Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-14
set with difficulties. Here the stead i.


these treasury plunderers careless in
their raids. Not content with moder-
ate hauls they enlarged their thefts
and in fact finally threw off almost all
disguise and commenced stealing open
and above board. This bold conduct
is reconchable with no other theory
than that of complete reliance of par
ty supremacy. 1t is useless to try to
pile all the guilt of this maladminis-
tration of state affairs upon one or
two. The manner of management of
the republican party of this state ID
primarily responsible for the loath-
some situation. 1t is the inevitable
outgrowth of the low tone of political
morals pervading republican headquar-
tiers which in itself is the sequence Of
continued supremacy. What is known
now in politics as the power Of the ma
chime is what invites and shelters ras-
sality and the grip of this republican
machine on the party in this state ID
something marvellous. A mere change
OF candidates will not relax this grip.
1t is there to stay. 1t defies every at
tempt to loosen its clutches. It win
assume every possible character and
masquerade under every color in order
to retain it's hold. 1t will offer up
prayers in the synagogue, look straight
up into heaven on the street corners
or carouse with the rabble, all for the
sake of power to enable it to plumber.
This machine will one year embellish
10 party platform with soul stirring
a hC,1 S1,sk
next year will desecrate it with tho
diabolical mulct but both years the
machine will have it's eye
ON plumber. Everything il
subordinated to this yoracious
appetite. There is but one remedy,
there is but one thing that will make
the machine let go, and that Is the de-
feat of the party at the polls. While
the masses of republican voters can
not be fairly chargeable with any de-
gree Of responsibility for the crimes
that have been Committed, their re-
sponsibility will begin il, by their
votes, they continue the party n
power.
LIABILITIES OF RAILWAY COM
Il EANlES
Our position on the question OF the
liabilities of railway companies is set
forth in the following resolution:
I'VE demand that the statute in OBJ
Grafton in Iowa for more than a gem
Grafton, holding railroad corporations
to strict accountability for negligent
injury to their employees, shall be re-
stored, by proper amendment, to its
original scope and intent. We hold
that the clause of said law, which pro-
vides that no contract which restricts
such liability shall be legal and bind
ing is eminently fair and just; that
contracts in contravention of the spir-
it OF this provision are against public
policy, and should be void; and we de-
mand that the protection to life and
limb, embodied in this provision, shall
be fully restored in order that corpora
tions engaged in the operation OF rail-
ways shall not be allowed by insur-
ance contracts or otherwise to escape
liability for their acts of negligence or
shift this just responsibility upon the
shoulders of their employees. We hold
that any other rule is an inducement
TO negligence and sets premium on
wrong doing" ,,s.. HIHl
The position hero taken by our
platform is unquestionably proper
one. In all hazardous employments,
such as coal mining and railroading,
the law should afford every possible
protection to life and limb. Employ
n oh H.
full measure of responsibility.
Through no device should this respon-
sibility be lessened. When an en-
ploye receives an injury as the result
of the carelessness of another en-
ploye, the payment of reasonable dam
ages by the employing corporation
should be secured to the injured par
ty. Any shifting of this liability
should never be permitted.
l most heartily endorse the demand
of our platform concerning the reform
in our taxation laws. Also the de-
mand that mo state officer, whose du-
ty 1T is to parr upon questions PERTAIN
ing to insurance, building and loan,
banking or other corporate business,
shall hold amy official position or own
any stock in any such corporation"
CONCLUSION.
Let me in conclusion refer 10 oue
more subject. want to express to
you my everlasting adherence of gov
by injunction. Unless In pos
ltlvely extreme cases when destruc-
ton of property is imminent the an
junction should be avoided as we avoid
the pestilence. An indistriminate.
sweeping use of this power Ia sad
condition into which we seem to bo
drifting is no more compatible with
civil and political liberty than is the
ukase power of the Russian car. Tho
one is as poisonous and deadly to hui
man freedom as the other. Al
conceded plenary use of this power In
the hands of partisan judges would be
an organized despotism far more de-
structive than the despotism Of the
English king and parliament against
which your ancestors waged seven
years. war, a war which involved In itS
broadcast sense the entire question Of
free government. After the lapse Of
over century of time are we going to
surrender the fruits of that victory BY
tolerating in our midst a form of OPP
preston greater than your fore-fath-
ers threw off? If we can not maintain
the right of free speech we shall find
ourselves unable to perpetuate the
blessings of liberty to secure which
such heroic sacrifices were made. 4
The democratic party, the natural