Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-09
Temporary Chairman's Address
Dan W. Hamilton Of <Sigourney Delivers Speech
Before Iona Democrats

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
This system has been by consent tried
IN some of the districts of the state
and has produced the best of results
Again, the election of judges might be
held at time when no other officers
are to be elected, and thus to certain
extent remove partisan politics. Or
permit the bar of the district to name
the candidates for Judge While it
may not be conceded, it is fact that
no class of citizens know and realize
more fully the necessity of a change
of the manner of selecting judges, no
one appreciates the fact more fully
that the bench of on. district courts
should be filled by the ablest and most
conscientious lawyers Of the state.
Some of the recent judicial conven-
lions of the state have demonstrated
to what extremes party politics pre-
dominate the selection of candidates
for Judge. 1t cannot be said that men
when selected in hot political contests
as candidates and elected by partisan
votes will be able to cast aside those
influences and weight with judicial
mind the many questions of law and
fact that arise for determination. The
election of man to the judiciary does
not remove his humanity, or make him
immune to the influences Of the willy
politician, or the man with pull
Our legislative branch of the govern
ment makes our laws for the people
and for the corporations, but the courts
of the state construe those laws, and
without attacking or intimating any
dishonest purpose on the part of Judge
or judges, their personal opinions, in
dividual desires, and the influences
thrown about them, perhaps uncon-
sciously, often influence them in the
determination of many questions
which vitality effect the werfare of the
general public. Let us have a judi
ciary removed from the ward politi-
clans influences and place it upon that
high standard of dignity which shall
remove it from all suspician, and give
to the Judiciary spirit of indepen-
dence that will more nearly insure alb
solute justice. The party that will
bring about this reform will render a
lasting service to the people of the
state.
Primary Law.
Considerable has been said during
the past winter and past summer about
primary law One faction of the re-
publican party declares that their
party has become so corrupt that it
has become impossible to get fair
deal in the nomination of republican
candidate for Office under the caucas
system, and while there are many
things that they say, that I would adj
v1GQ tn fakn with q <>r oil
ance am inclined to believe this state
ment, and if what we read in republi-
can newspapers with reference to pri-
maries that have been held during the
late unpleasantness in Iowa they
would purify the air very much by
holding primaries. l might say that
the democrats of Iowa have received
enough satisfaction out of the recent
unholy, corrupt and strenuous cam
paign by the ms ond out of the repub-
lican party in this state to pay them
for all their patience and long suffer
ing. l do not say corrupt and unholy
with any malice, but because the per-
sonal organs of both the tribe of Joe
and the clans of Albert so declare. So
far as the democratic party is concern
ed we have not in the state of Iowa
felt the need of a primary or any other
mode of nominating candidates. We
have been more in need of voters at
the polls. / would advise my republi-
can friends IL the tools of monopoly,
OF the men Influenced and dominated
by corporate control or anything else,
has crept in your ticket by the mani
pulation of party caucuses and are
there unfairly, and not as you believe
in the interests Of the people, the use
of the pencil little more freely at
the polls will to a great extent cure
the evils now complained of. The de-
mocratic party has elways stood as the
party of the people and in favoring Of
keeping the control of the government
as nearly to producers of our country's
wealth as possible, and as far from the
hands of the spectators, and manipu-
lators of that wealth after it's produc-
ton as consistent with equal suffrage,
and therefore favor primary law, but
it must be one without any red tape or
corporation amendments and not in
the interest of any political party 1t
must not be so framed as to disfran-
chise minority party, or of such char
acter as to strengthen the lines or build
up political machines. Neither will
we stand for law which makes it a
burden for any honest man to aspire to
office, or be so framed as to disfran-
chise independent voters, and when
speaking of a primary law and giving
to every man the choice of the selec-
tion of candidates, we are reminded
of another law upon the statute books
of Iowa which may be styled as the
anti-fusion law. 1t would seem that
some of our friends who are clamoring
for primary law are not 50 much in
terested in the rights of the individual
as they are in the republican party or
faction thereof.
A political party that only favors
such legislation as may promote it's
success and is opposed to legislation
that must be conceded to be just to
all citizens, because it might aid an,
other political victory party, is danger
Gus to all principles of free and in
dependent government, and we are apt
to doubt &he sincerity of some of our
republican friends that are so clamor.
o,IS for n urinary law mbap +I,air nov