Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-08-07

the result as the ballot of any othsr
man, whatever difference there may
be IN station. In skill, In the art OF
manipulation, in the capacity to or
Ganize and the ability to persuade. i
mean system that will require the
candidate to be approved by the voters
themselves. l mean system that
leaves but one door open to the cor
ruptionist namely the door that leads
to the individual voter. That door we
can never Close but it is not easy to
turn the common people from their
purpose.
Would Equalize tho Struggle.
Its highest principle and its highest
effect ought to be in restoring the
power of the common people; in MAX
ing it certain that IL they desire the
nomination Of given man for gov
ernor or sfor any other Office their
votes for him will be counted and will
be potential In accomplishing that re-
suit. Properly administered, 1t will
give the scrupulous man as much
weight in public affairs as the unscru
pulous man. II will give the plain.
simple, common man as much power
in determining who our candidates
shall be as the shrewd, experienced.
skillful manipulation of caucuses and
conventions. IT will give the man
who deems his duty done when he has
expressed his preference. the same
rank In the struggle that is held by
the master of intrigue and organiza
ton. 1t will be a long step toward
the emancipation, of the people from
influences which ought never to an
pear in our political life. 1t will for
tify the citadel occupied by common
men against the assaults which those
who want to use the government to
serve their ends are now so vigorously
making upon 1t.
This is reform which each state
must determine for itself 1t Is be-
yond the constitutional authority OF
congress. You are citizens of the
state of Iowa. You are proud of its
past, hopeful of it's future. I impugn
no. mans motive, nor am I here to
ever chosen In this commonwealth.
do say, howeyer-say 1t openly, say
1t knowingly--that while the finan-
cial and Industrial corporations have
not yet carried to a noticeable degree
among us their operations in politics
al matters, the railways of the state
have, long attempted and are now at
tempting. by all the arts, good and
bad, known to trained intelligence,
wide acquaintance and keen obserVa-
ton, to make themselves SO powerful
in state affairs that nothing can be
done which affects them. without
their consent. Far be 1t from me to
incite prejudice against the railways.
Justice for Railroads.
81 recognize their Importance In our
business economy. They are entitled
to laws which will not only protect
them, but encourage and support them
in every lawful undertaking, but they
must depend upon the calm, fair judg-
ment Of an unbribad people to secure
their rights, They are neither enti-
tied to make the laws nor to execute
them. That privilege, that duty is
yours, and yours alone, and II you sur
render it you will reverse the deelara-
ton of independence, and the rule OF
the common people will have passed
away. 1t us be up and at work. Lei
MS be lust to every interest; but let us
determine once for all, that the COM
mon people will adjudge what is right
and what is wrong for every person
and every corporation within the SOW
ereignty Of the United States.
The Anti Pass Law.
"There is another thing we can DO
and ought to do to clean the political
atmosphere Of Its poisonous vapors,
and keep the sovereignty of the state
in the hands of the people, it's consti-
1....., .,,lo.. A inat the ordinary
forms of bribery, the moral sense OF
mankind is already aroused, and while
not always enforced, the laws concern
ing it are universally approved. we
have yet to put under the ban OF the
law more specious, and instdlous, YET
not less harmful practice, which per-
mits the railways to issue ana men
acting in a representative capaclty 70
receive free transportation. rms
practice, from small beginnings, has
grown into a system which gives 10
the railways more power IN poiltlcal
manipulation than could possibly be
exercised by plain money brfpes.
has reached a development where most
of our delegates to conventions, many
of our county officers, most OF our
members of congress, most OF our
judges, most of our city connc1lmen.
most of our members of the general as
sembly, most Of our state officers and
great many private citizens Of more
than ordinary influence and activity IN
politics, receive passes. In great
many instances the railways do not is
sue these passes with an intent to In
iuence the persons who receive them.
but in obedience to g long established
custom. In great many instances
the people who receive these passes,
accept them in perfect good faith and
are not affected by them, because 1t
has become habit to take and use
them In great many other instanc-
es, however, they are issued by the
railway companies for the specific pur-
pose Of warping the judgment and
changing the course of the men to
whom they are issued. The system
has become vicious, and 1t ought to be
abolished. There is no reason for its
continuance. 1t gives railways an OPP
portunity for corruption which they
ought not to have, and it subjects pub
lie servants to a temptation from
which they ought to be relieved. Ii
the railways cannot obtain Justice
without these things, then the reign
of the common people is a failure, and
we should return with all speed to the