The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-02-22
OPPOSESPRIMARY
Secretary Shaw Points To
Weaknesses in Crosby Bill
WOULD Benefit RAILROADS.
Expresses Opinion in Letter to Sen.
ator Molsberry that Primary
Law Would be harmful.

One of the political sensations of
the day is public letter to Senator
Molsberry in which Secretary Shaw
opposed the primary bill and makes
public some details of his own nomi-
nation for Governor. The letter is as
follows:
Treasury Department, Washing
ton, D. c., Jan. %, 1906 My Dear
Senator Molsberry: am in receipt
of your letter of January 18th, in
quiring what think of the proposed
primary law for Iowa. My only inter-
est in the matter is that of a private
citizen of Iowa, and neither my opinion
nor my wishes should have any in
fluence. The facts on which l base
my opinion may be worthy of con-
sideration, and submit them freely.
81 have had some opportunity to
observe the working of the primary
laws in other states, and have tried
to study the logical result of such
laws if made applicable to Iowa. In
Virginia it costs the candidate about
one dollar each for the votes they re-
ceived at the primaries, exclusive of
the loss of time, luncheons and other
courtesies. AS one candidate ex-
pressed it. "This included only what
the law required me to report 81
believe no ordinary citizen, under such
a law, could secure the nomination for
a state office in Iowa for less than
$100, 900 unless he had back of him
three or four OF the railroads of the
state. Such law would make pos
sible railroad control-what we have
never yet experienced. l do not say
that the railroads would seek to con-
troll the state under such law, only
say they could control the state if
they could agree among themselves.
''There are few possible candidates
for any state office in Iowa who are
known to five per cent of the people
of the state.
After had been here about eigh-
teen months received letter from
the cashier OF national bank adj
dressed to me at Des Moines as Hon.
Leslie M. Shaw, Governor of Iowa,
complaining that had failed to send
notarial commission in response to
a previous request. If the writer had
heard, he had forgotten that my sue
cessor had been in Office nearly two
years, or that was at the head of
the department which had jurisdiction
over the bank of which he was cashier.
About a year ago received let
ter from citizen of Iowa which read,
tHon. John M. Shaw, Secretary OF
State: Please send me copy of the
agricultural report. l do not be-
lieve one-half of the citizens of Iowa
would be able to recall that the state
ever had a governor by the name OF
Shaw. l was talking the other day
with an American born lady of culture
and refinement, who speaks fuently
two languages and who has frequently
been the house guest at Washington
of foreign ambassador, who seriously
asked the name of the president who
preceded Roosevelt. If we were tc
have national primary law and the
vote were to be taken today,I have nc
doubt that William r. Hearst would
receive twice as many votes as any
other man save William Jennings
Bryan. The conservative vote would
be divided and subdivided well-nigl
indefinitely. A democracy upon {
large scale, as distinguished from {
republic, is an impossibility. Wher
was boy we had town meetings
and they were successful. Ever,
voter of the town (about 1907 knew
every other man, his character ane
his habits. A town meeting in New
York City would not be success. A
republic is constructed upon the theory
of representation. We do not legis
late at the polls, and we cannot safel!
nominate at the polls. We can, how
ever, safely elect delegates at tn,