The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-05-21
"REFoRM1NG THE PARTY. +"

and the time has come for all who are interested
IN the dominance of the republican party as it has
existed in this state for generation to stand up
and be counted We do not refer to the personal
ty of any particular candidate for governor, but
rather to the forces which aspire to control the
party in the state
'ln the current contest there is clash between
two great forces one the conservative element and
known quantity in public affairs, the other an or
ganixed opposition, untried and unknown, which
seeks to coalesce lot of Earring, discordant ee-
ments by appeals to prejudice which would do
credit to the following of William Jennings Bryan
in their most active days.
cit is but necessary to cite the prominentfactors
which promulgate this new faith in Iowa republi-
canism to alarm the we'll balanced leaders who have
given character and utility to the party in the state.
Just look at the names of the papers which seek
to name the candidates, from the platforms and
define the policies of the party The Democratic
Des Moines Leader the Democratic Sioux City
Tribune, the anti-Repubican Cedar Rapids Ca
zette the more than anti Republican Des Moines
News the Democratically edited Marshalltown
Times-Republican, and others of the same charac-
ter the state over.
Sat conference of the democratic state central
committeeman recently the principal subject dis
cussed was the candidates before the republican
convention. The papers named above were cheek
and Jowl with the democratic leaders and fully
agreed as to the details. They were of the opinion
that the republican party needed reforming that
ut was corrupt and its leaders must be dethroned.
In former years those democratic politicians made
the same claim, but they sought to effect the reform
from without Now, however, they have decided
to lncucate their peculiar doctrines of government
through the inner councils Of the party-from with
in. That is, they have decided to take hand in
the nomination of the state ticket thereby gaining
control of the state and party at the same time
cit is a fact that cannot help seeing, that
the republican party is on the verge of popu-
ism, and if the democratic agencies at work sue
coed in controlling the next state convention we
shall pass through the same experience that Kan
sas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Michigan have
had. 1t is time for the old guard to stop and sur
vey the situation, for Iowa republicanism is in
Jeopardy
cit is not sufficient for this alliance of contradic
tory hereses to cite the standing of certain leaders
whose fealty to republicanism has been unbroken
IN the past. The records of leaders can not OBJ
scure the frantic attempts of the ssndependent''
press to dominate party councils and dictate poll
c1es Nor can the populistic tendencies of those
same leaders OF the faith be hidden from view
Even Mr. Cummins, among the most honor
able men personally in the party, man of sup
posed mental and political pose made speech
before the Polk county republican convention that
was on par with the most alarming appeals to pre-
JUDGE made by the noted Bryan. He was cheered
by his admirers, because he gave eloquent voice to
the feeling that dominated his supporters We
are greved to note this appeal to prejudice by one
we admire so much, because it discloses the sad
fact that his fine ability will be used to propagate
the false faith and give it effective FORM If the
best poised man among them will become infatu-
ated with this onslaught upon the republican party
as it has existed for the last forty years, what may
we look for from the rank and file if they gain the
control they frantcay seek? This will do to think
about
s'We are not of those who believe the republican
party in Iowa needs reforming We willing to
keep place with the party which has managed
the affairs of this through the trying times of
the last decade and brought it through with mag
nihcent balance in the treasury without increasing
the rate of taxation. We satisfied with the rec
ord of the party that has attained honored leader
ship in both houses of congress and given to the
national administration one of of its wsest and
most useful cabinet officers. The party which has
attained all this affecting the honor of the state
and its material welfare, does not need to be re
formed, especially by the dominating assistance O
the forces it has met in every election and van
pushed for generation
1t seems to be pretty generally percolatin&
through the craniums of the republicans of low;
that to be dictated to in regard to republican can