Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-06-20
COUNTY CONVENTION SATURDAY.

for Winnesheik county will be held
at the court house on next Saturday
afternoon. 1t will in many respects
be the most interesting convention
held in years, for the state campaign
has progressed to such a point that
this is one of the deciding counties.
Personally, we are opposed to the
denomination of Gov. Cummins. We
do not believe that there is a potent
reason for his being accorded an honor
never before given to any Iowan.
We do believe that himself and his
administration are directly response
BILE for raising the taxes of the real
estate Of Iowa 3S per cent, while they
have raised the taxes of the railroads
has been the most extravagant since
we have known anything about
state affairs. He is posing as the
friend of the common people when
he has himself prac tically all his life
been corporation attorney. and a
friend and supporter of the railroads
and corporations. He breaches purely
democratic doctrines, has himself sup
ported and stumped for democratic
candidate for governor, has himself
run on democratic ticket for re-
preventative and was elected, and has
created the most corrupt political
machine known in years in state
politics.
We believe that he has one over
powering ambition--to rob the great
state of Iowa of the distinguished and
able services of one of her u. S.
Senators, either Senator Allison or
DOlliver, men who stand today at the
very apex of national craftsmanship,
who have even within the past fe w
months been of inestimable value to
the state and nation in supporting
President Roosevelt in his great
fight against the railroads. For these
and many other reasons which we have
repeatedly stated in these columns,
we cannot support him for renomina-
tion.
On the other hand, we do believe in
Hon. George D. Perkins. For forty
years he has edited the strongest re-
publican newspaper in Iowa.
Throughout every campaign he has
been found steadily, honestly, con-
scientiously supporting republican
principles, fighting for the grand old
party which has given the nation
prosperity and progress. Throughout
his entire career no man ever pointed
with suspicion to his motive, no one
ever questioned his sincerity, no one
ever doubted his republicanism. At
the time of his nations peril he
shOuldered the musket and marched
to the front in it's defense. and since
the close of that great struggle he
has ever been found zealously and
diligently laboring for the interests
of the common people. The breath OF
scandal, of intrigue, of unmanliness
has never been raised against him.
He is man of ability. of power and
of honesty. He might have been
governor Of Iowa without fight,
had he stopped to the will of the
Cummins machine, it is said. But he
has repeatedly said in the campaign
that if he could not be nominated
without bowling to the will of any
person. corporation, or political
machine and without obligations to
anyone or anything except the repub
lican party and the state of Iowa, he
does not want the nomination. Sucf
a man we believe in, we delight in
supporting him for this high Office,
and we believe that the republicans
of the state of Iowa will make the
greatest mistake in the history of the
party if they turn him down to give
unprecedented honor and power to
Gov. Cummins and his corrupt politi-
Cal machine.
Practically every word of the above
is just as true of that other candidate
for governor, Major Rathbun OF
Marion. An old soldier. an editor,
a statesman, man of honor and OF
character. like Geo. d. Perkins il
nearly all characteristics, we cOuld
just as cheerfully support him for the
governorship
Having been a. personal friend OF
these men for several years, and sin
cerely believing in their ability and
character, who is there who will find
fault if we do all in our power to
assist them in their aspirations.
We sincerely trust that there will bt
no such disgraceful scenes during the
closing days Of the campaign in
Winnesheik county as there have been
in other parts of the state. We art
anxious that the voters shall be givel
3 fair. honest and full opportunity tC
express their preference and are will
ing to abide by the result. The in
trusion Of dictators from outside
ought not to be given weight, fol
they have personal AK to grind OF
would not be here. The republican
Of Winnesheik know enough to con
II IuOk kIoir n~xyvn aRa IT, and xryo ho1iovo