Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-05-25
BY MEAD PUBLISHING CO.
OFFICIAL PAPER OF COUNTY
Democratic Timber.

NJ VlStH6 III eN Vt SOONu
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Democratic Timber.
In view OF the political situation in
Iowa it behooves the democrats to sit
up and look about With the except
ion Of fifteen years ago, when Cover
nor Horace Boies was elected, there
has not been time in the political
history of the state SO promising as at
this moment for the democracy of
Iowa. What with F. NJ. Hubbell, the
Des Moines multi.millionaire owner
of the Des Moines Uuion Railway
planning and furnishing the money
for Gov Cummins' campaign, and the
governor and ]. w. Blythe, the latter
representing the reactionary element
Of the party, locked in deadly grapple,
the REORGANIZATION fight threatens to
breed internecine frictions that will
not be healed in day. While making
the battle single handed against cor
porate aggressions, Gov. Cummins had
the open sympathy Of the democrats
of the state. His declarat ion of prin-
ciples was democratic and naturally
the forces arraYed against him we're
those opposed to democratic ideas.
But when 1t is as palpable as noon
day that the governor is throwing off
the yoke of Blythe and Call only to
change it to the domination of Hub
bell, democrats grow skeptical. The
change the governor proposes is not
one Of measures but of men. 1tmeans
shifting the domino ton of state poll
tics from Blythe to F. M. Hubbell.
Hubbell stands for the same things in
Des MONIES and the seventh congress
sional district that ]. w. Blythe and
James Davis typify in the broader
field of the state. Hubbell is rated by,
Bradstreet at $4,000, 900, and he is not
overrated. He is president of the Des
Moines Union Railroad company;
president Of the Equitable of Iowa
Life insurance company, is dominat-
ing factor In the Des MoineS Water
company, Of which he was president
for years-until driven out by q pop
ular uprising in Des Moines, against
the rapacity of the company con-
trolled the city council for two de-
cades, and was the chief stakeholder
of the Des Moines National bank I'M
til ousted by the mastery subtlety of
@. w. johnson.
The alliance between E. M. Hub
bell and A. B. Cummins is a logical
incident. The latter was attorney
for Mr.. Hubbell, and contributed ma
terially to the advancement of his
material interests by reason of his
great legal ability. Formerly j. W.
Blythe and the late Judge Hubbard,
the attorney for the g. B. & @, and
the latter occupying similar posit
ion for the Northwestern. Three
years ago there was asundering Of the
entente cordiale between these rail-
road attorneys and the other railroads
OF the state. Not because of any Diff
ferences growing out of corporation
rule OF the state, but because Blythe
aud Hubbard exercised paramount in
fiuence with former administrations
to get disproportionate valuation
placed upon the properties of the 20
and the Northwestern in comparison
with the valuation OF the lesser prop.
critics. The latter, resenting this un'
fairness, cast about, and as A. B
Cummins was the attorney for the
Rock Island and Great Western, II
agreed upon him as the most available
candidate with which to dethrone
Blythe and Hubbard. The policy to
ward the public is the same; but be
tween the roads and the administra-
tion is different. 1t is now question
of which faction shall have the mos
influential friends at court.
Among the candidates mentioned
to date for the democratic nomina-
ton are John Hamilton, of Cedar
Rapids; Jerry Sullivan Of Des Moines
James Parson, and Gen. ]. 3. Weaver
Without expressing personal prefer
ences, but merely pointing the way
for what it believes to be for the bes1
interests of the party, the Times-Tri
rune will be pardoned for mentioning
Mr.. Hamilton. Several months ag,
he was rendered by Gov. Cummins ap
pointment on the state board OF con
troi to fill the vacancy caused by thu
death of Judge Kline. He is sterl
ing democrat, He supported w. j
Bryan both times he was candidat,
for the presidency. Nor did he do II
under cover. He did 1t openly ant
with enthusiasm. He is man II
whom the democrats OF the state repost
nnbounded condolences confidence
that Is merited. The Times Tribune
is sanguine that he would poll the
full strength OF the party, and per
I haps, more than any prospective can
didate yet mentioned, would draw
support from the republican ranks
Yet another sound democrat, on
who has repeatedly shown his strength
by election as representative and sen.
stor from q normally republican ccun
~, is Mr.. Claud Porter, of Appanoost
county. Clean, able, fine orator ant
in sympathy with popular demand