Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-09-26
GATHERED BY THE WAYs1DE

4 trust had been affected in the least
| by tariff reductions, and the cost OF
living had not been reduced, the only
| effect being to make II harder in some
| places to get the cost of living in the
first place
Aside from on this question and on
the tariff. Colonel Roosevelt presented
! no discussion of any ISSUE but INDUCED
in mere platitudes and generalities.
On the tariff question he declared him.
self to be strong protectionist. but
in favor of delegating to a commission
the power to make the tariff laws. thus
taking 1t away from the people and the
representatives that they may choose
for that purpose.
A point which might easily be over
looked in connection wish the Roose-
welt meeting could have been made by
consultation of the printed platform of
the party in Polk county. as placed in
the hands of those who attended, and
comparing it with what the speaker
said. For instance. the platform. on the
tariff. demands a comm .ssion Ito make
to the congress and the president re-
ports of its investigations and con-
illusions as a basis for such revision.
Cummins said when he was governor
long years ago and put it on record so
there could be no mistake about it. The
same idea was injected into platforms
in Iowa long ago before the third party
was thought of. 1t is the same idea
that President Wilson has suggested.
But it is a vastly different idea from
that of a commission to take over the
matter of making the schedules and
revising the tariff from time to time.
a permanently continuing commission
with authority and power-and that is
exactly what Roosevelt has expressed.
So, also. in regard to the trusts. the
Polk county platform declares for
trade commission with supervision over
industrial corporations. TO the end that
unfair competition may be efficiently
dealt with and monopoly prevented.
But that unfair competition" idea was
long ago injected into the statutes of
Iowa as a principle. after years of
effort to make that much gain against
the trusts and combines. There is
vast difference between striking at ''un-
far competition" ard striking At all
competition. And one could not find
anywhere. in a single spoken word of
Colonel Roosevelt hint or suggestion
about preventing monopoly. but rather
he spoke in favor of regulating monop-
oily or the combines and trust system.
1t has been suggested that these
Polk county writer's of party platforms
have not yet caught up with the pro-
cession.
A short time ago Baltimore organ
in Iowa. in referring to the Maine cleo
ton, declared that the progressive
party caused it" and carried the state
for the democrats. The Davenport
Democrat referring TO this, said:
Any one who had any doubts of the
real service which the progressives are
rendering the country will be set right
by this declaration Of their progress.
They are helping to keep the democrats
in power. and to the democratic manner
of thinking, that is service for which
the country should be truly grateful
The observer at the Roosevelt meet
ing could easily understand that this
fits in nicely with all that was said
there. Not word in enlargement OF
the president. nor of the democrats Not
a word that could be used in any man
ner to take a vote away from Connolly.
but a great deal that was clearly in
tSDGsC 10 take votes away JFOIu = UNI
Minis. In the Tenth district the colonel
was induced to make a savage attack
on Congressman Frank Woods and to
hold him to scorn as one not at all en-
titled 20 be regarded as progressive.
while IL is a matter OF history that when
the progressive group in congress had
business at the White Houe under a
previous administration, Frank Woods
was the man designated to speak for
them. He was. by them, at least, re-
garded as the nearest to being true blue
as d progressive of any man in the
house.
The coming of Roosevelt TO Iowa
probably Will serve one good purpose.
II Will turn attention away from the
war in Europe long enough so that the
republicans and democrats will now be
able to really do some campaign work.
From both sides comes the distressing
information that it is all up hill work
this year, not that the people are really
apathetic. not indifferent, nor that they
are otfish and disgruntied. rather be-
cause they seem to be well content with
things as they are and not disposed to
get excited about anything. Now Roose-
welt has stirred them a little and per-
haps they will get busy.