Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-12
DEMOS. BADLY JARR[D
Movement of Independent Demo
Gratis Causes Political
Sensation
PORTER MEN SCOUT THE IDEA
Judge Colo Is Identified With the
Movement, and it Is Claimed There
Is No Significance With Charley"
walsh,s Recent Move-other Iowa
News.
to 1i.nes-Republlcan.

| Special to :limes- Republican.
Des Moines Sept. 12.-The address
signed and issued yesterday ITO the
intelligent and patriotic voters OF
| Iowa by a small but earnest GROUP
of men who cannot be accused OF any
| sinister motive, came like a bolt OF
| lightning out of a. clear political sky
| 1t is true that as some persons have
been looking at it the skies have been
slightly overcast, but the optimistic
| democrats have contended all along
that from their view point there was
nothing but blue overhead. Then came
! the shock which has aroused them
from pleasant dreams.
1t appears that this movement orig
mated a few days after the late con-
over by some democrats who felt that
their party had been seized by ele-
ments Objectionable, that they con-
suited among themselves and finally
when they had read and digested the
keynote speech of their chosen leader
they decided 1t was time to come out
in the open and advise independence.
So far as can be ascertained no re-
publicans have had anything to do
with the movement and they are but
little concerned over it.
Judge c. c. Cole. who is Identified
with the movement, was for many
years a republican but some years ago
went over to the democrats. He is
man of great intellect and has all
ways been of independent thought and
action. He was formerly chief justice
of Iowa w. D. Olney is an active
young man Of Des Moines, who has
large following among workingmen.
e. 7. Meredith is publisher of pros
porous farm paper. And so on thru
the list But it is not so much the
personnel Of the men who have taken
UP the movement as the fact that any
considerable number of democrats have
thus broken away from strict party
lines. 1t is said that the movement
is not in any way connected with the
recent step taken by Charles A. Walsh
and does not contemplate formation
of any independence league" In Iowa.
The address issued refers in COM
plimentary terms to President Roose-
welt and to governors of states VINO
have endeared themselves to the peo-
ple by reason of their defiance of cor
rupting influences. 1t quotes from the
republican state platform on the evil
OF corporate domination in politics. All
that the address pledges the signers TO
is real independent action.
The leaders of the movement are said
to plan for having democrats In each
of the congressional districts take hold
of the matter and secure signatures to
the address, and to organize in every
county Of the state to throw Off the
party yoke They point to the fact
that the democratic candidate for gov
e1.nor made almost his sole plea in his
opening address to republicans for in
dependent action, and at the same time
one of his henchmen is sending out
letters advising that all that is needed
for democratic victory In the fall is
for democrats to vote the ticket
straight In other words. the demos
cratic plan is to count on republicans
scratching their ticket while using the
party whip to keep in line everyone
who has ever worked in democratic
harness.
One who was struck hardest by this
sudden ebullition of independence in
the democratic party was Charley
Johnston. who Is lying awake nights
to think up some scheme for gratifying
personal spite against the governor
Of the state. Johnston not only has
promised to deliver his $4,000 republi-
can votes for the democrats, but is en-
gagged in the task Of convincing demo-
Gratis that it is their duty first and
above all else to remain party men and
to vote it as democrats.
All the Porter supporters were In.
clined to scout the idea of this new
independent movement having any
weight anywhere. They have agreed
to treat it as joke. One democrat
said that they would be able to show
it up as rank republican scheme4to
divide the democrats. He said that
they would see to it that every demo-
cratic paper in the state and every one
which has given the democrats assure
ance they may use it's columns will be
be filled with denunciation Of the in.
dependents or highly finished literary
efforts holding it up to ridicule. We've
got the newspapers in our service this
year." he said, with which to demol
ish any movement looking to the
slightest injury to the democratic par
ty and we will show the republicans
what we can do in that line.'
Developments along this line will be
watched with great interest.