Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-27
FEAR FOR REPUBLICAN FUTURE.

FEAR FOR REPUBLICAN, FUTURE.
One Of the vigorous republican edit
ors of Iowa, having devoted half a coli
umn to an explanation of the hold the
Cummins personality has had upon the
non-partisan or independent vote of
Iowa, becomes worried for the future OF
his party, and asks in the following lam
guage:
Governor Larrabee made a strong,
personal administration, much as Gov
error Cummins is doing. and was strong
with. the opposition party in both SYM
pathy and support. Yet he was sue
ceeded by a democrat. The support he
had brought to the party was purely
personal and could not be delivered be-
yond his own personality. Can Cover
nor Cummins do what Larrabee failed
to do?"
Lest any considerable number of re-
p%ublicans should lose sleep owe the
dangers suggested in that question, 1t
should be recalled that the democrat
who succeeded Larrabee was Governor
pOlSSs NllA tibi IN was SiSSNSNs an y
cause Larrabee had made a good gov
ernor. as our editorial friend argues,
but because there was then an issue be-
fore the voters Of Iowa which found the
majority of voters in sympathy with the
Boies view. After Boies had been twice
elected on that issue, altho the republic
cans were able to retain control of the
legislature, the republicans themselves
were forced to recognize public senti-
ment and, under the mex administra-
ton, the mulct law compromise was
enacted, which successfully silenced the
opposition that had been responsible
for, a. democrat succeeding Mr.. LARA
bee. The personal popularity of the
latter while in the governors office had
no more to do with the particular event
that followed than had the total eclipse
of the sun which was visible in South
America at about that time. Likewise
1t would be fallacious reasoning at this
time to argue that because Governor
Cummins has been so honest and cour-
ageous, and so fair in Office as to please
both republicans and non-partisans and
to even disarm democratic criticism.
the republican party may expect to dis
integrate when his term expires.
But isn't the real of worry dis
closed In another paragraph of our edi-
torial friends question? Realizing that
he speaks for a certain editorial faction
in Iowa which has been more or less
dissatisfied with the manner in which
republican affairs have been managed
during the past few years, the following
glimmers with significance:
THE question arises, Can any of the
old-time leaders of the party be In
trusted with leadership in the republic
can party at the end of the present era
OF good feeling when there shall be WI
political parties in Iowa, each striving
for the mastery"
The thought might suggest itself that
If the present leaders are doing so we'll
as to maintain 100, 600 majorities. what
good reason is there for returning to
the "old time leaders? but, Of course,
this would not quiet the fears of our
editorial friend. The important point
for him to remember is that no party
depends upon the personality of one
man for its success. The people of Iowa
have an unruly habit OF thinking for
themselves on matters of public inter-
est and Will vote the republican ticket
so long as the republican party is on
the right side of public issues. When
the republican party goes wrong, a few
will still continue to vote the ticket,
right or wrong. but the majority will be
found voting some other ticket and
putting some other set of leaders into
office.
This Is a very important truth for
"~stand-pat' republicans to learn. that
the success of republication does not
consist in getting as far ava from the
democrats ss possible-it Is true that
the democrats by their errors have
themselves made that good republican
policy in the past-but in going steadily
forward In the right direction regard
less Of all other parties. II democrats
like to ride with us let them ride, so
long as republicans do the driving.
Governor Cammins, in defending the
Iowa republican declaration that mo-
nopolies shall not be favored by protec-
tive tariffs, says: 81 am told that that
is democratic doctrine, but I shall not
abandon 1t If 1t is" If the return to
odd time' leaders means that the par
ty must accept the unprogressive views
of the "stand-pat' republicans we viii
admit that there are fair grounds for a
fear Of vanishing majorities or of an
opposition party's resurrection, but
with the policies right and progressive
craftsmanship exercised in selecting
our side of the debate on each issue as
1T arises, there is plenty of room on the
front seat for the 'old time leaders
and little danger of a smash-up to fol-
lo-,