Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-01-17

they cannot exercise the care essential +
their own safety and to the safety Of tn
road accidents Is full of warning upo
this subject. The operation Of railwa
trains demands Vision not dulled by los
u sleep. memory not impaired By ply
sicai WEAKNESS. It demands that all tn
senses be alive and keen. 1t Is well es
tablished that many of the most de
plorabie accidents result from the failur
oI men who have been at their posts 10
.weny four. thirty. thirty-siI and evel
forty-eight hours without >the chance 70
adequate recuperation.
TO require such continuous work is in
human to employees: to permit II is an of
tense against the public. The fault IL no
win the railway companies alone, To-
there are employees who seek an opportuni
ty to thus increase their wages but who
ever desires 1t. there Is a higher consid
ration than either profit to the employees
or compensation to the employe. Th'
puoIc safety overrules them both.
recommend the enactment of a Law
tnat VIII fairly and reasonably limit con
tinuous service Of employees engaged II
the movement OF railway trains.
Primary Elections.
The wisdom OF establishing q system
ror the nomination Of candidates for e1ec
Two Officers has not only been thoroughly
debated In prior General Assemblies, but
mas been maturely considered by the peo
ne or the State. Declarations upon the
subject will be found in the platforms OF
the two principal political parties which
preclude doubt with respect to the opiD-
Ions OF an overwhelming majority Of the
voters. The experience of each year. as
" passes. emphasizes the imperative need
OF thorough-going reform In the methods
or nominating candidates
We have long tried the plan of un.
regulated caucuses and conventions. and
the defects discovered In this system have
been so manifest that there Is a univer.
sal demand for something better. I there.
fore earnestly recommend. as have re-
commended before. an efficient primary
election law. I recognize that there are
dlnerences OF opinion with respect not
only to the scope but the details of such
2 law. but l sincerely hope that these diff.
ferences may not be so broad or so fun
damental that they cannot be reconciled.
! have given much thought to the sub
lert' but shall not impose upon you at
this time more than a statement of he
essential features which a primary election
law should contain
First II should embrace the nomina t1ons
or candidates for all elective officers,
whether state. county. municipal or dis,
the United states. second. II should
provide for the nomination Of candidates
Tor these offices by the primary vote, and
should not remit nominations. under any
the eTen, to except IN
lection for all political parties should be
held throughout the State on the same
lay and ut the same places. Fourth
mere should be some fair test Of party
know that there are some thourbtfu,
Students OF the subject who believe thar
nomination. BY q mere plurality is I'M
wise. and grant that there may be
instances In which the concurrence Of a
hn hat k,,A
majority IN all cases would be to make
10 substantial change In the present sys-
EN-. for conventions wonld still be com
Yelled to nominate candidates. II. there
o me that we must adopt nominations
" pluraltles.
! am aware. also. that there are many
PERSONS who, with the utmost sincerity,
eheye that certain offices. such as Judges
II the Supreme and District Courts, At.
orney General. Clerk and Reporter Of
ne supreme Court. and Superintendent of
'uhlic Instruction. should not be included
do not share the fears which lead TO
his conclusion, and yet | am quite will
RECEPTIONS to the full and complete oper-
tion Of the law. they should be along
his line. rather than any other.
! leave the subject with you, confident
asst Importance, and In accordance with
ne spirit which so universally prevails.
by Corporations For Po-
iltical Purposes.
That II has become custom with cor.
orations of various kinds to make con.
ributions to accomplish or defeat the
omination OF candidates for public office.
nd to assist in the election of candidates
or public office, is so well known and
as been so completely established that
eed not pause to prove its existence
here are many reasons. Of the weightiest
haracter which demand an immediate
rohibition against such misuse of cor
crate funds. coupled with a penalty of
IMPRISONMENT for the violation of the law
irst. the growing tendency to use money
, political campaigns is subversive of
ne fundamental principles Of good gov
rnment. for 1t not only destroys purity of
otive, but II overthrows the safety which
always found in individual and indie
endent action. Second, II Is plain
1eft from every stakeholder who does
I'd the Misrepresentation Is peculiarly OBJ
oxlous because II oftentimes puts the |
oney OF a stakeholder at work for can. |
date whose success the stakeholder does |
he corporation an influence in public az, |
lrs simply because OF the money contri. |
influence which is necessarily |
9TH selfish and vicious. CORPORATIONS |
,clude themselves from politics, and the |
ost effective way In which to give them |
rength to resist temptation Is to fix |
.nalty for participation, so severe that |
lie honest course will be the most at |
active one. I recommend, with all my |
rnestness, the enactment of measure |
ION this subject that will stop, at once
I'd forever, so odious misuse OF cor
rate property.
In this connection, desire to submit
ere must be some expenditure of money |
every political campaign, whether for
or for election. There are le-
innate purposes for which money can be
ibuted by individuals. there can he no
itlcism OF the practice We will al,
rec, however that the expenditures of
oncy In political controversies has
ssed beyond fair and reasonable limit.
her countries and other states have at
mDted TO restrict the use of money with.
honest bounds through that very eff
mt corrective-publiClty ! think the
ate of Iowa should do likewise. and l
rongly recommend n law that will re-
lire not only nolitical committees, but
ndidates for nomination and for cleo
IN, to publish their expenditures.
Lobbying And The Lobbyist.
My views upon lobbying and the lobby
t are fairly well known, but ! venture
ce more to EXPRESS them Corporations
we'll as individuals, oftentimes have n
rect pecuniary or property interest in
aasures that are proposed before legis-
tive bodies. When such measures arise
is fundamental that they have the
ght to be heard. To deny them the
ivllege Of submitting either fact or ar
mant to the men who make the laws
ould be intOlerahle In an enlightened
vernment Manifestly. however, the
ivileEes OF such representatives shouId
limited to the submission of such mat
re- as touch the merit or demerlt of the !
gislation proposed. and whenever any
rporation or individual attempts 70 Inan.
ce a member by any other consideration.
matter what II Is. he commits a crime
,ainst morals, and the punishment should
swift, sure, and severe. understand
rfectly that such offenses are not easily
scovered. but that Is no reason for i'm
unity when they are discovered
Among other treasures, the Car
eeps In glass case In the palace
t Peterhof the first sod Of the great