The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-07-30
LATEST PHASE OF IOWAIsM.

That the republican machine is alive
to it's opportunities is indicated by the
quick adoption of the machine news
papers to tho peculiar cNigencies of
tariff politics. Without a readily sub
scrvient press the machine would find
Itself in a far worse situation as q re-
suit of the course which lowaism has
taken.
In the first place, the machine was
not prepared for the Iowa uprising.
| The sensational bolt of Speaker Hen
dcrson, the vigorous campaign of the
rcvisonists and the consequent sud
den rallying of republican sentiment
dcmoralizcd the defenders of privileged
monopoly. At first even the machine
papers were nonplused, and it was
some time before they got their bear
| ings. The Iowa idea received it's first
advertisement in the republican and
democratic press alike.
Then the machine papers boldly stood
| pat. Previously there had been scarce
| ly a paper in the United States to take
that position; there had been no occa.
| sion to do so, no uprising to combat
The machine had had nothing worse tc
fear than revision by the friends OF
protection, certainly not very danger.
Gus; and the policy Of protection organs
had been not to fight this proposition,
but rather to let the question die in
silence, if it would. Before the Iowa
idea caused a crystalization Of senti-
mcnt, as it were, there was practically
no discord in the republican press OF
the country upon the tariff question
indeed there was very little discussion
of the tariff except by way of laudatioi
andoccasional prosperity sermons.
All at once the Iowa idea set the peo
pie to thinking. There was nothing
specially startling in the idea itself; it
was simply a recognition from the re-
publican standpoint Of evils in the Ding
Icy bill.
Then began the machines work upon
the politicians who were likely to be
won over to the idea, either because
swaycd by the peoples wishes OF
through considerations Of good politics
and while the machines direct cncr
gies were thus occupied it set the news
papers vigorously working upon the
people.
Now that the politicians have sue,
cumbcd, only the people remain to be
conquered. Obviously the best way
to subdue them is not to convince then
that the idea is dead for that would
bring up the question as to how and by
whom and in whose behalf it was killed
but to convince them that the ide;
never existed at all.
Accordingly, within the last few day!
since the machine substituted ;
regular declaration for the revision
promise of the Iowa platform tho
country has been well-nigh deluget
with argument of which the following
taken from the New York Mail and EN-
press, is fair sample: THE Iowa Idle;
; is sound republcanism. 1t never has
been anything else. 1t is only the dem
ocratic version of the Iowa idea tina
has ever offered the slightest oppor
tunity for misunderstanding. The low;
republican platform strikes that per
: version squarely between the eyes ant
knocks it out Of the political arena. /
: is the Iowa idea to maintain protection
| because of the manifest good it ha
: wrought to both capital and labor. 1t
| shelter is to the wage-earncr as wei
S as to the investor in legitimate indus
4 trial enterprise. i Z x Iowa republican
| can take pride in the contrast betwee
Y their declaration of principles and TIL
!; confused, halting demagogism Of TIL
democratic platform
i, There's versatility and volatility
And what nonsense it is charging u
to the democrats the idea which, as tn
"a Iowa idea, originated with Speake
:. Henderson and reached us throug
: such stcntors as Governor Cummins
1t is, however, the democratic Glow
idea which will prevail at last, sup
: ported by the republicans who ar
weary with being duped by a machin
\ and it press. st. Louis Republic.