Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-08

winch is tHc nearest appTOdcu 10 an
election by the voters that is possible
without change in the constitution
For years, the voters have. in sub
stance. voted for the President and
Vice President, for it is hardly possible
to conceive of an elector venturesomc
enough to disohey the implied com
mand put upon him by the voters of
his state.
Direct Vote Ger Senator'S.
Senators in tie congress Of the
United States are still elected by proxy.
but the general assembly of the state
of Iowa and the conventions of the
several political parties have repeat.
eddy declared for change in the con
stitution that will require their elec
ton by direct vote. and in so doinl'
they have been associated in action
with the legislatures and parties OF
more than one-haIf the states of the
Unien. Every lover of his countr,
must see how important it is to make
the voter as influential as possible IL
the management of public affairs. Our
government is founded upon the vita
thought that the citizen is intelligen
enough and patriotic enough to hole
opinions and to express them. TIL,
clear trend of modern reform is towar3
the enlargement of his power and tn,
awakening of his sense of responsi
bility.
Voters Should Determine.
All men will agree that the voters OF
any political party should determine
who it's candidates should be. This.
assume, is fundamental truth, hello
as firmly by those who are against the
primary as by those who are for it,
Those who are against it, however
seem to believe that the voters can
work out their desires as efrectually
through caucuses and conventions as
through primary elections, and here
the issue is joined. In caucuses and
conventions the leader. the alert and
successful organizer, the man ready
with speeches and motions. the I'M
scrupulous manipulation, finds his com
pletest opportunity for influence. Some
Of the things done may be innocent
and some Of the things done may be
wrong and vicious; but whether inno-
cent or vicious, the ordinary voter who
gives no further attention to politics
than to become familiar with public
questions and to vote when the time
comes. has no fair chance in the mys-
teries of the caucus and the conven-
ton. If there was no other reason
for primary election law, II would
be needed OF egualize the capacities of
men for management and to make it
more difficult, at least, for the man
who promises to bring in township
or county, to fulfill his promise.
Strikes at Corporations.
There is, however, another view
which appeals to me still more strong
ly. Our country has changed nightly
in the last quarter of century. Bust
ness and commerce have passed, in
large measure, from the individual to
the corporation The corporation has
well night captured the industry of
the United States. There is close
association and sympathy among the
great combinations of capital which
enable them to move as though di-
rected by a single WILL They are
vitality concerned in the laws which
are, from time to time, adopted, and
therefore one part of their gigantic
purpose is to control. to a degree, the
vernment-national state and mu-
nicipal. He who does not see and feel
this effect is both blind and insensi
BILE. These corporations and combina-
lions have at their command untold
wealth, the strongest Intellectual force
ever organized, and an infinite variety
of channels through which to work;
and they intend to prevent any gov
from enacting or enforcing
any law which they think ought not
to be enacted or enforced. They will
do this thing If they can, and the most
casual student of human nature must
perceive that the attempt springs from
the commoneSt characteristic of the
human race. There is just one way in
which they can do It effectually, and
that is to determine who shall be nom
mated and elected to office.
Their arts cover the whole range of
influence. AT one time they bride, at
another they browbeat. Now they de
ceive and now they seduce. They
take one man to the top Of the noun
tain and show him the world that may
be his, and with another they take
from his shoulders burden that is too
heavy for him to bear. They run the
whole gamut of human affections, and
sound every note in the chords of both
virtue and vice. In short, they are
equipped to do whatever the occasion
requires Their chief officers are
usually men of standing and morals,
but their opera lions are so vast that
when they issue an order to accom-
plish a certain result they do not feel
responsible for the manner in which it
is attained.
Railway Control of State.
In this state the railway companies
are the political corporations, and
while they have not introduced her
all the methods which have been o.
served elsewhere, 1t is manifest TIL;
they have intended to direct the cours''
of the state, and that they still intena
to direct it If it be within their pow