Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-06-23
4 FEW IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.

him capabilities as Legislator equal to
those possessed by any of the many
brilliant men who have represented
Iowa in the national capital.
Republican.
When the senior editor of the De-
corah Republican opened the con-
gressional campaign with the article
from which the above is clipping
every paper in the 4th congressional
district favorable to the successful
candidacy of Jas. E. Blythe, had to ad-
NIT Brother Bailey's astute shrewd-
ness, his political suavity, his seeming
fairness as shown by the true and
frank admissions regarding the ability
and the bright career promised in the
future for the talented opponent of Mr..
Updegraff. Still later we heartily
agreed with in the sentiment quoted by
the DecOrah Republican from the
Mason city Express, one of Mr..
Blythe's home papers. The paper de-
nounced as disgraceful the belittleing,
by political opponents, of the past
efforts of either candidate to serve his
party or his country. We have no de-
sire to clip laurels from the brow of our
present congressman. We would much
rather embellish them by recording
what is known as the "Updegraff Bill"
though not originated by the man
whose name it bears, in glittering
raised letters, bright monument near
which are few isolated oases on the
otherwise desert plain that marks the
era of the eight years congressional SER
vice of Mr.. Updegraff. He is an old
man and adamantine indeed is the
heart that desires to rob the remaining
years of his life of the pleasant salts
faction that will refresh his declining
years. When in the quiet retirement
that the Congressional Convention at
Charles City will mark out for him
he gazes upon the monument so much
embellished, so highly polished, so
conspiciously brought to public notice
by the brilliant newspaper men of the
4th district, and say "tis true, am not
its sire, but 1 aided the fostering and
nourishing of it into life. My position
gave it name; therefore, behold the
monument of my eight years in con-
gress."
Has the DecOroh Republican dealt
thus fairly with Mr.. Blythe in grant
ing him full honor for his work? In
one of its late issues it published what
it is pleased to head "a Fair State
ment" quoting from one Of the Upde-
graft papers in the district which at
tempted to make comparisons derog-
atory to Mr.. Blythe's ability, such
comparisons being but the unsubstan-
tiated assertions of the editor publish
ing them. The belittleing coming
from the other side, we are forced to
ask the would be laurel robbers few
questions and defy any Updegraff
paper in the district to truthfully
answer any of them negatively. Not
that we in any way fear for Mr.. Blythe,
for he can make laurels for himself
more rapidly than the inactive Opde-
graft and his managers can pluck them;
even if they turn their whole attention
to the piucking business. For closeness
of organization, attention to details and
everything that tended to successful
campaign work did not Iowa rank
among the first states in the union un-
der Mr.. Blythe's management? Did
Iowa get out larger percentage of the
presidential vote of 1892 and 1898 than
any other state in the union? If so,
why? Did not Kansas, Nebraska, and
even the older state of Illinois send
representatives to Des Moines to ex-
anime Iowa's system and get advice
from Iowa's Chairman in regard to
plans of organization and plans for
getting out the vote, during Mr..
Blythe's chairmanship? IfMr. Blythe
has no strength among legislators why
was he selected to make Mr.. Gears
fight for the position of u. s. Senator?
Did he make winning fight? We
might fill columns with the work Mr..
Blythe has done for the public, all of
which has been recognized throughout
the entire state. Shall we selfishly
neglect to do him honor at home?
The Updegraf papers desire compari-
son of qualities between the forty year
old boy and the sixty-two year old
man. Mr.. Blythe is man of unusual
activity and personal magnetism.
None claim activity for Mr.. Updegraff,
and very few personal magnetism.
Mr.. Blythe is son of a Union Soldier,
who enlisted after he was fifty years of
age. The brother of a man who went
into the army as a private and won his
captains bars by soldierly conduct
and bravery; who was wounded four
times by rebel bullets. Mr.. Updegraff'
has faithfully served the veteran, Mr..
Butler did the same, and congress
man who does not is not worthy to be
classed as an American citizen, much
less representative in congress.
n