The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-07-20
NOW THE IOWA y

political situation OF Iowa divide the alton
ton OF the v~isitor-the moral pulse 10 nor
NAL and the price Of hogs Is soaring. This
latter observation may seem irrelevant and
hippant. but 1t is neither. One Of the most
serious and experienced OF the political
observers here said to-day:
with hogs at IS a hundred you can't
pry the Iowa farmers lose from the Repub-
lican party with a orowbar.' ManifesUy
the hog Is In politics In Iowa.
About the first thing that occurs to an
Fastener to do when he gets to Des Moines
Is to sit down and write to all his friends TO
come out here-for the one startling phe-
nomenon In Iowa is prosperity. Every
body is prosperous here. Tho owner OF o
newspaper. with true Western ~frankness,
tells you the gain his business shows over
last year. The barber who shaves you
pauses to explain that when II comes TO
prosperity 'Iowa has them all skinned o
mile Finally you are informed that
there Is 30 much prosperity here that all
the circuses and travelling shows In the
United States are either here or headed In
this direction. In fact as soon az one
CROSSES the Mississippi River the plant Of
hard times is left behind. Even the prairies
are giving evidence Of their contribution
to prosperity. and incidentally to Repub-
lioan campaign strength.
To be sure. they have an @Idea" In this
State. In point Of fact the "Iowa Idea
is the original. genuine. first In the field Of
all the @Ideas,' just what 1t means ow-
although every one knows that originally
II meant tariff changes-it would be hard TO
say. In general terms II seems TO mean
a hostility to the popular evils pictured
by the political novels Of Winston Churchill.
with tho chocolate cream love story left
out. Of course. 1t is a protest against the
wicked corporation, the deadly trust and
the horriAo ~reactionary. with an extra dose
OF suspicion toward railroads as the true
enemies Of all public prosperity.
As in Wisconsin. the Iowa Idea 10 In
reality typiied by one man. and he 10 Gov
ernor Cummings. Tho Cummings Repub-
loan has many hatreds In common with
the La Toilette Republican; he has many
loves In common with William Jennings
Bryan. In particular. however, the OK.
ponent Of the 'Iowa Idea hates your Uncle
Joe C~annon-hates him passionately, vehe-
mently; loathes him a the ultimate express
sion in trousers Of the corporation ideal In
public life; finally condemns him most
furiously. most p~assionately. for the hideous
crime Of opposing President Roosevelt
Hating Uncle Joe Cannon. the Cum
mings Republican concentrates his discon-
tent upon James Schoolcraft Sherman.
All over Iowa there Ia to be heard bitter
Of Sherman.
sThe people Of Iowa expect q certain kind
Of man in public life. and Jim Sherman 10
not it. said one. Others say real mean
things about Mr.. Sherman. which show
Unexpectedly accurate information upon the
It is necessary 10 oonoede that II
Bryan has any Republican asset in Iowa II
this same Sherman nomination.
When every possible care has bean given
10 the question OF estimating tho strength
Of Bryan In Republican ranks, however.
there is no denying the fact that IL 10 not
The Cummings faction. which
Bryan. Not ever the most malignant
-standpatter' charges this. Governor Cum
mings has announced his support for the
in the most unqualified terms-not
with any such two faced statement as came
rom La Toilette: and the Cummings fao-
lion is expected to support the ticket
any material break. The Cum
nings leaders laugh at Bryan's claim Of
900 Cummings Republicans In lows.
The reason for the state Of mind that 10
70 be found ON all sides in Iowa Ii at onos
and significant. Iowa Is par ex-
a Roosevelt radical State. It
AXES its Teddy standing and without any
Mr.. Taft is accepted and
as Roosevelt paper in Iowa. Mr..
Endorsement Of Mr.. Taft 10
for the Republicans Of the Iowa
idea faction in this State. The value OF
his fact is apparent. Fol some days Mr..
Bryan has been laying claim to a number |
IF the so-called Roosevelt radical States,
md here Is Iowa, one Of these States, which
ELECTS the claim firmly and deoisively.
Iowa ia radical enough. There Ia moth
ng Of sympathy here with the point Of |
view of the East. Iowa is not against Mr.. |
because he is a radical. because he
stands for things which the East calls her. |
,sy; 1t Is against him in spite Of all this. |
L is for MIR. Taft because 1t accepts Mr., |!
Roosevelt as a better radical than Mr.. Bryan |
md takes Taft at the Presidents word.
There is one thing in this iowa situation. !
however, that deserves the attention OF |
'oth vi ioie LIN ~ 1eoPupiiSdh dtio |
There is no widespread patience
,ere for any reactionary programme. No
me is saying with regard to the White
House, Let us have peace The majority
If Republicans in Iowa want the Roosevelt
and they want them pushed as
much as ever. They hate the wicked cor
,orations and they see the outer wall lined
With horrid shadows-the shadows Of tho
'oul corporation demons-who are seeking
whom and what they may devour. All
his is very real and very vital. 1t Is a
'art Of the habit Of thought Of the pro
uessives' of this State. 1t is not a pass
wave Of excitement like 10 to /; it is !
something that seems to be very permanent
n its character.
Such being the fact as to the frame Of
mind here. there Is just one cloud on the
II any combination Of circum-
should occur that should show or
eem to show that Mr.. Taft had the East
rather than the Western view-was not
to announce and prove that there
vas to be mo backward STEP was not 'as
as Roosevelt. then and then
'nly there might flame up q prairie fire Of
evolt among the Republican radicals Of
owa. Manifestly this Ia the revolt Mr..