Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-05
PROSPECT
FOR SPLIT
DEMOCRATS MEET AFTER ONE OF
HOTTEST PRE-coNvENTloN
FIGHTS EVER KNOWN.
ADDRESS BY cULLIsoN
Acts as Temporary Chairman Despite
Report That Hearst Men Would Try
to Gust Him-Makes Bitter Attack
on Republican Party.

Des Moines, May 4. - (SpeciaD -
Alter the hottest pre-convention fight
in the history of the party the Iowa
democratic convention began this
morning with every prospect of a split
on the Hearst issue. The auditorium
was half filled with delegates and visit
ors, and was beautifully decorated with
flags and flowers. Chairman jackson
called the convention to order and
named Geo. w. Cullison, of Sheldon
temporary chairman. The temporary
organization as reported by the central
committee was agreed to despite last
nights rumors that the Hearst men
would GUST Cullison. Rev. p. S. Med
bury of Des Moines, delivered the H.
vocation. Mr.. Cullison's address was
in part as follows:
Mr.. CulIison's Address.
Gentlemen of the convention: You are
the representatives Of the democratic
masses of Iowa. You have been chosen by
them and sent here with the hope and de
sire that you will declare their principles
and propose policies that will rescue thei1
country from those who have diverted its
functions. They believe In the equality OF
all men before the law; in equal protection
OF the laws; in equal rights to all and spe
cial privileges to none and in the economi
cal administration of the government. They
believe that public office is a public trust
that honesty and competency are the true
tests for all persons holding the same
that taxing powers of the government
should be limited to raising revenue for Its
support; they insist that public credit
must be maintained and that the honor OF
the nation, In peace as in war shall be and
must remain untarnished from foes with
out and ambitious politicians within. They
fondly cherish in memory the rights pro
claimed by their fathers in the Declaration
of Independence and the limits of govern
ment as set forth in the constitution Of the
United States.
1.-THE right to levy and collect taxes from
citizen or subject Is one of the great pow
ers of sovereignty. Aside from the right
to require citizens or subjects to bear arms
1t Is the greatest of sovereign powers, II
rests In all governments. The history OF
nations shows that no other power has
been SO abused as this 1t has been the
cause of more inter-necine wars In the last
500 years than all other causes combined
Mr.. Cullison then reviewed the effort of our
forefathers to throw off the unjust taxa,
tion of the mother country and of the In
efficiency of the confederation because 1t
had not the power to levy taxes for the
maintenance of the government. How
from this last experience the constitutional
convention "created government of limit
ed powers and conferred upon congress the
right to lay and collect taxes, duties, i'm
posts and excuses? In the discussions OF
the constitutional convention no claim was
made by those great men that the power tt
lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts ant
excuses was intended for any other pur
pose than to raise revenue for the support
of the government. No doubt remains that
IL they had thought this grant Of power
was for the purpose Of Gripping and de
stroying foreign competition and creating