Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-07
POLITICS IN IOWA
Republican Leaders Willing to Face
Any Issue.
AWAITING TEE TROOPS FROM MANILA
The Presidents Visit Expected to
Arouse Patriotic Sentiment.
FIGHT OF THE DEMOCRATS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star

DUBUQUE, Iowa, October 5, 1899.
Republican leaders are giving their people
a campaign of education. That is their no
ton Of what the canvass should be. Here
in the home of Senator Allison and Col.
Henderson. the prospective Speaker of the
House. an idea may be had Of the thor
oughness Of this campaign. Col. Hender-
son usually makes talks of twenty minutes
or half an hour. This time he says he has
succeeded in COMPRISING the issues into
twenty-one columns. That is pretty long
speech, but it is also pretty thorough
exposition of the views of the Speaker that
is-to-be and Of the principles which may
govern him in the organization of the
House committees. He speaks for himself
a republican who sustains the national
administration. Senator Allison occupies
the same position. Within a week nobody
will doubt that the Iowa republicans are
in full accord the leading questions. Be-
cause some of them were mildly against the
annexation of Hawaii it was assumed that
trey might be lukewarm in their indorse-
ment of the new issues of expansion. That
assumption will no longer hold.
Republicans Meet Any Issue.
Some time ago the republican leaders of
the state told the democrats they could
take up whatever issue they wanted and
the republicans would meet them squarey
on it. So when the democrats chose ex-
pansion or. they call it, imperialism, the
republicans promptly accepted the chal-
lenge. There will be more talking and
more literature this subject than on
any other issue of the campaign. A few
weeks back the republicans We're nervous
about the returning soldiers. They had
heard so many stories of discomfort and so
much fault-finding that they feared there
might be something in this. and the volun-
teers might come back lukeWarm in sus-
tanning the war. Since the soldiers from
the adjoining states have begun to return
misgivings on this point are no longer felt.
Whatever their individual views may be
about the value of the Philippines as a
summer residence for Americans the in
fiuence which has gone out from among
them has been in support of pushing the
war.
So the iowa republicans are now worrying
lest the democrats do not have the chance to
make their promised appeals to the volun-
teers, as witnesses against Imperialism and
milftarism. That was what Mr.. White, the
candidate for governor, and his associate
candidates proposed to do. The Iowa regi-
ment will reach San Francisco fortnight
before the election, perhaps sooner. But
there may be some delay in having them
discharged and enabling them to return to
the state. The republicans are more than
willing to cooperate with the democrats
in fastening the return, and thus assuring
their presence before the election. This
change from the feeling Of apprehension to
that Of confidence Is quite significant
The German Element.
The German element is strong in
Dubuque and the surrounding country
Partly owing to the personal influence Of
Senator Allison and Colonel Henderson
there are fewer evidences Of disafection
among them than among the Germans else
Uh rn1 to
mistic on this point. He speaks from per-
sonal knowledge and is confident that the
sound money issue in itself would be strong
enough to hold them in line. His opinion
has been strengthened by what he has
learned concerning the democratic meet
information is that the Germans have
shown little disposition to attend these
meetings and to listen to anti-expansion
talk.
his opinion. but he is also hopeful that
there will be no German detection in north
eastern Iowa. Some of the counties in the
northern part of the state have a German
element which has remained democratic
In spite Of the financial issue. These Ger
mans are still democrats. yet in taking ac-
count of them it is not correct to make
claim of republican defections That is
what the democrats have been doing.
Effect of the Presidents Visit.
ITeSiueHl MChIHlcy tlSlI IS cApcClcu "
have marked effect in arousing the patri-
otto sentiment. There Is no question that
this will be SO. The people of the west
are anxious to have the President among
them. What he says will be received with
great weight. While it is not presumed
that the President will talk politics it Is
assumed that his speeches will not be hurt
full to his own administration. And since
both republicans and democrats are agreed
that the campaign shall be fought ma
tional issues the presence of the chief mag
istrate will naturally emphasize those is
sues. President Mckinley will enter the
state in the western part and will travel
through the country that Is teeming with
agricultural prosperity. That will help the
republicans to keep up the issue of good
times. In Dubuque, as in other parts Of
the state, many of them have admitted to
me that it is difficult to talk sound money
because the people are not discussing the
money question. They will not listen to
free silver talk at all, because they are
not interested in it, and they are also i'm
patient Of arguments controverting free
silver. 1t is rather queer condition. but
it is based on the acceptance Of the gold
standard.
Fight by the Democrats.
While the republican prospects are thus
stated, it should not be understood that
the democrats are not making a plucky
fight, for they are. Bryan is to spend a
crowds, though not as large as greet him
in Nebraska. While Mr. White, the can
didate for governor, is doing most Of the
talking for his party, he will have aid
from some of the fusionist elements. Gen.
eral J. B. Weaver, who was the presiden-
tial candidate Of the populists some years
back, helped to have what there is of that
party in Iowa indorse White. General Wea-
yer was originally a republican green
hacker, then q fusionist congressman and
afterward a straight-out populist. He has
taken his faction OF the popuiists into the
democratic camp. but instead Of preaching
free silver he 10 talking anti-expansion
This is another of the many evidences OF
the degree to which free silver Is in the
background as q live issue, though it still
stays in the platform.
Former Governor Horace Boies, who
wanted to be the candidate in 1895 instead
Of Bryan, and who was brave enough to
hold out against the ratio of 10 to /, is
now fretting with his old ideas of rehabil-
itating silver through some mysterious pro-
cess of warehouse receipts. It is signia-
cant while Boies was conservative silver
man, II there could be such a thing, and Is
still conservative. the radical 16-to-1 advo-
Gates have simply dropped their hobby and
swept by him. So Mr.. Boies is out Of pub
10 life for good, though he Is given the