The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-09-26
AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN,

Chairman O'Connell, of the democratic
state central committee, has gwen out
the statement that the campaign in Iowa
this fall will be made squarely on the
platform and that it will be educational
in its character. He made some sharp
thrusts at Mr.. Cummins few days ago
while visiting the state headquarters at
Des Moines. Republican ammunition
will be used against the opponents.
The Harriott protest will be used and
some of Maclean's nti-Cummins edi-
torials.
An educational campaign with special
attention to the iniquities of the present
system of railway assessment, Mr.. Nc
Connell Indicated would be features of
the democratic plan of action. Being
4 questioned in regard to the democratic
campaign, Mr.. Mcconnell said
The differences among Iowa demo-
Gratis at the present time are fancied
rather than real, and these differences
have been greatly magnfied by the re-.
publican newspapers throughout the
state. Oar campaign will be largely
educa .ional, and will be made squarely
on the platform adopted by the demo-
cratic state convention. The republi-
can indorsement Of the Shaw admins.
tration, AMI the failure of the republi-
cans to promise any reform in the tax
alton OF the corporations of the state,
as we'll as the efforts of the Cummlns
machine to conciliate those who opposed
his denomination, have led the voters
20 believe that this election would be
simply the exchange of one railroad
machine for another. Voters, very
naturally, are asking themselves wheth-
er Mr.. Cummins' election would result
in decrease in the Rock Island rail.
road g taxes to II per cent of its value,
or an increase IN the Burlington's and
the Northwestern's g taxes to 13 per cent
of the value of those roads. There is
no answer to the question in the repub-
lican platform or in the attitude of the
republican candidate, whose first public
utterance was an Endorsement of Shaw's
administration, and consequently of the
railway assessment which Mr.. Herriott.
Mr.. Cummins' colleague, had the bold
ness to denounce.
The launching of Shaw's presidential
candidacy at this time will be an ad.
ditiOnal embarrassment to Mr.. Cum.
mlns' campaign. If, rs his colleague on
the ticket, Mr.. Shaw has been subservi.
ent to the interests of the railway cor
porations in his official action as mem.
Der of the executive council, Mr. Cum.
minis cannot consistently support MIR.
Shaw's candidacy for the higher office
and at the same time lay claim to being
) in favor Of reform in corporation taxa.
,ion in this state. Obviously man
whom Mr.. Cummins' running mate des.
ignates as a tool of the corporations can
hardly command for the high office OF
; president of the United States the sup.
port of an alleged reformer in politics.
''ln reaching out for the support Of
the great railroad interests that opposed
; his nomination, Mr.. Cumnins is also
seriously embarrassing Mr.. Herriott's
. caudidacy. II Mr.. Herriott was right
on the suffice. Of railway taxation, and
: Governor Shaw and the other mem.
bers Of the executive council were wrong
it must be plain to every person of av
erage intelligence that MIR. Cummins
cannot secure the aid Of Governor Shaw
and the favored corporations for both
himself and Mr.. uerriott. The inevita.
ble conclusion is that the republican
: candidate for governor intends 10 le
]. Herrlott shift for himself, and that he
: MIR. Cummins, will take his chance:
with the Shaw crowd. 1t is an embar
{ rsssing situation for both MIR. Cummin
: and Mr.. Herriott, and the embarrass
nent will certainly increase as the cam
paign progresses. The republican farm
: ers Of the state have been paying taxe
that should have beer paid by the cor
porations, and they are beginning t,
look with suspicion on the evident de
T sirs Of their candidate to court the fav
or of these interests.
"A It will doubtless be highly edifyine {
< the republican taxpayers Of the stat
u 10 witness the husging match bstwee
] Mr.. Cutnmins aud the political attorne
Of the Chicago, Burlington 4 Quinc
that has bees arranged by the Gran
v club OF Des Moines, to take place in u,
near future-as soon as Mr.. Blythe vi
: consent to be hNgged. The republics
S tsxpayers will not be entirely satistie
if Mr.. Herriott ard Attorney Hubbar
of the Northwestern road shall not upo
), that suspicious occasion, also embra,
:" each other with passionate feryor.