Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-10-05

plainly against 1t, branding 1t as the
most violent partisan outrage that has
ever been attempted in the state. But
the measure was enacted, and as part
of the new code will go into effect Oc-
tober /.
The democrats have filed their ticket
regularly; the boiling populists have
filed their ticket as the peoples party
ticket. The regular ticket of the peo-
pies party should without question be
recognized if any peoples party ticket
is to be recognized. No person of COM
mon sense and common honesty would
think of disputing this proposition. 1t
is the ticket that represents the party
that cast $4,000 votes for Gen. Weaver
last fall.
A few days ago the matter came up
for determination by the'state election
board, which is composed of the secre-
tary, auditor and encouragement of
the state, which is practically the same
as the executive council. AT the hearing
/, of the matter, which lasted nearly two
days, the Weeks people claimed they
were entitled to the party name because
the regular party had decided not to
make use of 1t. This was absolutely the
only claim they could set up, and this
claim was utterly and absolutely un-
true. The regular populists have not
decided not to make use of the name. On
the other hand they are striving to use
the name and retain it, and every step
they have taken has had that end in
view. They have made out their state
ticket formally, placed it on file with
the secretary of state, and if any peo-
pies party ticket is to be recognized,
in any connection or relation whatever,
they insist that theirs shall be so recog-
nized.
All these things were ignored by the
members of the republican election
board. The only thing they were able
to see was that there was chance to
do partisan act that might be of ben
eft to their party. There was chance
to steal from the peoples party of Iowa,
its name, and turn that name over to
Al political brigands; and they did it.
The whole proceeding amounted to
political grand larceny under the guise
and color of judicial method. The mem
bers of the republican election board sat
as court of equity to consider the issue
| between the contending factions. 1t
| was supposed to decide the case in ac-
ccrdance with the law and the facts and
| the right. There are few people even
among bitterly partisan republicans
who for one moment believed that the
board would have the audacious effront-
cry to decide in favor of the boiling
faction. Among republican officials and
employees at the statehouse and by many
| leading republicans all over the state
| the opinion was freely expressed re-
peatedly, before the decision was rem
dered, that the board, whatever might
be the personal bias of it's members in
the matter, would not have the cour-
age to face an indignant public after
rendering such a decision as that con-
| tended for by Weeks and his AZ boilers.
"The board has been placed under
| great pressure to decide in favor of the
Weeks crowd" said republican state
officer, who is not member of the cleo
| ton board and who has at times been
suspected of honesty, "but it cannot
possibly decide that way because it's
position would be utterly indefensible;
it would not have a leg to stand on in
law, in equity, in common sense or in
| public respect. Such decision would be
recognized as the most glaringly indie
feasible manifestation of bigoted party
spirit ever known. 1t may be that the
election board would like to destroy the
organization of the peoples party; 1T
may be that the members of the board
have been long enough under the in
fuence of the political machine to have
their consciences dulled into condi-
ton of entire insensibility; but they are
too shrewd in political judgment to al
low themselves to make a mistake of
this kind, and thus convict themselves
us being unworthy of public conf
dence."
This expression was given by re-
publican state officer. 1t was echoed,
perhaps in less vigorous form, by al
most every republican of standing who
could be induced to discuss the mat
ter before the opinion of the board was
announced. Yet, in the face of unani-
nous agreement as to the outrageous
| injustice and unfairness of such
decision, the republican election board
deliberately rendered the decision.
The executive council is all-powerful
in the matter Of fixing the valuation
of railway property for taxation pur-
poses. During the past six years the
council has been exceedingly kind to
the railway companies. jackson was
nominated for governor by the rail-
roads, and he and his council served
the railroads faithfully. Drake was
nominated by the railroads, and he and
his council have served the railroads
faithfully. Shaw was nominated by
Blythe and Hubbard, the great rail-
road lawyers, and if he should happen
to be elected the railroads and other
corporations would be served faithful
ly by him and his council.
The reduction in railroad tax valua-
tons under the corporation administra-
tons of jackson and Drake have been
enormous. Several tables, showing re-
auctions have already been published,
but the following tables have not hith-
erto been presented to the public. The
first one relates to the main line of the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad
In Iowa. 1t shows the total mileage Of
the main line of that road for the years
1893 to 1897 inclusive, and the as
sessed valuation per mile for each Of
said years, as fixed by the executive
councils:
Year. Mileage Assessment
1872 .............2S16 Go. $l4, 60(
1888 Isl 65................ a. 00t