Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-05-13
JOE q. LANES MESSAGE
10 Repu olicans Delivered at the
AllisiOn Meeting at Clinton,
April 80. 1908.

Aliision Meeting at Clinton,
April 80. 1908.
There has been considerable said
this evening about progressive and
stand pat.
Now, l am simply a plain, every
day, all-the-year-round Republican.
need no limitations, no qualifications
to define nay political allegiance.
| The designation Republican is quits
sufficient for me and always has been,
and hope will be.
When this senatorial question FIRST
came up, last fall, and it became
known that was a supporter Of Sem
| ator Allison, 1 met an old political
friend, who said to me: Lane,
learn you are for Allison"
"How about this? You have always
been a warm personal friend and an
active supporter of the governors"
Eyes, said, shat Is true and our
warm personal friendship still contin-
ues, and 1 trust it will always be 50.
I am for William b. Allison, for re-
election against all Corners" My dear
sir ii is this way: There Is no good
reason known to me, why should op-
pose the reelection Of one Of the great
est statesmen Iowa has ever produced.
There Is every good reason. it seems
to me- why should support the nestOr
of the United States senate for his re.
election. / look back and the first man
of distinction I ever knew was our
senior senator 1t was when 1 was
still barefoot urchin, at my fathers
house. and he was guest. l have
known him now personally for more
than thirty years. During all that
time l have seen him work, quietly,
faithfully. honorably, for Iowa and the
whole country. During all these years
he has had the confidence and esteem
Of the people Of Iowa. In every Re-
publican state convention for twenty
Eve years there were no words Of COM
mendation, more kindly received, NOR
with greater unanimity, than those in
honor Of Senator Allison.
It was my fortune few years ago
to serve a term in congress. Then and
thereby became intimately associated
with him. There II was that I came
to a true appreciation Of his ability,
his influence, his judgment. Then it
was that I came to full appreciation
that Senator Allison was q statesman
In fact as well as In name. Then 10
was that I could appreciate and un-
derstand why II was that President
Garfield was 50 insistent that he ac-
cept a place in his cabinet; why Il
was that President Mckinley 80 earn
sstly urged him to come into his cabd-
net Then 1t was that had IN APP
preoiatio Of why President Mckinley
30 often sought his help and accepted
his counsel In those great problems
| which confronted his administration.
| And President Roosevelt. independent
thinker as he is. determined in hts
policies as he is recognized by all to
be- yet there is no one man in the UNI
ted States senate today to whose judg-
men and advice he gives greater con-
sideration than the senior senator from
Iowa.
I happened in Washington last week
on professional business and while
there had the pleasure Of a visit with
the senator | found him as Of old,
busily engaged with his duties and
work. his intellect as keen, his judg-
ment as clear, his interest In public
affairs as alert as at any time in the
past ten years. And I want TO say to
! you that the persons who go about this
state preaching to the contrary BELT
tie themselves. do an injustice to one
Of Iowa's most honored citizens and
are imposing upon the people Of this
great state.
This man has now been in public
life for forty years. His life has been
pure, honorable He has administered
his trust faithfully, with credit to him
self and homer to the commonwealth.
The question Is, shall we turn him
out? Someone says, why7
The only reason offered that know
| Of Is this: Some one else wants the
job. Well. l suppose there has been no
time, in more than twenty years, but
that many would have liked the place.
| yet no one until now has personally
asked 1t.
That reason does not appeal to me.
| To him and them, my answer must be.
"Nay. not today, maybe some other
| day"
My friends, 1 appeal to you and to
the people Of Iowa. We have an Inn
portant duty to perform. We at least
owe the senator our gratitude. ask
you to express it at the primaries and
do il in such an emphatic way that the
majority fo- Senator Allison will be 81
large that the people Of Iowa will sit
ND and take notice that Iowa Il still
sane.