Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-10-22
Republican Campaign News.

Des Moines, Iowa, Oct, 2l.--The
democrats are making strenuous eff.
forts to dodge the issues in Iowa this
fall. j. b. Sullivan, their candidate
for governor, came out strongly in
his opening speech in favor of free
trade. He declared that q protective
tariff should be swept away altogether
and that no barriers should be placed
against the importation of products
from various nations into this country.
Other democratic leaders now begin to
see that Mr.. Sullivan went too far
and they are trying to explain away
his utterances and endeavoring to
show that the democrats do not want
to abolish the protective tariff alto
gether, but simply want to reduce it,.
Ex-Governor Boies is among those
who have taken this position. Demo-
cratic papers are advising Mr.. Sulli-
van to go slow and not to advocate
free trade. However, the utterances
of the democratic candidate for gov
ernor are unqualified and it is an I'M
doubted fact that he is free trader
and is advocating the complete abol-
ishment OF protective tariff.
The democrats appear to be dodg-
ing other issues, or at least trying to
dodge them. They are undoubtedly
attempting to deceive the people with
regard to the free silver issue. At
their state convention this year and
last, they repudiated the Kansas City
platform but by very narrow major
ity. This year in order to placate
the silver men, they nominated state
ticket composed wholly of the men,
bers of the party who had always
been supporters of the Kansas City
platform, and who still believe in it..
j. b. Sullivan, their candidate for
governor, has always advocated the
Kansas City platform and has always
been an enthusiastic admirer and sup
porter of VIM. Jennings Bryan.
There is reason to believe that the
silver men are gradually gaining as
cendancy in the party In spite OF
their defeat at the last two state con
ventions. This year they have the
state ticket with Mr.. Sullivan at its
head. They have reafiirmed the Kan
sas City platform in several county
conventions in spite of the fact that
the state convention refused 10 re-
affirm it. To cap the climax, they
have entered into an arrangement
with w. II. Hearst, publisher of the
Chicago American, to food the state
with copies OF his paper from now UNI
til election. Mr.. Hearst's papers
have always been enthusiastic sup
porters of Mr.. Bryan and the Kansas
City platform. 1t is true that the ar
rangements with Mr.. Hearst are being
made by democrats who are supposed
to be hostile to the platform adopted
at Kansas City, but this makes the
matter all the more suspicious. II
they are willing to place themselves
under obligations to Mr.. Hearst who
has always supported the Kansas
City platform, there is reason to be-
lieve that they may coincide with his
views.
Mr.. Hearst undoubtedly has reasons
of his own for flooding the state with
copies of his paper. While they will
ostensibly be devoted to the interests
of Mr.. Sullivan, his real purpose is
to further his own candidacy for pres
ident. Are the Iowa democrats plac-
ing themselves in a position to sup
port Mr.. Hearst next year? This is a
question that many members of the
party would like to have answered.
IL Mr.. Hearst, who has always sup
ported Mr.. Bryan and the Kansas
City platform, is to receive the sup
port of Iowa democrats, what reason
is there to suppose they were sincere
when they refused to re-affirm this
platform at the last state conventions
These are pertinent questions and
should receive the consideration OF
every voter. A. NJ. p.