Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-20
party sentiment and policy" I'll

party sentiment and policy" The
author had seen things at Washington
which excited apprehension for the
country and the fear that the republic
can party was in danger of eHtangling
alliances. This editor distinctively re-
members the marked impression made
by this eloquent statement When the
honest, patriotic, conservative Roberts
discovered a situation at Washington
full of concern and public peril, and
was brave enough to sound a note of
warning to Iowa friends, unmindful
of a comfortable berth in the treasury
department, was it not time to join
him in his noble work Of political re-
form? This was to the Beacon most
important communicate ton, as it was
the inspiration for the course along
important political lines adopted by
the Beacon and ever since pursued.
The editor was pleased to be a member
of the committee on resolutions at the
state convention near at hand Mr..
Roberts was there He was wholly
ensrossed in his reform plank. 1t
went into the platform after slight
correction. In this article of party
faith appears this splendid declaration
than which nothing more patriotic and
vital has appeared in any party plat
form since the war:
We assert the sovereignty OF
the people over all corporations ana
aggregations of capital and the right
residing in the people to enforce such
regulations, restrictions or prohibitions
upon corporate management as Will
protect the Individual and society from
abuse of the power which great COM
binations of capital yield.
Everybody voted for it on the floor
of the convention and as history turned
the contest was all over but the fight
ing. For five years the principles IN
volved in this platform have marked
1.-The cleavage of party ties and rend-
ing of old associations" The logical
campaign leader, Governor Cummins,
took this political child of Roberts TO
his heart of hearts, and has staked ms
political fortunes and sacrificed his
personal comfort and prosperity in its
behalf. After five years these prlncl-
pies were never more in peril, because
of the determination of standpatism to
do them to death. Mr.. Roberts is now
grieyed and indignant because his dis
ciple in the just cause of reform VIII
not Internationally surrender to the
bitterest foes of these principles. 1t
is plain as day at high twelve that TO
Join him in the Perkins camp is 10
place the leadership Of the republican
party of Iowa in the hand of j. W..
Blythe, whose sole political aim IS 10
control the republican party IN the sell
fish interest of corporations and COM
binations of capital ruthlessly I'M
mindful of the rights residing IN the
people," the most dangerous foe In
Iowa to "the restrictions or prohibit
lions upon corporate management as
will protect individuals and society
from the abuse of power which great
combinations OF capital yield
The principles enunciated in the 1901
platform, born of the genius and the
patriotism of Geo. e. Roberts, should
be inscribed upon the banners OF re-
publicanism everywhere. They are the
cartel of popular sovereignty TO cor
norations and combinations OF capltar
now relentlessly warning against the
establishment in law of that slgnln-
can't word: CONTROL. To falter now
is to fail. To take the corporation oalt
cunningly concealed and temptingly
displayed to men of principle in north
vest Iowa is to prolong indefinitely
an irrepressible conflict inaugurated
nv, Mr. Roberts in 1901, and valiantly
defended by others through the years
intervening. From his Washington
viewpoint Mr.. Roberts may be ae-
ceiyed. but Mr. Blythe is not and neltn-
err are the men summoned to patrlotlc
duty at the Cedar Rapids convention.
And as we write the conviction upper
most in our soul is that Mr.. Roberts
should be the last man in Iowa to sound
retreat in this political emergency.