Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-29

cuMMlNs HAS THE ADVANTAGE
Strong Republican Counties Vet to Be
Heard From viii Give Him the
mlnation--RaIroad Money and
Influence Relied Upon by the Per-
kins Managers to Garry Him Thru.
IBy Ora williams.1
special to Tines Republican.

l5y ora NllI,alIS.l
Special to Times Republican.
Des Mones. May 29.-The political
canpaign is at an interesting stage
both sides are claiming a victory in
sight The progressives unquestiona-
bly, have a decided advantage, for
they have only to hold that which
rightly belongs TO them, but the rail-
roads are able to figure out victory
by disregarding some of the plainest
sives say they cannot be beaten: the
railroads say they will win anyway. A
good deal depends on what happens
this week, and yet not all, for no mat
ter what happens the fight will go on
to the hour of the convening of the
delegates.
The progressives have decided lead.
They now rely on the strong republi-
can counties to prevent a change in the
sifuatiou--such counties as Story, Har-
din, Franklin, Howard. Blackhawk,
Buchanan, Dallas, O'Brien and Wright.
The progressives have relied entirely
on the speaking campaign of Governor
Cummins with such assistance as the
newspapers have been able to give. On
their part it has been and is now dis
tinctly fight for principles-for the
primary. that all men may be equal
and bosssm may be banished; for
! equality in the matter of all transport
tation, to the end that corporations
may not control our politics; and for
keeping in the background and out of
conventions and out of office the mer-
cenaries of political life.
The progressives have had no money
nol. organization, no machine. The
I, campaign has been managed by a COM
mittee of volunteers. Most of them
have paid their own expenses and
boarded themselves. They make up III
enthusiasm what they lack in other
things. 1t is true that men in official
position in Iowa-men who are ia
position to know of the immense inn
provement in administrative methods
at the state house-are friends of the
governor. 1t is true that many of them
are doing what they can to advance
progressive ideas. But all this is vol
untary.
On the other hand the railroads
have ether reliance. Just now they are
showing their strong fort. They have
resorted to corruption of the worst
kind. They are making use of money
and passes. They resort to coercion
and to base deception. There is a
county in doubt-straightway an agent
is dispatched thither with abundant
funds and instructions to get the county
no matter how nor at what cost. Re-
lance is placed not on principles nor
arguments, but on Ed. Hunter, Carroll
Wright, Brady, Boehmler, Parrott,
Johnston, Berryhill, Young and others
who sit at the feet of the great Blythe.
And having corraled the counties
which are banded together by the iron
bands of the Burlington railroad, they
| now hope to capture the counties of
central and northern Iowa, where re-
publicanism represents something more
than devotion to a railroad dictator
Political CIaptrap.
The cheapest bit of political clap
trap made use of by the railroads in
this campaign is that in Story county
relating to the veto of the bill to parti-
ally nullify the "long and short haul"
clause of the Iowa rate law. Small
posters have been printed at Nevada
giving what purports to be state
ment Of results that might have been
expected under the bill if it had be-
come a law. The circulars show that
the managers for the railroads have
no scruples. They are full of most
glaring falsehoods. Results of the bill
are stated as follows: Improvement
in the railroad service resulting from
rivalry at competing points,. points on
the long line near a competing point"
would have got the same rates as the
competing point; and that points be-
yond either of the competing points
would have got the benefit Of reduced
rates on trips between the competing
points With this kind of an alleged
analysis of the meaning of the bill
which was vetoed, the circular figures
out how much certain communities in
Story county have been robbed. Here.
for instance, is the poster circulated
at Collins, headed collins Bic" The
argument is that Collins would have
got a passenger rate to Des Moines
81 cents less than at present. Just
how this would have happened is not
explained. Collins is dozen miles or
is no reason why, even if there should
be a reduction of rates at the nearest
competing points. there should also be
a, reduction at Collins. In fact, it is
more probable that Collins would get a
higher rate than lower, for the COM
pany would try TO recoup itself a nom
competing points for losses sustained
at competing points. The theory that
i ~ to
reductions at non-competitive points is
all moonshine There is nothing in the
bill which would have suggested such
proposition. IF railroad company
should find it necessary TO make re-
ductions at competitive points it GER
tainly would not make them elsewhere
when there is nothing to be gained