The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-06-30
IOWA REPUBLICANS.

The Iowa Republicans held a state
convention at Des MONIES on Wednesday
which was largely attended but was sing
ularly tame and spirltless in its proceed
| ings. This is attributed to the fact that
there was no contest over the candidates
for political offices, the present Governor
and Lieutenant Governor having been
unanimously nominated tor reelection,
and that on the debatable issues, the con
venton was too strongly packed one
way. The main strife, indeed, was over
the non-politlcal office of Supreme Judge,
the temperance zealots demanding the
sacrifice of Judge Day, who was one OF
the Judges who decided the prohibition
amendment Of last year not to have been
constitutionlly adopted and the nomlna-
ton in his place of Judge Reed, of Coun-
Gil Bluffs, violent prohibitonist. On
this issue, indeed, there was blood enough
in the eyes OF both sides to have inaugu-
rated splendid fight, but the temperance
zealots came in such overwhelming ma
jorlty that the opposite side saw that a
fight would be useless So they sullenly
submitted and the fanatics" had their
own way throughout. They not only
mercilessly cut off the head of Judge Day
but made prohibition the leading plank in
the platform, so that every Iowa Republl-
can who IS not prohibitlonist is virtu-
ally read out of the party. The only 9TH
er plank in the platform that Is not mean
ingless platitude IS that which pledges the
Iowa Republicans to the OHIO John Sher-
man tariff for protection only" on
which, again fight was avoided only be
cause the tariff reformers among the Iowa
Republicans, of whom there are large
Numbers scattered over the state, were one
to ten IN the minority IN the convention,
though still in sufficient numbers to put
in a vigorous mo" on the adoption OF the
platform. As TO the general outcome of
the convention and feeling in regard to It.,
the correspondent of the Chicago Tribune
writes
The action OF the convention is vari-
ously commented upon around the hotels
to night The defeated element is not
especially demonstratlve, but a feeling of
gloom Is prevalent among them which Is
not to be misunderstood. Many Of them
look upon the action OF the convention in
the adoption of the platform and the de-
| fna nF M ton a nt
magnitude that recovery from 1t Is lmpos-
sible. The Tribune correspondent sought
out several gentlemen from the eastern
part Of the state and they were unanimous
in their expression Of dissatisfaction at
the result 1t was expected by them, but
1t Is all the same disappointment TO
them. Said one prominent gentlemen,
who IS member of the Legislature: "My
county was good for 5000 Republican
majority before the Republican party
burnt Its fingers with the prohibition
question. 1t will give $500 majority for
the Democratic state ticket this fall. The
county adjoining it on the north, which
has generally been close and sometimes
Republican by 400, will give 2s00Democrat.
ic majority. might cite others where the
change Will be equally as marked" he
continued. "but what is the useg Moth
ing will teach these Jealous advocates of
prohibition the futllity of the policy but
square and fair defeat If they would
profit by example they would have heed
ed the voice from Kansas, when st. John
was retired last fall, but nothing except
the NORWOOD OF bitter experience will
teach them. The lesson Is close at hand"
Ex-Governor Kirkwood, who was ST.
lent spectator of the proceedings, Is said
to have gone home profoundly disguised,
with the full persuasion that Kansas
tornado, such as that which swept Gov.
St John out of office, is the only cure for
the prohibition craze of the Iowa Republl
cans, and that it Is surly coming this fall