Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-07-20
DANGER OF LETHARGY.
Republicans Are Urged by Chairman
Weaver to Exert More
Energy.

Des Moines, Ia, July 16. 81 notice
that in the discussion of the coming
campaign the leaders of both sides
seem to agree that the fight will be IN
! the west" commented H. 0. Weaver,
chairman of the republican state COM
| mittee 'but they leave Iowa out OF the
list of states wherein they think the
battle will be fought. Now, this is line
tribute to the state, to the good sense
and stability of her people, but it is
fraught with some danger, especially
| to some of our congressman. If the
campaign is managed on the theory
that it is unnecessary to pay any atten-
ton to Iowa, we shall have some vain
regrets after election. Not that
think the state is close, but Iowa re-
nub]icans are often afflicted with the
disease of over-confidence and we never
made as good showing as we should
in the state. except in 1896. because re-
pub.icans always felt so sure OF sue
cess that many of them were inactive
and many even failed to vote.
II see signs of an epidemic OF this
disease in Iowa. Everyone is saying
that the fight was settled in our favor
at Kansas City. when the democrats
came out for their real issue. IL to and
the Chicago platform. nominated Bry-
an and turned down Towne.' Repub-
leans seem to think that the only thing
| for them to do is to wait patiently for
| the for1nality Of the election to be at
| tended to by others. In 1896 they were
thoroughly frightened and they went
to work and never let up till they polled
a vote of 2s9,2s3 for Mckinley. This
was more than &C, 900 above the highest
republican vote poled in the state be-
| fore. that of Mcfarland for secretary OF
| state in 1894. Harrison in 1892 had
219.CGo. Note how the republican vote
| has fallen since then. In 1897 Shaw had
$4,000 for governor and the next year,
when the election of congressman
| should have carried the vote away up.
Dobson. for secretary of state. had $780,
in bringing the republican vote up to
800 900, still $4,000 short of the vote of
1885, Every county in the state but
four, Clarke. Monroe, Monona and Palo
Alto, showed republican losses in 1899
compared with 1896. The total repub-
lican gains were 14t, while the demo-
Gratis gained $50 in seven counties, name
ly: Benton, Bremen. Cedar. Chicka-
saw, Muscatine, Osceola and Scott"
"And what have the democrats been
doing all this time, Mr.. Weaver?"
'"They have been doing better than
we have in getting their vote out, re-
piled the chairman, though last year
we beat them little. In 1892 Grover
Cleveland had 1000, to which should
be added for comparison the 10000
populist votes cast that year. In 1894
the democratic vote was l49,9s0 and
the populist vote 34,9O7. In 1896 Bry-
an had 223,741, and the next year
Fred White, the democratic nominee,
for governor, had 1883, falling-off
of only 13 per cent. At the same time
, the republican falling-off was % per
cent. of the vote of 1896. In 1898 the
democratic vote in Iowa was 5000
,, and in 1899 Fred White again for gov
ernor had 1926, a reduction of Is
per cent. from the vote of 1896. The
republican vote of that year shows a
reduction of trihe less, II per cent.
from McKinley's vote.
/ Taking the congressional districts
! it is we'll known that the First, Sec
ond, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Seventh
I districts showed republican losses last
year, as compared with 1898. The
Second district gave republican ma
q jority of only forty five last year.
: ut will be well for the republicans
of the state to think of these things
I It would be almost as bad to have the
{ republican vote of the state run dowr
{ so we would have only small major
ity as it would to lose a congressman
or two, and both may happen if the
republicans do not do their duty.
have no doubt we shall elect all ou1
\ eleven congressman, but it will b
+ done by every republican doing hi:
; share It must noA be forgotten thai
y the democrats are better organized il
i, Iowa this year than they have beer
for several years, much better than il
! 1896. They have had their headquar
I tiers open and in active operation IL
! Des Moines for several months ant
: have been securing the state TO
!. fupds."