to the people.
Mr. Pepper today summed up his
conclusions as follows:
Roosevelt announces IN favor or
the direct election Of senators. The
democratic house and republican SEN
ate this session passed a joint resolu-
ton proposing a constitutional amend
ment for the direct election OF sena-
tors. Not until the democratic major
ity in the house got behind the move
ment did it succeed. 1t failed year aft
er year under the republican regime,
seven of these years under Mr.Roose-
velt's regime. :.
Roosevelt now announces himself
in favor of the limitation Of campaign
contributions and expenditures and OF
publication Of contributions and ex-
penditures both before and after the
election. When Bryan proposed this
In 1908 the third term candidate de-
nounced it in his most vigorous man
ner.
Roosevelt announces in favor OF
contempt and injunction bills exactly
similar to those passed by the house
this session.
Gle favors agricultural education
and farm extension work. The house
and senate have more than quad
rupled last years appropriation for
farm extension work. The house now
has before it the Lever bill for agri-
cultural education. This bill was in
dorsed by the Baltimore platform, as
was the democratic action on the farm
extension appropriation
"Mr. Roosevelt has a plank on a
National Health Bureau. It reads al.
most word for word the same as the
last paragraph in Senator Owens re-
port on his health bill. Whether that
bill becomes law or not, Mr.. Roosevelt
cannot claim to be the originator of
the idea.
"His plank on sociological condi.
tons Is covered by the record of the
house, by the passage of the eight
hour bill for government employees, by
the convict labor bill, by the phos.
phorus match bill, the seamans' bill
and the bill to create commission
on industrial relations.
"Mr. Roosevelt now favors the ply
steal valuation Of railroads. The pro-
gressives in congress have advocated
this for years and the democratic COM
mittee on interstate and foreign COM
MERGE has reported bill providing for
the physical valuation Of railroads.
"Mr. Roosevelt, in his conservation
plank, advocates the reclaiming OF
swamp lands. The democrats apprO-
priated money for this work this year
and the Baltimore platform specifically
Endorsed it.
"In his deep waterway plank he
favors national control OF the Missis.
sippi river and its levees. This Is
another democratic project. The
Baltimore platform declared the con.
troll of the Mississippi to be national
problem. So did the republican plat
form, but the rivers and harbors com
mittee of the house has been consider.
ing a measure providing for such ma
tional control ever since the great
floods Of this year began
"He favors free tolls for American
coast-wse vessels using the Panama
canal. The house passed this. pro-
vision before his convention met and
the senate passed it before his con.
vention adjourned.
"Mr. Roosevelt advocates a non
partisan tariff beard. In the legisla-
tive bill which was vetoed by the
president last week there was pro.
vision for non-partisan tariff board
such as he recommends.
"Mr. Roosevelt favors an income
tax. Only two states are needed to
ratify constitutional amendment pro.
viding for an income tax. The demo.
/ cratic house passed a bill providing for
an excise tax on all incomes OF indi-
auction. Grundy county land is the
finest land on earth, and Of course the
sale attracted a big crowd-one OF the
biggest crowds that ever assembled In