The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-10-26
TROUBLE FOR HEPBURN
Begins to look as if there would be
Organized Opposition to him
fer denomination.

Since Coz. nepburn's return from the
Philippine Islands there seems to be
considerable awakening in congress
sional politics in this district, and it
looks as if the colonel and his support
ers had commenced to realize that the
candidacy of A. |. Smith, of Mt. Ayr, is
m Joking ma tier, and from now on until
the republican congressional convention
is held the indications are that things
will be decidedly warm. AS soon as
Col. Hepburn reached home he started
out on tour of the district, although
the election is not for over year vet,
and he has visited nearly every county,
although claiming that his visit was for
other than political purposes. For in
stance reception was planned at
Centerville in connection with a recep-
tion held for Major Stanton. On his
way to Centerville, he accidentally
stopped off at Charlton where an old
soldiers reunion was being held, and
of course he made an address. He has
also visited College Springs where SEN
aror Lewis made his speech which
created such furore in the republican
ranks, and the Colonel is making offers
to deliver lectures on his Philippine
observations in every county in the
district, masking his real purpose under
the cover of giving the lecture for the
benefit of some local charitable organi-
zation in each town. He spoke in Mt.
Ayr last Wednesday evening for the
benefit of the cemetery association and
on Monday evening at Centerville for
the benefit of the ministerial associa-
tion. Arrangements are being made for
him to speak at Leon for the benefit of
the library fund. The Colonel is skilled
in the art of political scheming and he
is getting in his work.
The situation in Taylor county is
regarded as serious by the Hepburn
managers, as the progressive republi-
cans of that county headed by such men
as former congressman ]. P. Flick, his
son, attorney Bruce Flick, Judge w. E.
Miller, county chairman Paul Haddock,
ex-representative A. J. Sewers, county
! superintendent II. S. Ash, W. NJ. lac cksofn
and many others have been circulating
petitions or declarations of principles
all over the county and have secured
| ha of hnp oe
constitute clubs in their respective
townships. This plan was urged by
Gov LaFollette, of Wisconsin in his
speech at the Bedford chatauqua a
couple of months ago. The Taylor
county republicans call their new or
ganization the Common Peoples Re
publican League Col. Hepburn wild
have hard work to reconcile his record
with what they demand in their declar-
alton of principles. The pledge is as
follows:
| We, the undersigned, hereby associate
ourselves under the name of the Peo-
pies Republican league of Taylor
county, Ia, and until further ordered
shall be township committeeman in and
for said township, and Paul S. Haddoek,
by virtue OF his office, as chairman of the
county republican committee, shall be
chairman of the county organization of
the said league, and we hereby adopt
the following principles and pledge our
selves to the attainment of the follow
ing eads:
First To destroy the political power
of the machine by which the corpora
atoms and their representatives perpct-
uate themselves in the control of the
public offices OF the county, district,
state and nation through which the
laws are made, construed, and executed.
| Second-ro destroy the machine prac-
tice of awarding postoffices and patron
age to newspaper publishers as re-
ward for their support of machine con-
gressmen and of railway and trust
interests, regardless of right, truth. the
public welfare, and the freedom of the
press.
= Third To Danish by law from our
state and national capital the corrupt
lobby maintained there by selfish cor
porate interests as constant menace
to honest legislation.
Fourth To Danish by law the free
pass and gratuitous mileage book as the
chief instrument of the machine for the
corruption Of public officials and the
influencing of citizens and political
delegates.
Fifth--To destroy the corporation
caucus and restore to the whole people
the power of selecting their candidates
for United States senator's, congressman
and all state, district, county and town
ship officers by means of state primary
law based on the Australian ballot sys-
tenn.
Sixth TO secure the honest and thor
ough revision of the interstate com