Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-07
THE PRE.coNvENTIoN CAMPAIGN

agH- s E..1rAssH isH4-SHU -t4
The Courier is a republican news
paper. It always has given and ex-
poets to give loyal support to the
nominees of republicans conventions.
1t stands for the recognized principles
of the party, and it believes that these
principles are bigger and greater than
the personality OF any Individual,
whether that Individual be President
Roosevelt, or anyone else. 1t believes
that a system of government based
upon republican principles is the best
for all the people. The history of the
United States for the past fifty years
is a warrant for the belief that we
hold.
1t goes without saying that 1t is
the purpose Of this paper to publish
the news in q fair and Impartial man
ner, and to intelligently comment upon
the same. We shall apply this con-
sistent rule of action to matters at
fecting the pre-convention campaign
among Iowa republicans this year.
Yesterday, in noting the organiza-
ton of a Cummins' club by forty-fve
voters Of Ottumwa, the Courier gave
in full the address Of Major Spillman,
telling why he favored the nomination
of A. B. Cummins for governor. We
fail to understand why the Major
should say, Gin this contest we shall
be misunderstood, often maligned and
misrepresented," and yet in the very
next sentence express a charitable
sympathy for those who do not agree
with him in his particular ideas, by
referring to them as o friends and
neighbors, who lave found themselves
by reason of circumstances, the sub
jects of this system, dominated by
these influences and controlled by its
interests"
What are the principles that are at
stake? Major Spillman says the
first one is anti-pass legislation.
The Iowa legislature has just
adopted an anti-pass law and
this question is no longer an issue.
The next principle mentioned is rail
road rate legislation. That President
Roosevelt represents the rank and
file Of the republican party upon this
question Is everywhere recognized.
That every member Of the Iowa dele
cation in congress IS loyalty support
ing the president in this matter and
is actively engaged N promoting such
legislation is a fact which some peo-
pie in Iowa seem to forget, and upon
which there has been not a little mis-
representation. Iowa republicans
stand squarely for this principle.
and the effort to push Mr.. Cummins
forward as a special advocate of rail
road rate legislation is a manifest alb
surdity. Without referenceto other men
who may be candidates for governor,
Geo. D. Perkins, who is an avowed
candidate for governor, was an advo-
cate of railroad rate legislation twenty
years ago. He earnestly advocated the
enactment of the best railroad rate
regulating law that is possessed by
any state in the union today. Let
us be fair in this matter, gentlemen,
and let tnose who are advocating Mr..
Lummins. because he is for railroad
rate legislation, give the facts and
recognize that upon this question, as
also upon many others, Geo. D.
Perkins has always been the open
and uncomprising advocate of the peo-
pies interest.
The next principle referred to
is that Of state wide primary
law. There is a wide and honest diff
ference Of opinion among Republicans
in regard to such a law. Major Spill
mar lays he believes in such a law
and the writer is equally frank in
stating that he does not believe in
such a law. There is no question of
republican principle involved in this
matter, whatsoever. We are in favor
Of each county being permitted to de-
termine by vote, whether or not it
wants to adopt the primary system Of
nominating officials. If the voters Of
a county want it, then we say they
should have it. But we are not in ia
vor of forcing it upon counties that do
not want it, and a majority of the
members of the legislature, which is
now about to adjourn, were evidently
of the same opinion, for they voted
down the statewide primary without