The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-09-28
POLITICAL ISSUES OF IOWA.
Scott County Democratic Conventions
The N0minees--Speeeh by Iowa's
Next Governor.

The democrats of Scott county assems
bled in delegate convention at the Ger
man theatre in Davenport Saturday 1t
being the day also for an address from
State Senator c. E. Whiting, the demo-
cratic candidate for governor, the theatre
was elegantly decorated. After the res
port of the committee on credentials had
been accepted, the following nominations
were placed in the field:
For State Senator-W. 0. Schmidt, of
Davenport.
esentatives-George II. Clark.
Hickory Grove; Phillip Dietz, WalcOtt.
County Superintendent + Birch
| ard
County Auditor-C. c. Campbell.
County Treasurer. Pricster.
Sheriff-Nat Leonard.
Surveyor Thomas Murray.
Coroner-Dr. James McCourtney.
Hon G. E. Whiting. the next governor of
Iowa. then delivered an address. He said;
This was new departure in Iowa poll
tics and the question might well be asked
who he was and where he came from.
| Thirty years ago he came to Davenport
to haul loads of lumber to his home at
Marengo That was the time before there
were railroads in Iowa He then moved
| to the Missouri river. then wilderness
and for twenly-siX years continuously
had been employed upon his farm. Plat
! form speaking was not his forte. \ new
idea mad cone TO the men of Iowa, that
the labor of this great producing state
should be represented in the highest Of
| flee in the state. He referred to the won
derful growth Of the state and the devcl-
Opement of its natural resources. By
| labor and with the aid of east
ern capital all of this had been
done. Today Iowa has a ready access To
all the markets of the world. Why should
not the brain power that had done all this
be enabled to control and administer the
affairs of the state He would ask the
agriCulturalists to what extent their taxes
supported public institutions and the
public schools in the districts. You GER
tainly sustain large proportion and we
want an equal share in state manages
ment. Referring to the state platform OF
the two political parties he said he had
stood on tie democratic platform all the
years of his manhood life The republi-
can platform was one continuous ARA
of glittering generalities and had no more
power to carry out the promises they have
made than two trains can pass on the
same track They say they are in favor
of regulating railroad rates aud transpor
tation. The distinguished gentleman
from Marshall offered an amendment 10
the railroad bill that completely killed il
and the railroad attorneys came to us and
said We have so amended your bill as TO lie
galize unj just determinations, now pass il
if you want to. The party that tells you
they are in favor of controlling the rail-
roads voted down and killed the bill u.
The incorp0rators were aliens ia our
midst and bill to make them citizens
slumbered in the committee room. In
that platform we are told by the Other
party that they propose protecting
public lands He told of the acqui
sition of territory to the United
States until it reached its present
proportions He claimed that during The
first "A years of democratic rule only d
little over 81, 900 900 acres were given
away and large Iportion of that wa;
granted to the states and for school pur'
poses. Iowa received more than Illinois
did and a republican legislature gave il
away to the railroads and never has 8
: cent of revenue been derived from it.
Gen. Garfield made the remarkable state
ment that $50 DOC, 600 acres of land had
been given away and 1872, 600 600 of thai
amount to corporations. Another matter
that will enter into this political cam
paign was the prOhlbItOry law. There
was general opposition to il and it was ;
dead letter on the statue books. Whisky
was free in all parts of the state and un-
taxed. Des Moines formerly received
$50, 900 in revenue annually, and now
there are 155 permits there and not a cen
of revenue has been received. The pro-
hibitory law fails in counties that were
supposed to contain Il strong prohibition
sentiment There was a question arising
as to the honesty of the men who passed
that law. The big dstilery turns out Il,
600 gallons of whisky per day, and thu
legislature refuse to suppress it, bu
passed prohibitory law. Today the Law
was dishonOred and mangled thing a
the feet of its friends, The position %
the democratic party is that it be tori
from the statue books and be buried for
ever There was more intoXcation along
the Missouri river than at any time fo
, thirty years. Why is Iowa wiser than he
sister state, Illinois, where there is Ii
cense law. The collector of internal rev
} in Chicago to the number of 1900 anC
, S2,000,000 of revenue was annually de
rived II be should be called upnn e