Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-15
THE OUTLOOK OVERlIN IOWA
Republicans Certain of Victory and
Democrats Dismayed.
AN ENEMY cReeps INTO CAMP.
Seeing No Hope or Bourbon SUCCESS
the Railroads Brazcnly Obtrude
Themselves Among the Re-
publican Hosts.
An Isitliona Foe.


with the railroads, made supreme effort
for supremacy last year, and their signal
failure to reduce or rather prevent the piling
up Of heavy republican maiorities in most
unexpected places has disheartened the poli
ticians and spread general Generalization
through the rank and file. The democratic
leaders last year were well supplied with the
"sinews of war;" contributed largely by
officeholders aud by corporate interests, but
the succession of President Harrison has
thoroughly frightened the few Iowa demo-
Gratis who still hold office, and it
is not likely that they will respond
with any great degree Of enthusiasm when
the hat is passed again for contributions
for the campaign. But what will the cor
porations dol 1t is an open secret that the
railroads would be willing to "pour out
money like water'' to secure the repeal OF
the present railroad law, but being saga
cious business men, the managers do not
care to pour it into frat hole' for the ben
eft of political strikers only, and without
some probability of securing the desired
results. 1t looks now as IL the democrats
and corporation interests would part COM
pany in this campaign.
The railroads have moved over into the re-
publican camp bag and baggage. and are in
dustriously at work striving to control the
primaries. Local papers have been subsi-
dized wherever possible, and an earnest and
determined effort is being made to read the
radical antl-monopolisus out of the party, or
at least to relegate them to the rear. From
the tone of certain papers itiis evident that
n Literary bureau" is at work and articles
are going the rounds complaining of the
radical and vicious legislation of the past
two years, and referring in no compliment
ary terms to the trusted anti-monopoly
leaders. To capture the republican state
convention and majority OF, the house of
representatives is the goal to which all cor
poration influence is now tending. The sem
ate is a weather vane," and should the rail
roads succeed in capturing the house, ma
jority of the august senator's will suddenly
develop very conservative views toward
''vested interests and quickly agree to the
emasculation of the present railroad law.
The nominations for representatives have
been held in very few counties so far and in
those the anti-monop0lists have had things
mated Hon. @. H. Byers. a staunch anti
monopolist, without opposition, and Marshall
county will send back her faithful represen-
tatiy,e Hon Charlss Eskes with
Of the railroad forces in Guthrie
county, where they had the
support of strong party organss the railroad
vote of Stuart, u division station on the Rock
huo eho pICSUEotOl GIL dulc duu pup
ular candidate, indicates that western iowa
| in the coming legislature will stand as q unit
by Iowa interests. Cass county has also
| sounded the key note of the campaign by the
denomination for the third time to the lower
house of Hon. Silas Wilson, the able chair
| man of the railroad committee in the last
| house. Adair will follow by the renomina-
| tion Of Hon. A. ID. Crooks, and Colonel A. j.
Chantty is morally certain to be returned
The eastern part of the state is the main
| reliance of the corporations, and it will be
worked for all there is in 1t, and as the anti
monopoly sentiment in that section is not
| fully developed, some faithful members will
probably go down at The primaries before
| the we'll organized and desperate opposition
There is a disposition among the simon
pure anti-monopoly democrats to assert
| themselves i'll this campaign and once more
assume control of the party, dictate its policy
| and nominate its candidates. Just now this
| element has its eyes upon Hon. w. II. Nc
| Henry, OF this city, and certain influences
are industrously. at work to bring out the
| "Old Roman" aud make the fight under his
| leadership. 1t cannot be denied that Judge
McHenry would make a Strong canvass. He
Is an old settler and is Immensely popular
| with the masses Several years ago he over
thousand for district Judge, carrying this
district Polk, his home county, by some fifty
votes, overcoming the regular party
majority of some fifteen hundred. Judge
| MCttenry lS JHCkHOn uemOCrat OF
the old stamp, ana would stand
no foolishness on the railroad question.
| His anti-monopOly principles are "bred in
the bone," and under no circumstances would
he consent to become cats-paw to rail
read combine. Should the railroads succeed
in capturing the republican state convention
and foist a candidate upon the party who is
in any way Objectionable to the anti-monopo-
lists Judge McHenry would run exceedingly
we'll, and come dangerously near being
| JulUa McHan nrVi IL a tnta1 n no a in r
and was an enthusiastic supporter of the
| prohibition amendment, and for this reason
| would be weak IN the river counties" /" but
he would likely have no objection to running
mum license of $500. This is the kind of a
| platform the democracy will quite likely
adopt, no matter who may be the nominee
| The policy democrats, who hope to effect
industriously grooming benton Hall. of Bur
| lington for the guternatOrial race. Mr.. Hall
is q brilliant lawyer anc q capable politician
of the corporation schOo., but he has no ele-
ments of strength with the farming and la
boring interests, aud coi.Ld mot euthuse the
masses.
Senator Batter, of Ha.ris0n, is also talked
of In certain circles az = possible candidate.
Batter has led an cratic, and somewhat
anti-monopolist Of the old school he became
a leading figure in the granger legislature Of
1874. and was strong and consistent
supporter OF corp9rataen restriction
until two years ago. Owing to po-
| litical disappointment or TO slower
ing ambition o'erleapingi itself" or some
| other cause, he turned ia complete political
somersault, and 1883 found him in the rail
road camp, willing apologist and defender
of every species Of corporation extortion and
| misrule. His career in the1 1ast senate was
thoroughly in keeping withsh,s character as
u corporation capper, ndshis constituents
are fully aware OF this fact 1T is doubtful
II his own county would indorse his candi-
dacy II a tull EXPRESSION of the voice Of the
party could be secured The young demo
Gratis, the boys who do me fighting, would be-
glad to see Hon. +. w. Lehman, of this
city, nominated for governor, but he does
not seem TO covet the honor of leading a
forlorn hope to certaip defeat. Mr. Leh-
mann is perhaps the a9lest stnmper In the
party, and can probably accommodate him
self to almost any sort bf platform, but he
is not willing TO give up his large aud lucra
tive law practice for whirl in the political
ring, only to be knocked out in the end with
no compensating results. 81. REX.