The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-10
LATEST PHASE OF 1oWA1sM.


That the Republican machine is alive to its op-
portunies Is indicated by the quick adaptation OF the
machine newspapers to the peculiar cxgcncies or
tariff politics. Without readily subservient press
the machine would find itself in a far worse situation
4 result of the course which Iowaism has taken.
In the first place. the machine not prepared
for the Iowa uprising The sensational! bolt of Speaker
Henderson, the vigorous campaign of the revisoniss
and the consequent sudden rallying of Republican
sentiment demcrazed the defenders of privileged
monopoly. At first even the machine papers were
noEpused, and it time before they got their
bearings. The Iowa idea received its first advertise
ment IN the Republican and Democratic press alike.
Then the machine papers boldly stood pat. Pre-
vously there had been scarcely paper in tie United
States 10 take that position there had been no oc-
caslon to do So no uprising to combat The machine
had had nothing worse to fear than revision by the
friends of procctior, certainly not very dangerous;
and the policy of protection organs had been not to
fight this proposition but rather to let the question die
of silence, if it would Before the Iowa idea caused
Capitalization of sentiment, it were, there was
practically dscord in the Republican press OF
the country upon the tariff question-indeed there
very little discussion of the tariff by way of laud
alton and occasional prosperity" sermons.
All at once the Iowa idea set the people to think
ing. There was nothing specially startling In the idea
itself; 1t was simply recognition from the Repub!i-
can standpoint of evils in the DiEgley bill
Then began the machines work upon the politicians
who likely to be over to the idea either be-
swayed by the peoples wishes or through con-
siderations of good politics; and while the machine S
direct eperges were thus occupied 1t set the news
papers vigorously working upon the people.
Now that the politicians have succumbed, only the
people remain to be conquered. Obviously the best
way slbdue them Is not to convince them that the
idea dead-for that would bring up the question
to how and by whom and in whose behalf it was
kled-but to convince them that the idea never eS-
listed at all.
Accordingly within the last few days-since the
machine substituted regular" declaration for the
revision prcr:i. -'r natform-the country
has been well-nigh deluged with argument of which
the following. taken from the New York Mail and
Express. is n fair sample: "rhe Iowa idea is sound
Repubcanism. 1t never has been anything else. 1t
is only the Democratic version of the Iowa idea that
has ever offered the slightest opportunity for mis-
understanding The Iowa Republican platform strikes
that perveron sauarey between the eyes and knocks
it out of the political arena. 1t is the Iowa idea to
maintain protection because Of the manifest good it
has wrought = both capital and labor. Its shelter
is to the wage Garner rs we'll to the investor in
legitimate industrial enterprise. Iowa Repub-
licans take pride in the contrast between their
declaration of principles and tie confused, hating
demagogism of the Democratic platform"
There's versatility and volatility! And what nom
sense it is-charging up to the Democrats the idea
which. the Iowa idea, originated with Speaker
Henderson and reached us through such stentors as
Governor Cummins. 1t is, however, the Democratic
iowa idea' which will prevail at last supported by
the Republicans who are weary with being duped by
n machine and its press.